^^S^roTFRi^JcTiv^ 


BV  5080  .T254  1910 

Tauler,  Johannes,  ca.  1300- 

1361. 
The  sermons  and  conferences 
of  John  Tauler,  of  the 


THE  SERMONS  AND  CONFERENCES 

JOHN  TAULER 

OF  THE  ORDER  OF  PREACHERS 
Sumamed  "THE  ILLUMINATED  DOCTOR" 

BEING 


HIS  SPIRITUAL  DOCTRINE 

First  Complete  English  Translation  with  Introduction  and  Index 


BY 


VERY  REV.  WALTER  ELUOTT 

Of  tU  Pauliil  Fathen 


^ 


1910 

APOSTOLIC    MISSION    HOUSE 

Brookland  Station 

Washington,  D.  C. 


5^tl|tl  nbfltat 

JOSEPH  McSORLEY,  C.  S.  P. 

CUM  PERMISSU  SUPERIORUM 

5^il)il  obatat 

JOHN  F.  FENLON.  S.  S.,  D.  D. 

Rector  Collegii  Sancti  Augustlni,  Washington,  D.   C. 

CENSOR  DEPUTATUS 

+  JACOBUS.  CARDINALIS  GIBBONS 

ARCHEPISCOPUS  BALTIMORENSIS 
DIE  MARTII    XXVII    MCMX 
IN   DIE   SANCTO   PASCH/E 


DEDICATION 

Thii  tranilation  u  affectionately  dedi- 
cated to  Father  A.  P.  Doyle,  C.  S.  P.. 
without  whose  zealoui  and  skillful  co-oper- 
ation it  could  not  have  been  published. 

W.  E. 


This  Volume  is 


No 

•f  Five  Hundred  Copie*. 


Copyright 
Waltkr  Elliott 


PatrouB 

1       ifia  lEmittenre  ifamffl  QIarbinal  (Sibbona,  ArrI)bial|ojj  of 
Salttmorf. 

1        l|ts  SxcfUertrg  Stameli?  3Falranin,  ApaatoUr  S^kgate. 


J^atrona  among  tl|?  ArrljbtflljnpB 

2        Most  Rev.  Jas.  H.  Blenk,  D.D.,  Archbishop  of  New  Orleans,  La 
4  I    Most  Rev.  J.  L.  Spalding,  D.D.,  Peoria  III. 

7  ^     Most  Eev.  J.  M.  Farley,  D.D.,  Archbishop  of  New  York 
8j 

^  L    Most  Rev.  John  Ireland,  D.D.,  Archbishop  of  St.  Paul 

12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20j 

211 

22  r     Most  Rev.  J.  E.  Quigley,  D.D.,  Archbishop  of  Chicago 

231 

2 .  r     Most  Rev.  J.  J.  Keane,  D.D.,  Archbishop  of  Dubuque,  Iowa 

25         Most  Rev.  P.  W.  Riordan,  D.D.,  Archbishop  of  San  Francisco 


!-     Most  Rev.  P.  J.  Ryan  D.D.,  Archbishop  of  Philadelphia.  Pa. 


26  Alerding,  Rt.  Eev.  H.  J.,  Bishop  of  Fort  Wayne,  Ind. 

27  Allen,  Rt  Rev.  Edward,  Bishop  of  Mobile,  Ala. 

28 1 

-Q  i-    Bonacum,  Rt.  Rev.  Thos.,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  Neb. 

30  Bnrke,  Rt.  Rev.  Maurice  F.,  Bishop  of  St.  Joseph,  Mo. 

y  Canevin,  Rt.  Rev.  Regis,  Bishop  of  Pittsburg,  Pa. 

88  Carroll,  Rt.  Rev.  John  P.,  Bishop  of  Helena,  Mont. 

I'^l  Colton,  Rt.  Rev.  Chas.,  Bishop  of  Buffalo 

Conaty,  Rt.  Rev.  Thos.  J.,  Bishop  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 
Corrigan,  Rt.  Rev.  Owen  B.,  Auxiliary  Bishop  of  Baltimore. 

Cusack,  Rt.  Rev.  Thos.  F.,  Auxiliary  Bishop  of  New  York 

Dunne,  Rt.  Rev.  Edw.  J.,  Bishop  of  Dallas,  Texas 

Fox,  Rt.  Rev.,  Joseph  J.,  Bishop  of  Green  Bay,  Wis. 
Garrigan,  Rt.  Eev.  P.  J.,  Bishop  of  Sioux  City,  Iowa 
Garvey,  Rt.  Rev.  E.  A.,  Bishop  of  Altoona,  Pa. 

Grace,  Rt.  Rev.  Thos.,  Bishop  of  Sacramento,  Cal. 


55 
56 

eg !-    Harkins,  Rt.  Rev.  Matthew,  Bishop  of  Providence,  R.  I. 

59 
60 
61 
62 
63 
64 
65j 


Haid  Rt.  Rev.  Leo,  O.S.B.,  Bishop  of  North  Carolina 
Hennessey,  Rt.  Rev.  John,  Bishop  of  Wichita,  Kan. 
Heslin,  Rt.  Rev.  Thos.,  Bishop  of  Natchez,  Miss. 

Hoban,  Rt.  Rev.  M.  J.,  Bishop  of  Scranton,  Pa. 

Janssens,  Rt.  Rev.  John,  Bishop  of  Belleville,  111. 
72        Koudelka,  Rt.  Rev.  Joseph  M.,  Auxiliary  Bishop  of  Cleveland 

„^  L      Keane,  Rt.  Rev.  J.  J.,  Bishop  of  Cheyenne,  Wyo. 

75  Maes,  Rt.  Rev.  Camillus  P.,  Bishop  of  Covington,  Ky. 

76  Monaghan,  Rt.  Rev.  J.  J.,  Bishop  of  Wilmington,  Del. 

'^^1      Muldoon,  Rt.  Rev.  P.  J.,  Bishop  of  Rockford,  111. 

78/ 

'^^  I     McGolrick,  Rt.  Rev.  Jas.,  Bishop  of  Duluth,  Minn. 

80j 

81  Northrop,  Rt.  Rev.  H.  P.,  Bishop  of  Charleston,  S.  C. 

82  O'Connell,  Rt.  Rev.  D.  J.,  Auxiliary  Bishop  of  San  Francisco 
831  Prendergast,  Rt.  Rev.  E.  F.,  Auxiliary  Bishop  of  Philadelphia, 
84j  Pa. 

85         Schinner,  Rt.  Rev.  A.  F.,  Bishop  of  Superior,  Wis. 

g-  y     Trobec,  Rt.  Rev.  James,  Bishop  of  St.  Cloud,  Minn. 

881 

89  y     Van  de  Vyver,  Rt.  Rev.  A.,  Bishop  of  Richmond. 

90j 

91         Lenihan,  Rt.  Rev.  M.  C,  Great  Falls,  Moni 

^atronfl  amnttg  tl|F  JPr? latrB 

101         Connolly,  Rt.  Rev.  Mgr.  J.  N.,  New  York 
^^2[     Dufify,  Rt.  Rev.  Mgr.  J.  S.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

104] 

105  y     Edwards,  Rt.  Rev.  Mgr.  John,  New  York 

loej 


107] 

108  I 

109  j-  Lavelle,  Rt.  Rev.  Mgr.  Michael  V.  G.,  New  York 
110 

lllj 

112  McNamara,  Rt.  Rev.  Mgr.  P.  J.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

1131 

.  ^  McCready,  Rt.  Rev.  Mgr.  Charles,  New  York. 

115  McGean,  Rt.  Rev.  Mgr.  James,  New  York. 

116  McCarty,  Rt.  Rev.  Mgr.  Edw.,  Brooklyn 

117  O'Brien,  Rt.  Rev.  Mgr.  John,  East  Cambridge,  Mass. 

118  Tiben,  Rt.  Rev.  Mgr.  J.  li.  Wichita,  Kans. 

119  Wall,  Rt.  Rev.  Mgr.  F.  A.,  New  York 

120  Engel,  Rt.  Rev.  Peter,  O.S.B.,  Collegeville,  Minn. 

Patrona  amattg  tl|^  Prt^ata 

124  Buckley,  Rev.  John,  Delavan,  Wis. 

125  Bresnahan,  Rev.  Patrick  J.,  Tallahassee,  Fla. 

126  Brosnahan,  Rev.  Timothy,  Waltham,  Mass. 

127  Brancheau,  Rev.  L.  D.,  Lansing,  Mich. 

128  Corrigan,  Rev.  M.  F.,  Dunmore,  Pa. 

129  Carroll,  Rev.  John  H.,  Wallingford,  Conn. 

130  Cavanaugh,  Very  Rev.  John,  C.S.C,  Notre  Dame  University 

131  Corrigan,  Rev.  George  W.,  Newark,  N.  J. 

132  Chidwick,  Very  Rev.  John,  St.  Joseph's  Seminary,  Dunwoodie. 

133  Coyle,  Rev.  Richard,  LL  D.,  Jamestown,  N.  Y. 

134  Coopman,  Rev.  A.  R.,  Anaconda,  Mont. 

135  Crowe,  Very  Rev.  John  W.,  Routt  College,  Jacksonville,  111. 

186] 

187  [  Connolly,  Rev.  M.  D.,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

188  J 

139  Cleary,  Rev.  J.  M.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

140  Carrigan,  Rev.  J.  P.,  Denver,  Col. 

141  Cunnion,  Rev.  Malick,  New  York 

142  Coyle,  Rev.  James  E.,  Birmingham,  Ala. 
142a  Dobbin,  Rev.  W.  A.,  Darwin,  Minn. 

143  DriscoU,  Rev.  J.  J.,  Jerseyville,  111. 

144  Dixon,  Rev.  G.  J.,  Blossburg,  Pa. 

145  Dougherty,  Rev.  James,  Canandaigua,  N.  Y. 


146  Devlin,  Rev.  Thos.,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 

147  Duggan,  Rev.  Thos.  S.,  Hartford,  Conn. 

148  Dougherty,  Rev.  W.  F.,  Bronx,  New  York  City 

149  Donnellon,  Rev.  John  J.,  Erie,  Pa. 

150  Dillon,  Rev.  John  J.,  Albany,  N,  Y. 

151  Eisler,  Rev.  Geo.  J.,  Caledonia,  N.  Y. 

152  Early,  Rev.  J.  L.,  Hopkinton,  Mass. 

153  Ellis,  Rev.  John  H.,  Sacramento,  Cal. 

154  Foley,  Rev.  Maurice  P.,  St.  Augustine,  Fla. 

155  Finn,  Rev.  Thos.,  Rockford,  111. 

156  Gallagher,  Rev.  Michael,  Washington,  D.  C. 

^^'^  \    Huntman,  Rev.  Gerard,  405  W.  125th  Streeet,  New  York 

158  J 

159  Hamel,  Rev.  J.  J.,  Olean,  N.  Y. 

1^0 1  Hanna,  Rev  Edward,  D.D.,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 
161/ 

162  Hogan,  Rev.  Thaddeus,  Trenton,  N.  J. 

163  Hackett,  Rev.  Edw.  J.,  Mobile,  Ala. 

164  Hally,  Rev.  Jas.  A.,  Wyandotte,  Mich. 

165  Howlett,  Rev.  M.  J.,  Loveland,  Col. 

^^®l    Jennings,  Rev.  Gilbert,  Cleveland,  Ohio 

167  J 

168  Kress,  Rev.  William,  Stephens,  Cleveland,  Ohio 

^^^  1      Kirwin,  Rev.  James,  Galveston,  Texas. 
170] 

^^^  I    Keane,  Rev.  Francis,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 

172J 

173        Kehoe,  Rev.  Francis  B.,  Alton,  111. 

174^ 

175 

176 

177 

178 

179 

180 

181 

182 

18H  j 

184        Murphy,  Rev.  J.,  Decatur,  111. 


Lyons,  Very  Rev.  John  V.  G.,  Wilmington,  Del. 


1851  .r  . 

186]  ^®^"^^^y'  ^^^y  ^^^-  Andrew,  C.S.C,  Notre  Dame,  Ind. 

187  Moore,  Eev.  K.  T.,  LL.D.,  New  Britain,  Conn. 

j^n  Murray,  Eev.  M.  J,  Kiverdale  on  Hudson,  New  York  City 

190  Matutaitis,  Eev.  W.  V.,  Grand  Eapids,  Mich. 

191  Mahoney,  Eev.  T.,  South  Boston,  Mass. 

192  Mahoney,  Eev.  P.  J.,  D.D.,  New  York. 

193  Moran,  Eev.  Francis  T.,  Cleveland,  Ohio 

194  Moffitt,  Eev.  James  A.,  Taylor,  Pa. 

195  McGuire,  Eev.  Hugh,  Chicago,  111, 

196  McEvoy,  Eev.  H.,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 

197  Mclnerney,  Eev.  Patrick,  Kansas  City,  Kans. 
158  McGivney,  Eev.  P.  J.,  Middletown,  Conn. 
199  McClean,  Eev.  Peter,  Milford,  Conn. 


2001 
201 J 


2131 
214J 


McQuirk,  Eev.  John,  D.D.,  New  York 


202  McQuaid,  Eev.  W.  P.,  Boston,  Mass. 

203  McCall,  Eev.  M.  J.,  Salem,  Mass. 

204  McAdam,  Very  Eev.  W.  J.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

205  Noll,  Eev.  J.  F.,  Hartford  City,  Ind. 

206  Nihil,  Eev.  John  B.,  Bridgeport,  Conn. 

207  O'Malley,  Eev.  Peter,  Dubuque,  Iowa 

208  O'Brien,  Eev.  James  J.,  Somerville,  Mass. 

2091  O'Eeilly,  Very  Eev.  Jas.  T.,  O.S.A.,  Lawrence,  Mass. 
210J 

211  O'Grady,  Eev.  Jas.,  Louisville,  Ky. 

212  O'Keefe,  Eev.  Thos  M.,  New  York 


Price,  Eev.  John,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 


215  Pyne,  Eev.  William,  Providence,  E.  I. 

216  Power,  Eev.  Jas.  W.,  New  York 

217  Phelan,  Eev.  E.  W.,  Bath,  Maine 

218  Phelan,  Eev.  James,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 

219  Plamondan,  Eev.  W.  A.,  Burlington,  Vt. 

220  Pfeil,  Eev.  Nicholas,  Cleveland,  Ohio 

221  Philipps,  Eev.  M.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

222  Eyan,  Eev.  D.  J.,  Auburn,  111. 

223  Eyves,  Eev.  John,  Terre  Haute,  Ind. 


224-  Rosensteel,  Eev.  T.  W,,  Sharpsburg,  Pa. 

225  Randall,  Rev.  W.  E.,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

226  Smith,  Rev.  J.  T.,  Omaha,  Neb. 

227  Stapleton,  Rev.  John  H.,  Hartford,  Conn. 

228  Shaw,  Very  Rev.  J.  W.,  Mobile,  Ala. 

229  Stephan,  Rev.  J.  L.,  Bufifalo,  N.  Y. 

230  Orosz,  Rev.  Frederic,  Elmhurst,  Providence,  R.  I. 

222!  Van  Dyke,  Rev.  Ernest,  Detroit,  Mich. 

233\  y^Q  Antwerp,  Rev.  Francis  J.,  Detroit,  Mich. 
234/ 

235  Walsh,  Rev.  James,  Kansas  City,  Kan. 

236  White,  Rev.  William,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

237  Wheeler,  Rev.  Jas.,  Detroit,  Mich. 

238  Salter,  Rev.  J.  B.,  Spring  Valley,  N.  Y. 

239  Savage,  Rev.  D.,  Montgomery,  Ala. 
239a  Scullin,  Rev.  Felix,  Niagara  Falls 

240  Gavisk,  Very  Rev.  Francis  H.,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

241  Hurley,  Rev.  Geo.  Auburn,  Mass. 

242  Fitzgerald,  Rev.  Robert  J.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

243a  ^ 
243b 
243c  J 

244  Sweeney,  Rev.  Edwin  M.,  New  York 

245  Tracy,  Rev.  Joseph  V.,  Boston,  Mass. 

246  Quilter,  Rev.  P.  J.,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 

247  McRae,  Rev.  K.  J.,  Brechin,  Ont. 
247a  Drumm,  Rev.  Thos.  W.,  Dubuque,  la. 
247b  Kittenhofifen,  Rev.  F.  J.,  St.  Johns,  Ore. 
247c  Kelty,  Rev.  Wm.,  Crafton,  Pa. 

247d  Mulcahy,  V.  Rev.  D.  J.,  Anderson,  Ind. 

JPatrnna  mttnng  tl)p  iRpli^touB  ©rbpra 

248  Franciscan  Fathers,  Very  Rev.  J.  B.  Stark,  Ne^v"*  York 

249  Passionist  Fathers,  Rev.  Bertrand,  West  Hoboken,  N.  J. 
249a  Benedictine  Fathers,  Julius,  Rev.  O.  S.  B.,  Bristow,  Va. 

250  Benedictine  Fathers,  Rt.  Rev.  Nepomecene  Jaeger,  O.S.B.,  Chi- 

cago, 111. 


>■    Coyle,  Rev.  Denis  F.,  New  York 


251  Benedictine  Fathers,  Kt.  Kev.  Frowin  Conrad,  O.S.B.,  Concep- 

tion, Mo. 

252  Benedictine  Fathers,  Kev.  Leonard,  Walter,  O.S.B.,  Manches- 

ter, N.  H. 

253  Benedictine    Fathers,    Rt.  Rev.    Abbot    Bernard,    O.S.B.,  St. 

Bernards,  Ala. 

2541 

„      y    Benedictine  Fathers,  St.  Mary's  Abbey,  Richardtown,  N.  D. 

256|      Benedictine  Fathers,  Rt.  Rev.  Innocent  Wolf,  O.S.B.,  St. 
257]  Benedict's  Abbey,  Atchison,  Kan. 

258  Benedictine  Fathers,     Very  Rev.     I.  Hitmann,     St.  Procopius 

College,  Lisle,  111. 
258a      Benedictine  Fathers,  Rev.  P.  J.  Sittenauer,  O.S.B.,  Atchison, 
Kan. 

259  Benedictine  Sisters,  St.  Mary's,  Elk  Co.,  Pa. 
259a       Benedictine  Sisters,  Erie,  Pa. 

260  Benedictine  Sisters,  Bristow,  Va. 

I    Benedictine  Sisters,  Villa  Sancta  Scholastica,  Diihith,  Minn. 
262  J 

)     Carmelite  Sisters,  Cor.  Caroline  and  Biddle,  Baltimore,  Md. 

264a       Carmelite  Sisters,  Roxbury,  Mass. 

265  Carmelite  Sisters,  Cor.  18th  Street  and  Victor,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

266  Carmelite  Sisters,  1808  Howell  Street,  Seattle,  Wash. 

267^      Carmelite  Sisters,      Discalced,      1236  N.     Rampart     St.,  New 

268  J  Orleans,  La. 

269  Dominican  Fathers,  Rev.  B.  F.  Logan,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

270^ 

L     Dominican  Fathers,  Rev.  F.  A.  Linahan,  Springfield,  Kv. 

271]  '  »       F        e  ^        . 

279I  Dominican  Fathers,  Rev.  C.  H.  McKenna,  Lexington  Avenue, 

273J  N.  Y. 

274^  Dominican  Sisters,     Corpus  Christi     Monastery,    Hunts  Point, 

275/  N.  Y. 

976] 

"  _r    Dominican  Sisters,  13th  Avenue  and  9th  Street,  Newark,  N.  J. 

278  Dominican  Sisters,  Park  Street,  Fall  River,  Mass. 

279  Dominican    Sisters,    Sacred    Heart    Academy,    Grand   Rapids, 

Mich. 


Dominican  Sisters,  Detroit,  Mich. 


280|  Dominican   Sisters,  Aquinas  Academy,  Tacoma,  Wash. 

282  Dominican  Sisters  of  Perpetual  Rosary,  Hale's  Corners,  Wis. 

t  Dominican  Sisters,  Jersey  City,  N.  J. 

285  Dominican  Sisters,  St.  Mary's  of  Springs,  Shepard,  Ohio 
285a  1 
285b  J 

286  Franciscan  Fathers,  Very  Eev.  Edw.  Blecke,  Paterson,  N.  J. 

287  Franciscan  Sisters,  Maryland  Avenue,  Baltimore,  Md. 

288  Fathers  of  Blessed  Sacrament,  Rev.  F.  Letellier,  E.  76th  Street, 

New  York 

289  Helpers  of  Holy  Souls,  E.  86th  Street,  New  York 

2901 

V  Jesuit  Fathers,  St.  Louis  University,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

292  Jesuit  Fathers,  College  of  Sacred  Heart,  Denver,  Col. 

293  Religious  of  Sacred  Heart,  Rev.  Mother  Dupont,  Chicago 

294  Religious  of  Sacred  Heart,  Lake  Forest,  HI. 

2951  Marist  Fathers,  Dr.  Gunn,  S.  M.,  Atlanta,  Ga. 
296/ 

297  Marist  Fathers,  Rev.  J.  Guinan,  S.M.,  All  Hallows,  Salt  Lake 

City 

298  Norbertine  Fathers,  Very  Rev.  Pennings,  West  de  Pere,  Wis. 

299  Oblates  of  Mary  Immaculate,  Very  Rev.  H.  A.  Constantineau, 

San  Antonio,  Texas 

300  Oblates  of  Mary  Immaculate,  Brownsville,  Texas 

301  Passionist  Fathers,  Brighton,  Mass. 

3021 

y  Passionist  Fathers,  Normandy,  Mo. 
303i 

804  I  Passionist  Fathers,     Very  Rev.      Stanislaus,     Grennan,     West 

^^°r  Hoboken,  New  Jersey 

306j 

309  Paulist  Fathers,  W.   59th   Street,  New   York 

310  Paulist  Fathers,  Austin,  Texas 

311  Paulist  Fathers,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

312  Redemptorist  Fathers,  Very  Rev.  Caspar  Ritter,  New  York 

313  Redemptorist  Fathers,  Very  Rev.  Francis  Klauder,  Annapolis 

314i 

I  Redemptorist  Fathers,  Very  Rev.  J.  J.  Frawley,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


316  Redemptorist  Fathers,  Very  Eev.  Jas.  Hayes,  Mission  Church, 

Boston,  Mass. 

317  Sisters  of  Mercy,  Sister  M.  de  Sales,  Xader  Park,  Chicago 

318  Sisters  of  Mercy,  Manchester,  N.  H. 

319  Sisters  of  Mercy,  Freeman  Avenue,  Cincinnati,  Ohio 

320  Sisters  of  Mercy,  Sr.  ."Rosalia,  Cincinnati,  Ohio 

321  Sisters  of  Mercy,  Mother  M.  Vincent,  St.  Bernard's  Hospital, 

Council  Bluffs,  Iowa 

822  Sisters  of  Mercy,  St.  Joseph's  Academy,  Sacramento,  Cal. 
323^ 

324  1 

325  I  Sisters  of  Mercy,  St.  Mary's  Hospital,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 
326] 

327j 

328  Sisters  of  Mercy,  Altoona,  Pa. 

329  Sisters  of  Mercy,  Sister  M.  Antonio,  St.  Xavier,  Beatty,  Pa. 

330  Sisters  of  Mercy,  Sister  M.  Louise,  East  Oakland,  Cal. 

331  Sisters  of  the  Visitation,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

PQOn 

L  Sisters  of  the  Visitation,  Wilmington,  Del. 
oooj 

334  Sisters  of  the  Visitation,  Cabanne  Place,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

3351 

y  Sisters  of  the  Visitation,  Mount  de  Chantal,  Wheeling,  W.  Va. 

337  Sisters  of  the  Visitation,  Kiverdale  on  Hudson,  New  York 

337a  Sisters  of  the  Visitation,  Elfindale,  Springfield,  Mo. 

3381 

339j  Sisters  of  the  Visitation,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 

340l 

341  r  Sisters  of  Charity,  Mount  St.  Vincent's  on  Hudson,  New  York 

342J. 

343  Sisters  of  Charity,  Mount  St.  Joseph,  Cincinnati,  Ohio 

344  Sisters  of  Charity,  Mount  Seton,  Greensburg,  Pa. 

345  Sisters  of  Charity,  St.  Mary's  Academy,  Leavenworth,  Kans. 

346  Sisters  of  Charity  of  Blessed  Virgin,  Mount  St.  Joseph's  Col. 

lege,  Dubuque,  Iowa 

347  Sisters  of  Notre  Dame,  Dayton,  Ohio 

348  Sisters  of  Notre  Dame,  Grandin  Road,  Cincinnati,  Ohio 


I    Sisters  of  Providence,  St.  Mary's  of  Woods,  Vigo  County,  Ind. 


Sister  of  Presentation,  Holy  Family  Institute,  Fitchburg,  Mass. 


349^ 
350^ 

o-oT     Sisters  of  St.  Joseph,  4th  and  Jackson,  Troy,  N.  Y. 

353 

354 

355  j.     Sisters  of  St.  Joseph,  Carondelet,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

356' 

357 

358  \ 

359J 

3601 

gg-j  y     Sisters  of  Presentation,  Sacred  Heart  Academy,  Fargo,  N.  D. 

3621 

363  !-      Sisters  Poor  Clare,  Sr.  M.  Coletta,  Abbess,  Chicago,  111. 

364  J 

365  Sisters  Poor  Clare,  Omaha,  Neb. 

366  Sisters  of  Holy  Names,  Webster  Street,  Oakland,  Cal. 

367  Servants  of  Mary,  Mount  St.  Mary,  Cherokee,  Iowa 

3681 

>-     Sisters  of  Good  Shepherd,  Gravois  Avenue,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

370         Sisters  of  Precious  Blood,  Putnam  Avenue,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

„g  y     Sisters  of  Loretto,  Nerinx,  P.  O.,  Ky. 

373         Sisters  of  Holy  Childhood,  Mother  Ethelburga,  New  York 

o«r  r     Ursuline  Sisters,  Columbia,  S.  C. 

3/5J 

376  Ursuline  Sisters,  Mother  Jerome,  Paola,  Kan, 

377  Resurrectionist    Fathers,  Rev.    Michael    Jaglowicz,  C.  R.,  St. 

Mary's,  Ky. 

378  Josephite  Fathers,  Rev.  Justin  McCarthy,  Baltimore,  Md. 

379  Les  Religieuses  Dominicaines,  Billancourt,  France 

380  Visitation  Sisters,  Mobile,  Ala. 

381  Carmelite  Sisters,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
382\ 
388/ 

384  Sisters  of  Mercy,  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  Mother  Gertrude 

385  Paulist  Fathers,  Winchester,  Tenn, 

386  Dominican  Sisters  of  the  Sick  Poor,  New  York 


Dominican  Sisters  Mission,  San  Jose,  Cal. 


387  Bentlej,  Eev.  0.  L.,  Copenhagen,  New  York 

388  Huber,  Kev.  L.,  C.P.P.S.,  Dayton,  Ohio 

389  Delany,  Kev.  Joseph  F.,  D.D.,  New  York 

390  Kelly,  Thos.  B.,  New  York 

391  Gerest,  Rev.  Regis.  O.  P.,  Cienfuegos,  Cuba 

392  Dooley,  Rev.  Patrick,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

393  Fenlon,  Very  Rev.  John  F.,  S.  S.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

PatrottH  amottg  tl|^  Eaitg 

400  Burritt,  Miss  Mary  L.   St.  Regis  House,  New  York 

401  Boyle,  James  J.,  Mauch  Chunk,  Pa. 

402  Brown,  Edward  Osgood,  Chicago,  111. 

403  Campbell  Napoleon,  Northampton,  Mass. 

404  Coyle,  John  G.,  M.  D.,  New  Y^ork 

405  Coyle,  John  A.,  Attorney  at  Law,  Lancaster,  Pa. 
406^ 
407 
408  [.  Caffrey,  J.  J.  1320  S.  Floyd  Street,  Louisville,  Ky. 

409 
410 

411  Daly,  Daniel,  New  Y^ork 

412  Dunphy,  James  W.,  Eoxbury,  Mass. 

4141 

p  Emmet,  Thos.  Addis,  M.  D.,  New  York 

416  Finlay,  Miss  Alice,  New  Y'ork 

417  Frawley,  Hon.  James  J.,  Senate,  Albany,  N.  Y. 

418  Fahy,  Thos  A.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

419  Fenton,  T.  E.,  Boone,  Iowa 

420  Griffiss  Mrs.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

42n 

422  I  Gallagher,  E.  P.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

423  J 
4241 
425 

426  y  Gradv,  Hon.  Thos  F.,  New  Y^ork  Senate,  New  York 

427 

428j 

429  Healy,  Mrs.  Martha  E.,  Preston,  Minn. 


480  Hartigan,  John  J.,  Troy,  N.  Y. 

4311 

432 

433  '-  Hirst,  A.  A.,  Philadephia,  Pa. 

434  j 

435  J 

436  Haas,  Michael  S.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

437  Ilorstmanu,  Ignatius  J.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

438  Kelly,  J.  F.,  North  Tonawanda,  N.  Y. 

439  King,  James  W.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

440  Lally,  P.  E.  C,  Denison,  Iowa. 

441  Meighen,  Thos.  J.,  Preston,  Minn. 

442  Murphy,  The  John  Co.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

443  Murrin,  Jas.  B.,  Carboudale,  Pa. 

444  McAleer.  George,  M.  D.,  ^Vorcester,  Mass. 

445  McNamee,  John,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

446  Mahoney,  Daniel  11.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

447  McPartland,  John  E.,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

448  O'Halloran,  D.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 

4491 

%  Prendergast,  James  M.,  Boston,  Mass. 

1  Prendergast,  W.  A.,  Comptroller,  New  York  City 

453  Quinn,  P.  H.,  Providence,  K.  I. 

454  Eoesch,  Hon.  Geo.  F.,  Municipal  Court,  New  York 

^^^l  Routt,   Harvey  John,  Jacksonville,   111. 
456  J 

^^"^I  Storer,  Miss  Agnes,  Newport,  R.  I. 

459  Sloan,  Peter  Elendorf,  Greystone  Park,  N.  J. 

460  Scanlan,  P.  B.,  El  Paso,  Texas 

461  Shriver,  C.  C,  Metropolitan  Savings  Bank,  Baltimore,  Md. 

462  Smith,  Thos  R.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

\  Sullivan,  Alexander,  Chicago,  111. 

465  Thompson,   Katherine   Beach,   New   York 

466  Reilly,  Richard  M.,  Lancaster,  Pa. 

467  Roe,  J.  A.,  Detroit,  Mich. 

468  McCusker,  Bernard  E.,  Troy,  N.  Y. 


469  Amberg,  W.  A.,  Chicago,  III. 

470  Fennessey,  Capt.  Jeremiah  G.,  Court  House,  Boston,  Mass. 

471  Flaherty,  James  A.,  Supreme  Knight  K.  of  C,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

472  Herrick,  John  F.,  M.D. 

473  Cullen,  Hon.  Thos.  H.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y 

474  Cronin,  Hon.  Barth,  Senate,  Albany,  N.  Y. 

475  Hodson,  Ingo  Bernard,  Montclova,  Mexico 

476  Haiden,  Hon.  Thos.  C,  Senate,  Albany,  N.  Y. 

^'^'^1  Von  Hoffman,  Baroness,  Oberniais,  Tyrol 

478  J 

470  Ryan,  M.  F.,  Chicago,  111. 

480  Wakelin,  Catherine,  Allegheny,  Pa. 

481  McOscar,  Edward  J.,  M.  D.,  Fort  Wayne,  Ind. 

^^2\  cary,  Miss  Emma  F.,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

483J  •^' 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

Page 

Introduction    3 

The  History  of  the  Reverend  Master  John  Tauler y 

The  Interview  of  Master  John  Tattler  With  a  Beggar 49 

Advent  and  Its  Lessons — Sermon  for  the  First  Sunday  of  Advent 51- 

Going  Into  the  Dessert  to  Find  God — Sermon  for  the  Third  Sunday  of 

Advent    55 

Unity  and  Multiplicity — Sermon  for  the  Fourth  Sunday  of  Advent 61 

The  Three  Births  of  Christ — First  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  Christmas. .  66 
The  Four  Dwelling  Places  of  Christ — Second  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of 

Christmas    72 

The  Generation  of  the  Word  in  a  Perfect  Soul — Sermon  for  the  Sunday 

After  Christmas    75 

Lessons  for  the  New  Year — Sermon  for  New-Tear's  Day 83 

The  Holy  Trinity  in  the  Soul's  Essence — Sermon  for  the  Sunday  After 

New    Year's ' 87 

The  Day  of  Perfection — First  Sermon  for  the  Vigil  of  the  Epiphany 96 

Seeking  for  God — Second  Sermon  for  the  Vigil  of  the  Epiphany 101 

How  Bitter  Myrrh  is  Turned  into  Sweet  Incense — First  Sermon  for  the 

Feast  of  the  Epiphany 103 

How  Ignorance  Leads  to  Wisdom — Second  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  the 

Epiphany    107 

God's  Light  in  the  Soul — Third  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  the  Epiphany.  . .  113 
God  is  Gained  by  Detachment  from  Creatures — Sermon  for  the  First  Sun- 
day After  the  Epiphany 117 

How  Men  Thrist  After  God  Differently — Sermon  for  the  Second  Sunday 

After  the  Epiphany 124 

The  Five  Porches  of  the  Pool  of  Healing — Sermon  for  the  Third  Sunday 

After  the  ETpiphany 131 

Marks  of  a  Truly  Converted  Soul — Sermon  for  the  Fourth  Sunday  After 

the  Epiphany " 137 

The  Yoke  of  Christ  is  the  Soul's  Thought  of  God — Sermon  for  the  Fifth 

Sunday  After  the  Epiphany 144 

Signs  of  a  True  Scholar  of  Christ— Sermon  for  the  Sixth  Sunday  After 

the    Epiphany " 149 

The  Different  Degrees  of  Spirituality — Sermon  for  Septuagesima  Sun- 
day       152 

Not  Our  Own,  but  God's  Activity  Makes  Us  Perfect — Sermon  for  Sexa- 

geslma  Sunday I60 

Sufferinq  a  Condition  for  Interior  Progress — Sermon  for  Quinquagesima 

Sunday    1^^ 

Gradations  of  Merit — Sermon  for  Ash  Wednesday 171 

True  and  False  Spiriiuality  Compared — Sermon  for  the  First  Sunday  of 

Leiit    180 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS-Coniinued 

Page 

The  Rudiments  of  Pebfection — First  Sermon  for  the  Second  Sunday  of 

Lent   192 

Steadfastness  as  an  Element  of  Devotion — Second  Sermon  for  the  Sec- 
ond Sunday  of  Lent 194 

Children  of  Abraham  :  True  and  False — Sermon  for  the  Third  Sunday 

of  Lent 202 

Jesus  the  Focus  of  Divine  Light — First  Sermon  for  the  Fourth  Sunday 

of  Lent 206 

The  Soul's  Festival  Day — Second  Sermon  for  the  Fourth  Sunday  of  Lent  211 

Hearing  and  Bleeding  for  Christ — First  Sermon  for  Passion  Sunday....  216 

Of  Desiring  to  be  Perfect — Second  Sermon  for  Passion  Sunday 222 

Short  Cuts  to  Holiness — First  Sermon  for  Palm  Sunday 225 

Christ's  Cleansing  of  the  Temple  of  the  Soul — Second  Sermon  for  Palm 

Sunday    228 

Lessons  of  Christ's  Passion — First  Sermon  for  Good  Friday 233 

How  God  Draws  Souls  to  Himself — Second  Sermon  for  Good  Friday 239 

Union  With  God — Sermon  for  Easter  Sunday  :  First  Part 242 

Union  With  God — Sermon  for  Easter  Sunday  :  Second  Part 248 

The  Degrees  of  Love — Sermon  for  Easter  Monday 254 

The  Qualities  of  Love — Sermon  for  Thursday  in  Easter  Week 269 

The  Call  to  Peace — First  Sermon  for  Low  Sunday 2&i 

Prayers  Outward  and  Inward — Second  Sermon  for  Low  Sunday 268 

The  Winter  of  the  Soul — Sermon  for  the  Second  Sunday  After  Easter.  . .  271 
The  Paraclete's  Judgment   Against  the  World — First   Sermon   for  the 

Fourth    Sunday   After    Easter 277 

Hindering  the  Coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost — Second  Sermon  for  the  Fourth 

Sunday  After  Easter 282 

Why  Prayer  is  Without  Fruit — Sermon  for  the  Rogation  Days 287 

Why  Christ  Upbraids  Men — First  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  the  Ascension.  293 

The  Soul's  Five  Captivities — Second  Sermon  for  tlie  Feast  of  the  Ascension  290 
How  TO  Ascend  with  Christ  into  Heaven — Third  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of 

the  Ascension 304 

How  We  Witness  to  Christ  in  Unrest  and  Suffering — Fourth  Sermon 

for  the  Feast  of  the  Ascension 309 

The  Exchange  of  Matthias  fob  Judas  in  the  Inner  Life — Fifth  Sermon 

for  the  Feast  of  the  Ascension 314 

Prudence  and  Praying — Sermon  for  the  Sunday  After  the  Ascension 317 

Preparing  to  Receive  the  Holy  Ghost — First  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of 

Pentecost   322 

Giving  God  Unhindered  Liberty  in  the  Soul — Second    Sermon    for    the 

Feast  of  Pentecost 328 

The  Gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost— Third  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  Pentecost.  334 
The  Good  Shepherd  and  His   Sheep — Fourth   Sermon   for  the  Feast  of 

Pentecost    342 

The  Apostles  Before  Pentecost — Fifth  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  Pentecost  346 

The  Drawing  of  the  Holy  Ghost — Sixth  Sermon  for  Pentecost 349 

Knowing  God — First  Sermon  for  Trinity  Sunday 357 

The  Tbutitt  and  the  Iijtbbiob  Life— Second  Sermon  for  Trinity  Sunday. .  362 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS— Continued 

Paoe 

On  Holt  Communion — First  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  Corpus  Christi 368 

Dispositions  fob  Holy  Communion — Second  Sermon    for    the    Feast    of 

Corpus   Christi 374 

The  Dignity  and  Worth  of  Holy    Communion — Third   Sermon   for    the 

Feast  of  Corpus  Christi 383 

The  Fbuit  of  Holy  Communion — Fourth  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  Corpus 

Christi    390 

FoBETASTEs  OF  HEAVEN — Semion  for  the  Second  Sunday  After  Trinity 397 

Thbee  Foundation  Stones:  Humility,  Love  and  Detachment — First  Ser- 
mon for  the  Third  Sunday  After  Trinity 401 

FouB  Classes  of  Sinners — Second  Sermon  for  the  Third  Sunday  After 

Trinity    410 

God's  Deep  Seabching  of  Oub  Souls — Third  Sermon  for  the  Third  Sunday 

After  Trinity 41 7 

Patience  with  Men  and  Patience  with  God — First  Sermon  for  the  Fourth 

Trinity  442 

Giving  God  Good  Measure — Second  Sermon  for  the  Fourth  Sunday  After 

Trinity   428 

Pbayeb.  Vocal  and  Mental — First  Sermon  for  the  Fifth  Sunday  After 

Trinity    434 

Fishing  in  Deep  Waters — Second   Sermon  for  the  Fifth  Sunday  After 

Trinity   442 

iNTEBioR  Obedience  to  God — Third   Sermon  for  the  Fifth   Sunday  After 

Trinity   448 

From  the  Alpha  to  the  Omega  of  Perfection — Sermon  for  the   Sixth 

Sunday  After  Trinity 453 

Who  "May  Go  Often  to  Communion — Sermon  for  the  Seventh   Sunday 

After  Trinity   460 

The  Inspirations  of  Grace— Sornion  for  the  Eighth  Sunday  After  Trinity     464 

Fidelity  in  Little  Things — First   Sermon   for  the  Tenth   Sunday   After 

Trinity   472 

Election  and  Reprobation — Second  Sermon  for  the  Tenth  Sunday  After 

Trinity   477 

Hindering  and  Helping  a  Worthy  Communion — Sermon  for  the  Eleventh 

Sunday  After  Trinity 482 

How  Patience  Begets  Hope  and  Love — First  Sermon  for  the  Twelfth  Sun- 
day After  Trinity    490 

Spiritual    Deafness — Second    Sermon    for    the    Twelfth    Sunday    After 

Trinity   494 

Spiritual    Blindness — First    Sermon    for    the    Thirteenth    Sunday    After 

Trinity  498 

The  Inner  Revelation — Second  Sermon  for  the  Thirteenth  Sunday  After 

Trinity    504 

In  What  Way  a  Perfect  Man  is  Like  God — Sermon  for  the  Fourteenth 

Sunday  After  Trinity 51 1 

Ideals  High  and  Low — First  Sermon  for  the  Fifteenth  Sunday  After  Trinity  514 

Trusting  God — Second  Sermon  for  the  Fifteenth  Sunday  After  Trinity.  .  521 
The  Dimensions  of  the  Soul — Third  Sermon  for  the  Fifteenth  Sunday 

After  Trinity 537 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS— Continued 

Paok 

Beginnebs,  Pboficients  and  the  Pebfect — First  Sermon  for  the  Sixteenth 

Sunday  After  Trinity 535 

Peace  Thbough  Patience  and  Meekness — Second  Sermon  for  Sixteenth 

Sunday  After  Trinity 540 

Inward  Phabisaism— Sermon  for  the  Seventeenth  Sunday  After  Trinity. .     544 

Renewal  of  Spibit— Sermon  for  the  Eighteenth  Sunday  After  Trinity 552 

Attiring  the  Bride  for  the  Bbidegboom — First  Sermon  for  the  Nineteenth 

Sunday  After  Trinity 559 

Laying  the  Axe  to  the  Roots  of  Imperfection — Second  Sermon  for  the 

Nineteenth  Sunday  After  Trinity 564 

On  Temptations— Sermon  for  the  Twentieth  Sunday  After  Trinity 570 

The  Wide  Sweep  of  Love — Sermon   for  the  Twenty-first  Sunday  After 

Trinity  573 

Self  Deception,  Its  Cause  and  Its  Cure— First  Sermon  for  the  Twenty- 
third  Sunday  After  Trinity 582 

God  Alone— Second  Sermon  for  the  Twenty-third  Sunday  After  Trinity  589 
Dwelling  with  God— Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  St.  Andrew,  the  Apostle. .  593 
Dealing  Honestly  with  God — Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  St.  Barbara,  or  for 

that  of  any  Virgin 600 

Holy  Severity  with  Self — Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  Our  Lady's  Concep- 
tion         604. 

A  Dying  Life— Sermon  for  tlie  Feast  of  St.  Stephen 610 

Self  Deception  and  Its  Root — Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  Our  Lady's  Nativity  620 
Mystical  Prayer— Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  Our  Lady's  Visitation,  or  for 

the  Octave  of  Her  Nativity 62.5 

Christian  Purity— Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  St.  Agnes,  Virgin  and  Martyr  631 
The  Virginal  State— Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  St.  Agatha,  Virgin  and 

Martyr 636 

Mary's  Place  in  the  Incarnation — Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  the  Annuncia- 
tion of  Our  Blessed  Lady 640 

Self  Revelation — First  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  the  Nativity  of  St.  John 

the  Baptist 646 

God  the  Light  of  the  Soul — Second  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  the  Nativity 

of  St.  John  the  Baptist 654 

Fraternal  Correction — Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  St.  Timothy 663 

Cutting  off  Superfluities — Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  St.  Mary  Magdalene.  607 
Guidance:  Human  and  Divine — Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  St.  Lawrence, 

Martyr   670 

Watching  for  Friends  and  Enemies — Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  St.  Augus- 
tine         683 

The  Supremacy  of  the  Cross  of  Christ — First  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  the 

EJxaltation  of  the  Holy  Cross 689 

Interior  Crucifiction — Second  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  the  Exaltation  of 

the  Holy  Cross 693 

Jesus  Crucified — Third  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  the  Exaltation  of  the 

Holy  Cross 700 

Giving  Up  All — Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  St.  Matthew,  Apostle  and  Evange- 
list      705 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS— Continued 

Paqk 

The  Holy  Angels— Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  St  Michael  and  all  Holy 

Angels 711 

The  Beatitudes — First  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  all  Saints 716 

iNTEBioB  Cleanliness — Second  Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  all  Saints 72i 

Pebfection  the  Peabl  of  Great  Pbice— Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  St  Cath- 
erine, Virgin  and  Martyr 728 

How  Holy  Love  Joins  Us  to  the  Thbee  Divine  Persons — Sermon  for  the 

Feast  of  all  the  Holy  Apostles 733 

The  Suffering  of  a  Bloodless  Martyrdom  and  its  Crown — Sermon  for 

the  Feast  of  Many  Holy  Martyrs 738 

How  TO  Meet  Temptations — Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  a  Holy  Martyr 744 

On  Human  Respect — Sermon  for  the  Feast  of  a  Holy  Bishop  Confessor. .     751 
The  Mistake  of  Turning  Outward  Instead  of  Inward — Sermon  for  a 

Feast  of  Many  Holy  Confessors 758 

The  Triple  Crown  of  Holy  Love:  Self-abnegation,  Patience  and  Earn- 
estness— Sermon  for  a  Feast  of  Many  Holy  Virgins 762 

Human  Nature  Depraved  and  Sanctified — First  Sermon  for  the  Aniyer- 

sary  of  the  Dedication  of  a  Church 768 

^aith  as  a  Practical  Means  of  Sanctification — Second  Sermon  for  the 

Anniversary  of  the  Dedication  of  a  Church 772 

Two  Useful  Instructions  About  Confession 77G 

On  the  Attributes  op  God 778 


Spiritual  Doctrine  of  John  Tauler 


The  Sermons  and  Conferences 
of  John  Tauler 


OF  THE 


ORDER  OF  PREACHERS 


Surnamed  "The  Illuminated  Doctor" 


FIRST  COMPLETE  ENGLISH  TRANSLATION 
WITH  INTRODUCTION  AND  INDEX 

By  Rev.  Walter  Elliott 

Of  the  Paulist  Fathers 


APOSTOLIC   MISSION  HOUSE 
Brookland   Station 
Washington,   D.   C. 


INTRODUCTION. 

John  Tauler  was  born  in  the  city  of  Strassburg  about  the  year 
1290.  His  family  was  in  easy  circumstances,  his  father,  as  it  is  sur- 
mised, having  been  a  member  of  the  city  council.  At  eighteen  years 
of  age,  or  even  earlier,  John  entered  the  Dominican  novitiate  in  his 
native  city,  a  young  man  full  of  religious  fervor,  and  endowed  with 
high  intellectual  gifts.  His  order  gave  him  the  best  possible  educa- 
tion, sending  him  to  their  greater  house  of  studies  at  Cologne,  and 
perhaps  to  their  famous  school  at  the  University  of  Paris.  Besides 
profiting  by  the  usual  scholastic  training  in  the  spirit  and  letter  of 
St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  Tauler,  it  is  noted,  became  well  versed  in  the 
Fathers  of  the  Church,  especially  St.  Augustine.  He  merited  and 
obtained  his  order's  highest  diploma,  that  of  Master  of  Sacred  Theol- 
ogy. He  soon  manifested  a  taste  for  the  mystics,  studying  St. 
Dionysius,  St  Bernard,  and  Hugo  and  Richard  of  St.  Victor  with 
characteristic  ardor. 

This  mystical  tendency  was  strengthened  by  personal  association 
with  men  of  like  tastes,  some  of  them  of  the  highest  degree  of 
spirituality,  mostly  members  of  his  own  order.  On  his  return  to 
Strassburg  at  the  end  of  his  studies,  Tauler  entered  into  familiar 
friendship  with  Master  Eckhart,  a  leading  spirit  of  that  day,  and 
also  with  Blessed  Henry  Suso,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  religious 
characters  of  the  era.  Both  were  distinguished  Dominicans.  Their 
influence  on  their  young  friend  and  brother  was  powerful  and 
permanent. 

Tauler's  lot  was  cast  in  troubled  times,  the  epoch  of  the  papal 
residence  at  Avignon,  to  be  followed  not  long  after  his  death  by  the 
Great  Western  Schism.  Churchmen,  monarchs  and  statesmen,  of 
every  degree  of  sincerity  or  of  treachery,  kept  the  whole  Christian 
world  in  a  state  of  conflict  the  most  tremendous,  perhaps,  the  Church 
ever  experienced.  Their  good  deeds  and  their  misdeeds  monopolize 
nearly  every  page  of  the  history  of  the  times.  But  the  activity  of  the 
humble  saints,  missionaries  and  mystics  of  this  era,  including  such 
various  types  as  Tauler,  St.  Catherine  of  Siena,  and  St.  Vincent 
Ferrer,  accounts  for  the  final  settlement  of  the  Church's  diflBculties 
more  adequately  than  all  the  expedients  of  statecraft.  In  the  supreme 
work  of  preaching  Jesus  crucified,  and  of  enforcing  the  maxims  of 


The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


*  the  Gospel,  Tauler's  place  was  very  important.  He  was  one  of  many 
great  preachers  in  the  Ehine  country,  members  of  the  religious  orders 
and  of  the  secular  clergy,  who  labored  incessantly  to  divert  men's 
gaze  from  the  perplexed  external  condition  of  religious  affairs,  to  the 
serene  glories  of  the  interior  life  of  God  in  their  own  soul.  Though 
preaching  in  Latin  to  an  occasional  audience  of  the  educated,  Tauler 
usually  preached  in  the  rough  German  dialect  of  his  day  to  all 
classes  of  the  people,  and  with  a  power  seldom  equaled. 

His  field  of  activity  was  all  lower  Germany,  especially  along  the 
Khine  between  Basel  and  Cologne ;  and  his  opportunity  was  given  him 
by  his  great  and  learned  order,  which  was  everywhere  venerated,  and 
which  had  houses  and  churches  in  most  of  the  larger  towns. 

The  least  acquaintance  with  Tauler's  sermons  shows  him  to  have 
been  the  ideal  preacher.  With  soundness  of  Catholic  faith  and  its 
simplest  spirit  he  combined  real  learning,  gentleness  of  heart,  and 
dignity  as  well  as  fearlessness  of  address.  It  is  true  that  his  denun- 
ciation of  the  vices  prevalent  at  the  time  verged  on  the  extravagant 
and  excited  hostile  criticism.  On  one  occasion  some  of  his  violent 
sermons  caused  his  Dominican  brethren  of  the  convent  in  which  he 
was  stationed — no  cowards  themselves,  we  may  be  sure — to  forbid 
him  their  pulpit.  But  the  people,  including  many  whom  Tauler  had 
gcourged  for  their  vices,  petitioned  the  friars  to  remove  the  prohibi- 
tion. They  did  so,  gladly  enough,  we  venture  to  say.  But  this  inci- 
dent is  fine  testimony  to  our  mystic's  mingled  kindliness  and  boldness. 
In  fact,  he  or  any  other  preacher  could  do  little  good  in  those 
desperate  days,  without  giving  offense  to  the  timid  and  time-serving. 
Such  is  the  fate  of  all  who  assail  popular  errors  and  vices. 

But  these  sermons  on  popular  themes,  with  some  exceptions  of 
doubtful  authenticity,  have  not  come  down  to  us.  What  we  have 
are  Tauler's  ascetical  and  mystical  discourses,  a  priceless  treasure 
for  souls  who  are  seeking  by  the  more  interior  methods  to  make 
themselves  wholly  responsive  to  the  divine  guidance. 

These  are  the  only  ones  that  critics  generally  will  allow  to  be  his. 
They  treat  of  the  life  of  the  counsels  of  perfection,  the  virtues  to  be 
practiced  if  one  would  become  entirely  pleasing  to  God,  the  spirit 
of  holy  living  as  well  as  the  various  methods  to  be  adopted.  They 
were  addressed  to  religious  communities,  mostly  in  convents  of 
Dominican  nuns.  But  it  is  plain  that  they  were  not  strictly  private 
conferences,  but  rather  sermons  delivered  in  the  public  oratories  of 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


these  communities,  in  the  main  room  of  which  were  assembled  con- 
gregations of  the  people,  including  both  clergy  and  laity,  the  sisters 
meanwhile  being  inside  their  cloister  whose  grating  formed  one  side 
of  the  sanctuary.  To  the  zeal  of  these  nuns  principally,  if  not 
wholly,  we  are  indebted  for  what  is  known  as  Tauler's  sermons, 
meaning  his  spiritual  doctrine.  They  made  notes  of  his  preaching 
and  afterwards  compared  and  arranged  them.  This  was  done  with 
much  intelligence  as  to  ordinary  ascetical  and  mystical  matters, 
though  with  some  defects  as  to  theological  terms  and  passages  of 
Scripture. 

As  to  Tauler's  life,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  brief  History  which 
precedes  his  Sermons  in  this  book.  Therein  is  given  an  account  of  the 
most  important  event  in  his  spiritual  career.  Perhaps  he  himself 
would  call  it  his  second  conversion  to  a  life  of  perfection.  There 
also  will  be  found  a  touching  account  of  his  death. 

Tauler  has  been  accused  of  being  a  forerunner  of  Martin  Luther; 
of  having  openly  disobeyed  the  Pope  and  defied  his  authority;  and  of 
having  joined  an  heretical  association  called  the  Friends  of  God. 
But  he  is  held  guiltless  of  all  these  accusations  by  the  best  critics, 
especially  by  the  more  recent  historical  students,  including  both 
Catholics  and  non-Catholics. 

Tauler's  activity  in  later  life  centered  at  the  Dominican  house  at 
Cologne,  in  which  city  he  preached  incessantly  for  many  years,  the 
"eight  years"  mentioned  in  the  History,  referring  only  to  the  last 
eight  years  of  his  life.  He  was  also  confessor  and  spiritual  director 
of  a  convent  of  Dominican  nuns  in  Cologne.  But  at  the  end  he 
returned  to  Strassburg.  He  died  there  June  16,  1361,  and  was  buried 
in  the  Dominican  convent. 

Tauler's  fame  rests  solely  upon  the  solid  and  magnificent  foundation 
of  the  sermons  here  given  for  the  first  time  in  English.*     The  little 

♦  Twenty-five  of  them  were  translated  into  English  by  Miss  Maria  Winkworth, 
a  Protestant  lady,  and  published  in  England  in  1857.  These  are  less  than  one 
fourth  of  all  the  sermons,  and  the  translator  expressly  excluded  the  more  dis- 
tinctively Catholic  ones.  As  to  the  spirit  and  tone  of  that  translation,  it  ia 
enough  for  Catholics  to  know  that  Charles  Kingsley  was  chosen  to  write  the 
preface  to  the  book. 

A  translation  of  thirty-flve  of  the  sermons  has  lately  been  procured  and 
published  by  an  Anglican  clergyman,  Mr.  Arthur  Wallaston  Hutton.  It  Is  con- 
ceived and  executed  in  a  true  spirit  of  fairness.  The  little  book  is  useful,  and 
the  editor  and  translator  are  worthy  of  thanks  and  praise. 

For  a  very  able  vindication  of  Tauler  against  the  claims  of  Protestants  and 
the  suspicions  of  certain  Catholics,  our  readers  are  referred  to  a  masterly  and 
learned  article  by  the  English  Oratorian,  Father  J.  B.  Dalgairns,  Dublin  Review 
March,  1858. 


The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


book  known  as  Tauler's  Imitation  of  Christ,  is  undoubtedly  spurious. 
A  few  brief  spiritual  letters  to  nuns  and  some  little  ascetical  instruc- 
tions, together  with  some  short  devout  poetical  pieces,  may  rightly 
be  ascribed  to  him.  The  Divinae  Institutiones  so  often  quoted  as  his, 
are  but  a  collection  of  maxims  drawn  from  Ruysbroek  and  other 
mystics  no  less  than  from  Tauler's  Sermons.  A  book  of  Meditations 
on  our  Saviour's  Passion,  attributed  to  him,  has  recently  been  given  an 
English  dress  under  the  learned  and  sympathetic  editorship  of  the 
late  Father  Bertrand  Wilberforce,  O.  P.  The  book  is  worthy  of  our 
gfeat  author  and  has  some  of  the  characteristics  of  his  powerful 
style.    But  its  authenticity  lacks  extrinsic  evidence. 

In  the  spring  of  1904  we  engaged  a  friend  to  make  an  English 
version  of  these  Sermons;  but  when  that  failed  to  give  satisfaction 
we  ventured  upon  the  task  ourselves,  constantly  being  drawn  nearer 
to  Tauler  by  the  attraction  of  his  wisdom  and  force.  And  now  with 
God's  favor  we  offer  the  result  of  many  delightful  hours  of  labor  to 
the  devout  Catholic  public.  We  have  used  Dr.  Julius  Bamberger's 
modernized  German  edition  (Frankfurt  am  Main,  1864),  adhering  as 
closely  as  possible  to  his  rendering.  Sainte-Foi's  fine  French  trans- 
lation (Paris,  1855)  has  also  been  consulted,  together  with  a  very 
early  edition  of  Surius's  Latin  version  (1553). 

It  must  be  understood  that  a  translator  of  these  Sermons  is  some- 
times compelled  to  interpret  them.  Not  any  part  of  them  was  pub- 
lished by  Tauler  himself,  for,  as  we  have  seen,  they  are  an  assortment 
of  notes  taken  down  by  some  of  his  auditors,  persons  zealous  and 
intelligent,  indeed,  but  plainly  lacking  in  theological  training.  This 
has  left  us  with  occasional  awkward  statements  of  doctrine  to  deal 
with  and  misplaced  quotations  of  Scripture.  Besides  this  general 
difiSculty,  Tauler  occasionally  is  made  to  use  terms  open  to  misun- 
derstanding on  various  other  grounds,  especially  in  view  of  the  errors 
of  quietism  condemned  by  the  Holy  See  in  the  seventeenth  century.* 

•The  reader  would  do  well  to  begin  this  book  with  the  sermon  for  the  first 
Sunday  of  Lent,  for  in  that,  especially  the  second  half  of  it,  will  be  found 
Tauler's  singularly  explicit  adherence  to  the  approved  doctrines  on  the  subject 
of  contemplative  prayer.  With  that  sermon  in  his  mind  one  may  go  from  begin- 
ning to  end  of  our  volume  with  a  perfect  safeguard  against  misunderstandings  on 
the  score  of  quietism. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


All  of  which  necessitates  interpretation.  This  has  always  been 
done  by  his  translators  and  editors,  and  in  different  ways;  some- 
times by  foot  notes,  again  by  sentences  of  their  own  placed  in  the  text 
in  brackets,  and  at  other  times  by  incorporating  Tauler's  own  word* 
used  elsewhere  but  in  the  same  connexion— his  exact  words  or  their 
equivalent.  Some  passages  of  the  original  German  are  so  obscure, 
even  meaningless,  that  they  are  usually  entirely  omitted  in  the 
translations.  Now  and  then  Taulers'  extravagance  in  assailing  evil 
doers  does  not  suffer  literal  translation  into  English,  however  much 
one  may  admire  his  sincerity  and  his  splendid  vehemence. 

No  effort  has  been  spared  to  make  this  English  version  as  perfect  a 
reflex  of  the  German  original  as  our  literary  deficiencies  allow.  It 
may  be  added  that  in  Dr.  Hamburger's  edition  there  are  a  few 
sermons  which  he  agrees  are  not  Tauler's;  we  have  not  translated 
these. 

A  reader  not  familiar  with  the  mystics  may  object  that  Tauler 
constantly  repeats  himself— if  not  verbally,  at  least  substautially— 
in  these  discourses.  So  he  does.  But  so  does  the  medical  professor 
repeat  his  instructions  as  he  walks  the  hospital  wards  with  his  class. 
Over  and  over  again  does  he  explain  the  same  disease,  symptom  for 
symptom— but  yet  rarely  suggesting  identically  the  same  treatment 
and  remedies.  For  though  the  malady  is  the  same  the  patients 
greatly  differ  one  from  another,  and  each  requires  some  change  of 
treatment,  each  case  affords  something  new  to  be  learned  about  the 
common  disease.  It  is  so  with  Tauler  in  teaching  us  the  cure  of  spirit- 
ual ailments,  and  the  building  up  of  the  newly  recovered  soul  into 
perfect  holiness.  No  doubt  there  is  frequent  repetition  of  the  chief 
means  of  perfection,  but  with  an  infinite  variety  of  personal  appli- 
cation and  of  illustration,  enlisting  the  renewed  and  unfailing  interest 
of  the  student  of  the  soul's  welfare. 

We  heartily  recommend  these  sermons  to  all  who  aspire  to  whole- 
hearted service  of  God.  whether  they  are  led  into  mystical  states  of 
prayer  or  not.  They  will  find  Tauler  a  master  of  the  entire  course 
between  repentance  from  grievious  sin  and  ecstatic  union  with  God. 
He  is  as  serviceable  a  guide  in  the  ordinary  degrees  of  the  asceticai 
life  as  in  those  of  high  contemplation,  ever  coupling  the  two  states 
together  into  an  integral  Christian  career. 


3  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

,  St.  Paul  of  the  Cross  was  certainly  a  competent  judge  of  the  worth 
of  all  kinds  of  spiritual  writings;  for  besides  being  (as  every  saint 
must  be)  a  contemplative,  he  was  also  a  most  practical  leader  in  the 
devout  ways  common  to  all  fervent  souls.  And  in  advising  one  of  his 
Passionists  about  bearing  the  stress  of  care  and  disappointment  inci- 
dent to  the  office  of  rector,  St.  Paul  says  of  our  author:  "My  dear 
Father  rector,  now  is  the  time  to  dwell  in  the  depth  of  Tauler.  I 
mean  in  interior  solitude,  and  to  take  the  repose  of  love  in  sinu  Dei. 
There  you  will  learn  to  perform  well  the  duties  of  your  office  of 
rector,  and  to  become  a  saint."  And  much  more  praise  of  Tauler  is 
added  by  the  saint.  (Oratorian  Life  of  St.  Paul  of  the  Cross,  Vol.  II. 
Ch.  XI).  The  same  testimony  is  borue  by  many  other  devout  writers — 
that  Tauler  is  a  most  enlightened  and  trustworthy  guide  to  Christian 
perfection  in  all  its  grades;  and  that  he  is  especially  helpful  in 
showing  the  simplest  and  shortest  way,  namely  steadfast  self-abnega- 
tion, joined  to  restful  acquiescence  in  God's  outward  good  pleasure, 
as  well  as  ready  responsiveness  to  the  inward  touches  of  divine 
grace. 

The  Translator. 

The  Apostolic  Mission  House, 
Washington,  D.  C. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  REVEREND  MASTER  JOHN  TAULER. 


CHAPTER  FIRST. 

In  the  year  of  Christ  1340,  a  certain  Master  in  sacred  theology  was 
engaged  in  preaching  in  a  certain  city.  He  was  listened  to  gladly, 
and  his  teaching  was  spoken  of  for  many  miles  around.  Now  it  hap- 
pened that  a  layman,  a  man  rich  in  grace,  was  admonished  in  sleep 
that  he  should  go  to  that  city  and  hear  that  preacher;  and  this 
message  came  to  him  three  times.  The  city,  however,  was  thirty  miles 
away,  and  was  in  a  different  country.  But  this  man  said  to  himself: 
Thou  shalt  go  there  and  wait  upon  God  as  to  that  He  wills  thee  to  do. 
So  he  went  and  he  heard  the  Master  preach  five  times.  Upon  this 
God  gave  him  to  understand  that  the  Master  was  of  a  sweet  disposi- 
tion, kindly  and  good  hearted  by  nature,  with  a  good  mind,  and  well 
versed  in  Scripture;  but  that  as  to  the  light  of  grace,  he  was  dark. 
This  deeply  aroused  the  man's  pity  for  him,  and  he  went  to  him  and 
said:  "My  dear  good  Master,  I  have  journeyed  thirty  miles  for  thy 
sake,  for  I  wanted  to  hear  thee  preach.  I  have  heard  thee  five  times; 
and  now  I  beg  thee  for  God's  love  to  hear  my  confession."  The  master 
said:  "Gladly."  Then  the  man  made  his  confession  very  simply,  and 
as  he  wished  to  receive  the  Lord's  body,  the  Master  gave  it  to  him. 
Twelve  weeks  passed  away;  and  then  the  man  said  to  the  Master: 
"Dear  Sir,  I  ask  thee,  in  God's  name,  to  preach,  and  to  explain  to  us 
the  closest  place  to  God  and  the  highest  perfection  that  a  man  may 
have  in  this  life."  The  Master  said:  "Ah,  dear  son,  what  is  this  thou 
asketh?  Why  should  I  speak  of  such  high  things  to  thee,  for  I  well 
believe  that  thou  understandeth  little  of  them."  Then  the  man 
answered:  "Ah,  dear  sir,  even  if  I  may  learn  little  or  nothing  of  this 
doctrine,  yet  I  may  at  least  be  moved  to  lament  my  ignorance.  Many 
people  run  after  thee;  and  if  among  them  all  only  a  single  one  should 
understand  thee,  thy  work  were  well  done."  Then  the  Master  said: 
"Dear  son,  if  I  shall  do  this,  I  must  first  study  hard  to  get  the 
material  together."  And  the  man  did  not  give  over,  but  begged  and 
insisted  so  long,  that  at  last  the  Master  promised  him  to  do  it. 


^ The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

So  the  next  time  he  preached,  he  announced  to  the  people  that  they 
should  come  again  three  days  afterwards,  for  he  had  been  requested  to 
preach  how  a  man  could  arrive  at  the  closest  place  to  God,  and  reach 
the  highest  and  best  spiritual  state  possible  in  this  life.  When  the 
day  arrived  a  multitude  of  people  came  to  hear  the  sermon,  and  the 
man  took  a  good  place  for  hearing.  The  Master  began  his  address, 
and  spoke  as  follows. 


CHAPTER  SECOND. 

Dear  children,  I  have  much  to  tell  you  in  this  sermon  about  what 
I  promised;  therefore  I  cannot  explain  the  Sunday's  gospel  to  you 
to-day,  as  my  custom  has  been.  Nor  shall  I  use  much  Latin  in  this  ser- 
mon; but  what  I  have  to  say  I  will  prove  by  holy  Scripture. 

Dear  children,  you  should  know  that  there  are  many  men  who  reach 
a  clear  knowledge  of  spiritual  things  and  have  an  intellectual  under- 
standing of  them,  but  this  they  have  by  means  of  forms  and  figures 
imparted  by  men's  instruction  and  without  Scripture.  And  we  meet 
with  others,  who,  when  they  have  learned  something  through  the 
Scripture,  stop  there  contented.  Such  men  are  far  off  from  their 
supreme  good.  Dear  children,  when  such  a  man  has  broken  through 
and  gone  beyond  all  that,  and  when  he  has  thereby  died  to  himself, 
and  when  he  has  passed  through  forty  years  of  such  contemplation 
and  of  the  reasonings  and  imaginings  and  figurings  of  his  soul- 
then  he  has  gained  a  place  dearer  to  God  than  that  of  a  hundred 
thousand  men,  who  have  never  got  out  of  self  and  who  live  in  a  state 
of  self  approval.  Into  these  God  cannot  come,  nor  in  them  can  He 
act.  The  reason  is  their  self  will,  and  because  their  simplicity  of 
spirit  is  self  chosen;  it  is  on  account  of  their  self  approval,  their 
resting  in  the  forms  and  figures  of  their  intelligence.  But  the  men 
who  have  gone  beyond  this,  giving  themselves  up  to  God  in  the  dying 
spiritual  way  and  by  renouncing  all  things,  attaining  to  a  state  above 
the  contemplation  of  the  forms  and  images  of  the  mind— in  such 
men,  let  me  assure  you,  children,  God  finds  His  place  of  rest;  there 
He  dwells  and  there  He  works  as  He  wills.  St.  Dionysius  says  of 
such  a  one:  ''The  light  of  faith  demands  that  a  soul  shall  transcend 
the  power  and  scope  of  its  own  reason."  When  God  thus  encounters 
no  resistance.  He  does  His  own  will  in  the  soul,  drawing  it  to  Him- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  11 

self  and  into  Himself.  You  must  know  that  these  men  are  excep- 
tional, for  their  spiritual  life  is  hidden  to  all  but  those  whose  inner 
experience  has  been  like  their  own ;  and  these,  alas,  are  not  numerous. 
Another  thing  to  bear  in  mind  is  that  this  noble  degree  of  perfection 
no  man  can  achieve  without  boundless  humility;  and  he  must  also 
have  a  clear  head  and  sound  reasoning  faculties.  By  lack  of  humility 
several  learned  doctors  have  fallen,  and  other  dignitaries  in  holy 
church.  And  how  many  brilliant  spirits  of  the  angelic  choirs  went 
astray,  and  fell  away  eternally  from  divine  truth,  though  by  their 
very  nature  they  were  beings  of  the  highest  endowments  of  reason. 
Thus  it  happens  to  all  who  trust  to  their  own  reason,  who  would  make 
themselves  like  unto  God  in  their  obstinate  self  opinionatedness.  On 
account  of  all  this,  it  is  necessary  to  understand  what  kind  of  a  man 
the  right,  true,  reasonable,  enlightened,  contemplative  man  should  be. 
And  this,  dear  children,  is  what  I  will  tell  you,  as  far  as  I  can  gather 
it  from  holy  Scripture.  And  there  are  twenty-four  qualities  which 
such  a  man  should  possess. 

The  first  is  placed  by  the  sovereign  teacher  of  all  teachers,  and 
the  source  of  all  science  and  wisdom,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  "This 
is  My  commandment,  that  you  love  one  another,  as  I  have  loved  you" 
(John  xv:12);  as  if  He  had  said:  If  you  have  all  wisdom  and 
knowledge  and  high  reasoning  power,  it  is  all  in  vain  unless  you 
have  mutual  trust  and  love  along  with  it.  One  might  think  that 
Balaam  was  very  intellectual,  knowing  as  he  did  many  things  that 
God  was  to  do  for  hundreds  of  years.  That,  however,  helped  him 
little  enough,  because  he  did  not  follow  up  what  he  knew  with  fidelity 
of  heart  and  great  love. 

The  second  trait  of  a  truly  reasonable  and  enlightened  man.  is 
that  he  must  be  detached  from  self.  And  when  he  has  come  to  that, 
he  must  in  no  wise  be  proud  of  it,  but  must  strive  onward  to  a  greater 
and  greater  degree  of  self  renunciation;  he  must  banish  from  his 
soul  all  love  of  created  things. 

The  third  is  this:  he  must  give  himself  up  to  God  that  He  may 
work  His  will  in  him;  nor  dare  he  ascribe  to  himself  any  of  the 
results  of  that  divine  operation,  but  on  the  contrary,  he  must  esteem 
himself  incapable  of  it. 

The  fourth:  searching  carefully  within  his  soul,  in  whatsoever  thing 
he  finds  his  own  self  to  be  his  aim  and  object,  from  that  he  must 


^^         The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

depart  for  time  and  for  eternity.  This  exercise  of  the  spirit  will  give 
him  much  increase  in  virtue. 

The  fifth:  he  should  consult  his  own  interest  in  no  manner  or 
matter  whatsoever  or  in  any  creature,  either  for  time  or  for  eternity; 
and  this  ministers  to  true  content  of  heart. 

The  sixth:  he  should  constantly  attend  upon  God  to  learn  what 
His  will  may  be  about  him,  and  then  with  the  divine  help  fulfill  it, 
nor  in  any  wise  claim  the  merit  of  it. 

The  seventh:  it  should  be  his  daily  practice  to  surrender  his  will 
to  God's  will,  saying:  O  God  I  will  naught  but  what  Thou  dost 
will. 

The  eighth:  he  should  so  adjust  his  mind  to  God,  and  so  stead- 
fastly apply  all  its  force  and  love  to  God,  that  God  cannot  act  in  him 
without  him,  nor  can  he  act  in  God  without  God. 

The  ninth:  he  must  profit  by  God's  presence  in  all  his  activity,  at 
all  times  and  in  all  places,  just  as  God  disposes,  whether  for  sweet- 
ness or  bitterness. 

The  tenth:  he  must  feel  neither  pleasure  nor  pain  from  any  crea- 
ture, but  only  from  God.  Although  God  often  works  through  crea- 
tures, yet  a  perfect  man  receives  their  influence  as  from  God  direct. 

The  eleventh:  he  shall  not  be  fettered  by  any  pleasurable  emotions 
received  from  creatures,  nor  be  influenced  by  it  beyond  reasonable 
necessity. 

The  twelfth:  no  mishap  shall  force  him  out  of  the  path  of  truth; 
let  him  tread  closely  and  faithfully  in  it. 

The  thirteenth:  he  must  not  be  betrayed  by  the  deceitful  attrac- 
tions of  created  things.  Let  him  take  things  kindly  and  quietly  as 
they  come,  and  make  the  best  of  them  for  his  own  perfection,  nor  be 
in  any  wise  worried.  This  spiritual  trait  is  a  sure  sign  of  the  presence 
of   the   Holy   Ghost. 

The  fourteenth:  in  order  to  oppose  vice  within  him  with  all  his 
might  and  to  win  the  victory  over  it,  he  must  be  armed  with  every 
virtue  and  always  ready  for  the  conflict. 

The  fifteenth:  he  must  look  directly  at  the  naked  truth  of  things, 
just  as  truth  is  in  itself,  according  as  God  guides  him  and  as  far  as  is 
humanly  possible,  and  live  perfectly  up  to  this  knowledge. 

The  sixteenth:  he  should  be  a  man  of  few  words,  and  much  given 
to  the  interior  life. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  13 

The  seventeenth;  he  must  be  a  perfect  man,  and  yet  by  no  means 
think  himself  perfect. 

The  eighteenth:  his  life  must  be  open  and  sincere  with  all  men, 
and  he  must  preach  better  by  his  life  than  by  his  words. 

The  nineteenth:  he  should  seek  God's  honor  in  all  things,  nor  have 
aught  else  in  view  in  his  daily  conduct. 

The  twentieth:  in  contending  with  others  he  shall  suffer  himself 
to  be  corrected  and  shall  yield  his  rights,  unless  indeed  he  is  con- 
tending for  God's  rights. 

The  twenty-first:  he  shall  look  for  no  personal  advantage  in  any- 
thing whatsoever,  esteeming  himself  worthy  of  not  even  the  lowest 
place. 

The  twenty-second:  he  shall  esteem  himself  the  least  instructed 
and  the  least  deserving  of  all  men;  and  yet  he  shall  hold  in  his  heart 
a  great  treasure  of  faith.  He  shall  lay  no  store  by  his  mental 
acquirements  or  his  intellectual  powers,  and  in  regard  of  such  things 
he  shall  rank  himself  beneath  all  men.  For  it  is  the  author  of  all 
wisdom  who  is  doing  His  supernatural  work  in  him,  but  only  on  con- 
dition that  his  soul  shall  be  found  humbled  to  the  very  depth;  and 
it  is  God  Himself  who  goes  before  to  prepare  the  soul  for  His  coming, 
as  He  did  with  St.  Paul.  But  it  seems  to  me  that  in  our  days,  alas, 
little  heed  is  given  to  this. 

The  twenty-third:  he  shall  set  before  his  eyes  the  life  and  doctrine 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  be  the  model  of  his  own  life,  words  and 
works.  Into  this  he  shall  constantly  gaze  as  into  a  mirror,  striving 
always,  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  to  lay  aside  whatsoever  is  inconsis- 
tent with  this  divine  rule  of  life. 

The  twenty-fourth  and  last:  he  shall  always  reproach  himself  with 
being  a  slothful  servant  of  God;  he  shall  always  set  to  work  as  if  he 
were  a  beginner  in  a  good  life.  And  if  this  draws  on  him  the  con- 
tempt of  his  fellows,  let  him  value  it  more  than  the  favor  of  the  whole 
world. 

And  now,  you  dear  children,  these  are  the  marks  of  a  well  seasoned 
and  prudently  grounded  spiritual  life,  enlightened  and  instructed  by 
rules  of  all  truth.  Any  man  who  cannot  show  these  spiritual  signs 
then  neither  he  can  consider  himself  nor  can  any  one  else  consider  him 
a  reasonable  man. 

May  God  the  eternal  truth.  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  help  us  all 
to  be  thus  formed  upon  the  pattern  of  our  Lord's  truth  and  humility. 
Amen. 


^^  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

CHAPTER  THIRD. 

At  the  end  of  the  sermon  the  man  returned  to  his  lodgings,  and 
there  he  wrote  it  down  word  for  word,  just  as  the  Master  had  preached 
it.  He  then  took  it  to  the  Master,  and  said:  "I  have  written  out  thy 
sermon,  and  if  it  will  not  weary  thee,  I  will  read  it  over  to  thee." 
The  Master  answered:  "I  will  hear  it  gladly."  When  the  man  had 
done  reading  it,  he  said:  "I  ask  thee,  dear  sir,  if  I  have  left  out  a  sin- 
gle word."  The  Master  answered:  "Dear  son,  thou  hast  written  it 
down  exactly  as  it  came  from  my  mouth.  I  assure  thee  that  if  I 
could  have  been  paid  a  high  price  to  compose  it  anew  from  the  holy 
scriptures  and  to  write  it  out  again,  I  could  not  do  it  as  exactly  as 
thou  hast  done  it.  And  let  me  confess  that  I  stand  in  much  admira- 
tion of  thee;  I  marvel  that  thou  hast  been  so  long  with  me  and  yet 
remain  hidden  to  me,  and  that  I  have  not  observed  thy  great  intelli- 
gence; and  that  thou  hast  often  made  thy  confessions  to  me,  and 
yet  held  back  from  me  thy  real  character,  so  that  I  have  not  known 
thee  for  what  thou  art."  When  the  man  made  as  if  he  wanted  to  go 
away,  he  said:  "Dear  sir,  if  God  pleases  I  will  return  home."  Upon 
which  the  Master  said:  "Dear  son,  what  wilt  thou  do  there?  Thou 
hast  neither  wife  nor  child  to  care  for,  and  thou  canst  fare  as  well 
here  as  there;  for  with  the  blessing  of  God  I  intend  to  preach  more 
upon  the  subject  of  a  perfect  life."  And  the  man  answered:  "Dear 
Master,  you  should  know  that  I  did  not  come  here  on  account  of  thy 
preaching.  I  came  here  with  the  thought  that  by  God's  help  I  should 
offer  thee  some  advice."  The  Master  said :  "And  what  advice  couldst 
thou  give  me?  Thou  art  a  layman,  thou  dost  not  understand  the 
Scriptures.  It  is  unbecoming  that  thou  shouldst  want  to  preach. 
Stay  here  longer;  perhaps  God  will  grant  me  such  perfect  preaching 
that  thou  Shalt  gladly  listen  to  it."  And  the  man  answered :  "Master, 
I  would  willingly  have  said  something  to  thee,  but  I  feared  that  thou 
mightest  not  willingly  bear  it."  And  the  Master  said:  "Son,  say 
whatever  thou  wilt;  I  pledge  myself  to  bear  it  patiently."  Upon 
this  the  man  spoke  as  follows:  "Thou  are  a  great  clergyman,  and  in 
thy  sermon  thou  has  given  a  good  doctrine;  but  thou  thyself  dost  not 
live  up  to  it.  And  yet  thou  talkest  to  me  about  it,  and  asketh  me  to 
stay  longer  and  hear  yet  another  sermon.  Sir,  be  sure  of  this:  thy 
preaching  and  thy  outward  talking,  and  all  like  things  that  anyone 
can  say  in  the  whole  world,  can  have  no  effect  in  my  soul;  but  on  the 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  15 

contrary  it  has  hindered  me  rather  than  advanced  me.    And  the  rea- 
son is  this:    when  I  came  away  from  the  sermon  I  found  that  it 
caused  me  various  distracting  thoughts,  which  I  was  scarcely  able  to 
get    rid    of    after    long   continued   efforts.     The   fact   is   thou    hast 
preached  thyself.    But  when  the  sovereign  Master  of  all  truth  comes 
into  a  man,  his  spirit  must  be  empty  of  all  transitory  things.    Be  sure 
that  when  that  Master  comes  to  me,  He  teaches  me  more  in  one  hour 
than  thou  canst  ever  do,  and  all  other  teachers  from  Adam's  time  to 
the  end  of  the  world."    Then  said  the  Master:   "Dear  son,  I  beg  thee 
as  thou  dost  reverence  our  Lord's  death  that  wouldst  remain  with 
me."     Upon   which  the  man   answered:   "Dost   thou   adjure   me   so 
solemnly  to  stay  with  thee?     Well,  then,  if  I  remain  here  out  of 
divine  obedience,  it  shall  only  be  because  thou  shalt  promise  me,  that 
what  I  have  said  to  thee  and  shall  say  to  thee,  shall  be  held  by  thee  as 
sacred  a  secret  as  that  of  confession,  and  shall  never  be  told."    The 
Master  said:  "Dear  son,  that  I  will  do  gladly,  if  thou  wilt  only  stay." 
And  the  man  said:    "Thou  hast  imparted  much  good  instruction  in 
that  sermon;  but  as  thou  didst  preach,  a  thought  came  into  my  mind. 
It  was  that  thy  sermon  was  just  as  if  someone  should  take  good 
clear  wine,  and  mix  dregs  with  it  till  it  was  all  muddied-"    Then  the 
Master  said:    "Dear  son,  what  meanest  thou?"     And  the  man  an- 
swered: "I  mean  that  thy  vessel  is  unclean,  and  many  dregs  adhere  to 
it.    That  is  to  say,  thou  hast  allowed  thyself  to  be  killed  by  the  letter 
of  thy  doctrine,  and  dost  continue  so  daily  and  hourly,  although  thou 
knowest  well  what  the  Scripture  says:  'For  the  letter  killeth,  but  the 
spirit  quickeneth'   (ii  Cor.  iii:  6).     Now  thou  mayst  be  certain  that 
the  same  letter  that  killeth  thee  will  make  thee  alive  again,  in  so 
far  as  thou  wilt  allow  it.     But  in  that  life  in  which  thou  now  dost 
live,  thou  shouldst  know  that  thou  hast  no  light.    Thou  art  in  the 
night,  in  which  thou  mayst  indeed  know  the  letter,  but  the  sweetness 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  thou  hast  not  yet  tasted,  and  on  that  account  thou 
art  as  yet  but  a  Pharisee."  And  then  the  Master  said :  "Dear  son,  I  am  a 
man  of  mature  age,  and  believe  me  that  such  words  have  never  before 
been  spoken  to  me."    Then  said  the  man:    "Where  is  thy  preaching 
now?    Dost  thou  now  preceive  how  thou  dost  stand?    And  although 
thou  thinkest  that  I  have  spoken  too  hard  against  thee,  yet  thou  hast 
only  thyself  to  blame.     And  I  will  prove  that  to  thee."    Then  said 
the  Master:   "I  beg  thee  to  do  so,  for  I  have  never  been  considered  a 
Pharisee."     And  the  man  answered:    "I  will  first  show  thee  how  it 
happens  that  the  letter  killeth  thee. 


16  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

"Dear  sir,  thou  wilt  remember  that  when  the  time  came  for  thee  to 
know  the  difference  between  evil  and  good,  thou  begannest  to  learn 
the  letter  of  religion,  and  therein  thou  didst  seek  thy  own  interest; 
and  now  up  to  this  very  day  thou  art  of  the  same  mind.    That  is  to 
say,  thou  hast  given  thyself  up  to  thy  own  intelligence  for  guidance. 
Thou  dost  not  have  in  view  God   alone,  nor  love  Him  alone,  but  resteth 
in  the  letter,  seeking  thy  own  self  and  not  God's  glory  alone,  to  which 
end,  notwithstanding,  the  holy   Scripture  directs  us.     Thou  art  in- 
clined to  creatures;  and  especially  to  one  creature  art  thou  inclined, 
and  that  one  thou  lovest  inordinately;  and  that  is  the  reason  why 
the  letter  killeth  thee.     And  when  I  said  that  thou  art  an  unclean 
vessel,  I  said  true;  for  thou  dost  not  take  God  into  account  in  all 
things.     When  thou   shalt  come  to  know   thyself,   thou   shalt  find 
lodged  in  a  portion  of  thy  soul  vain  and  frivolous  things.     These 
disturb  thy  soul  and  adhere  to  it  as  the  dregs  and  lees  do  to  a  vessel 
of  wine.    When  the  clear,  pure  wine  of  divine  doctrine  passes  through 
the  unclean  vessel  that  thou  art,  then  it  comes  to  pass  that  pure 
souls  and  loving  hearts   find   no   divine   flavor  in  thy   words;  thou 
impartest  no  grace  to  them.    And  I  further  have  told  thee,  that  thou 
art  in  the  night,  and  that  thou  hast  not  the  true  light ;  now  that  is  also 
a  fact.     And  that  is  easily  seen,  because  so  few  receive  an  increase 
of  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost  from  thy  preaching.    And  when  I  said 
that  thou  art  a  Pharisee  I  told  but  the  truth.     Of  course  I  do  not 
mean  that  thou  art  one  of  those  false  wretches  of  our  Lord's  day. 
But  was  it  not  a  trait  of  the  Pharisees,   that  they  were   dear  to 
themselves  in  all  things,  that  they  kept  themselves  ever  in  view  in 
all  that  they  did,  rather  than  God's  glory?    Now  study  thyself  care- 
fully, dear  sir,  and  see  if  thou  art  not  a  genuine  Pharisee  in  God's 
eyes.     Dear  Master,  thou   oughtest  to  know   that   there  are  many 
people  now  a  days,  great  and  small,  who  are  Pharisees  in  God's  eyes 
because  He  knows  their  hearts  and  their  lives." 

As  the  man  said  these  words,  the  Master  took  him  in  his  arms  and 
embraced  him  and  kissed  him.  And  he  said:  ''Thou  hast  shown  me  a 
true  picture  of  myself.  I  see  myself  as  the  heathen  woman  saw  her 
image  in  the  waters  of  the  fountain.  I  confess  to  thee,  dear  son,  that 
all  my  Bins  and  imperfections  have  been  manifested  to  me  by  thy 
words.    Thou  hast  told  me  the  things  that  I  had  hidden  away  in  my 

soul,  and  especially  that  I  am  inclined  particularly  towards  one  crea- 
ture; but  thou  shouldst  know  that  I  was  not  aware  of  this  myself. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  THummated  Doctor  17 

and  I  believe  that  not  a  soul  in  the  whole  world  knows  it.  And  I  am 
at  a  loss  to  know  who  has  told  thee  of  it.  I  doubt  not  but  that  thou 
hast  got  it  from  God.  And  now,  dear  son,  I  beg  thee  as  thou  honorest 
the  death  of  Christ,  that  thou  will  become  my  spiritual  father  and 
take  me  for  thy  poor,  sinful  son."  Then  the  man  said:  ''Dear  sir,  if 
thou  thus  speakest  against  the  right  order  of  things  T  will  not  «tay 
with  thee — I  will  go  away  at  once;  thou  mayst  be  sure  of  that."" 
Then  spoke  the  Master:  "Ah  no,  I  beg  thee  for  God's  sake  do  no  such- 
thing;  stay  with  me  for  a  while;  I  promise  thee  willingly  not  to  speak 
like  that  again.  I  have  the  will  to  become  a  better  man,  with  God's 
help  and  with  thy  counsel;  what  thou  approvest  that  will  I  gladly  be 
guided  by  for  the  improvement  of  my  life."  Then  the  man  said:  "I 
declare  to  thee  that  the  letter  and  the  science  of  things  mislead 
many  great  Masters,  bringing  some  to  an  awful  purgatory,  and  others 
into  hell,  according  to  the  life  they  have  led.  And  I  declare  to  thee 
furthermore,  that  it  is  no  trifling  matter  that  God  should  give  a  man 
such  great  knowledge  through  the  holy  Scripture,  and  that  neverthe- 
less he  should  not  put  it  in  practice  in  his  own  life." 


CHAPTER  FOURTH. 

Then  the  Master  said :  "I  beg  thee  for  the  love  of  God  to  tell  me 
how  thou  earnest  to  thy  present  manner  of  life,  and  how  thou  hast 
begun ;  and  what  has  been  thy  custom  and  way  of  spiritual  exercise." 
The  man  answered:  "That  is  a  simple  enough  request,  and  I  will 
answer  with  the  exact  truth.  And  if  I  should  write  down  the 
wonderful  things  that  God  does  for  me,  a  poor,  sinful  man,  during 
the  past  twelve  years,  it  would  make  a  bigger  book  than  any  thou 
hast;  at  any  rate  on  this  occasion  I  will  tell  thee  something  of  it. 

''What  first  helped  me  was  that  God  found  in  me  a  real  state  of 
detachment  and  a  fathomless  humility.  Now  I  think  that  there  is 
no  need  of  my  telling  thee  what  were  my  external  and  bodily  devo- 
tional practices,  for  men's  natures  differ  greatly.  But  when  a  man 
has  humbly  resigned  himself  to  God  with  interior  sincerity,  then 
God  begins  and  never  ceases  to  give  him  inward  discipline  by 
allowing  certain  temptations  to  afflict  him;  by  that  and  other  like 
means  which  He  knows  to  be  useful  and  which  the  soul  is  able  to 
bear — if  it  only  will — God  tries  it  well.     But  thou  shouldst  under- 


18  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Btand  that  any  man  who  seeks  many  counsellors  is  very  likely  to  go 
astray;  for  each  one  will  advise  according  to  his  own  devotional 
(ustoms.  One  man  may  benefit  by  one  kind  of  spiritual  exercises 
the  like  of  which  would  be  of  no  help  to  another.  The  devil  some- 
times excites  a  man  to  severe  penances,  thinking  that  thereby  he  will 
break  down  his  health  and  lead  him  into  imperfections,  or  hurt  his 
brain  and  make  him  an  imbecile,  or  the  like  of  that. 

''And  I  will  tell  thee  what  happened  to  me  in  the  beginning.  I  read 
the  lives  of  the  saints  in  the  German  language;  and  thought  within 
myself  that  they  were  only  men  as  I  am  a  man,  but  that  they  had  not 
sinned  as  I  had.  And  at  that  thought  I  began  to  imitate  the  saints 
in  various  ways;  and  soon  I  was  brought  so  low  in  health  that  I  was 
at  the  point  of  death.  One  morning  at  daybreak,  after  I  had  prac- 
ticed hard  austerities,  I  became  so  weak  that  my  eyes  closed  in  spite 
of  myself  and  I  fell  asleep.  And  then  it  seemed  to  me  that  a  voice 
spoke  to  me  saying:  O  thou  simple-minded  man,  what  art  thou  about? 
Thou  wilt  kill  thyself  with  penances,  suffering  dreadful  pain.  Let 
God  exercise  thee  in  the  spiritual  life;  He  can  serve  thee  better  than 
thyself,  or  the  devil's  counsels.  When  I  heard  the  devil's  name  I 
woke  up,  very  much  frightened;  I  rose  and  went  into  a  wood  near 
the  city.  Then  as  I  found  myself  alone,  I  recalled  how  I  had  begun 
those  austerities  without  seeking  advice,  and  I  said  that  I  could  seek 
counsel  about  my  condition  from  the  old  hermit  living  there.  I  did 
this,  and  I  repeated  to  him  the  words  that  I  had  heard  in  sleep.  I 
begged  him  for  the  love  of  God  to  give  me  his  best  advice.  Then 
the  hermit  said  to  me:  'Thou  must  tell  me  what  thy  customary  exer- 
cises of  piety  have  been,  before  I  can  advise  thee.'  I  told  him  what 
they  were.  He  said:  'Who  has  counselled  thee  to  do  these  things?' 
I  said :  'I  did  them  of  my  own*  will.'  He  said :  'Thou  must  know 
that  it  was  at  the  devil's  suggestion  that  thou  didst  them;  and  thou 
must  no  longer  be  ruled  by  him.  Thou  must  give  thyself  wholly  up 
to  God;  He  can  better  practice  thee  than  thyself  or  the  devil.' 
Behold,  dear  Master,  how  it  was  I  quit  those  austerities,  and  yielded 
myself  and  all  my  doings  with  deepest  sincerity  to  God.  Kow  besides 
all  this,  thou  shouldst  know  that  by  nature  I  am  a  sensible,  capable 
and  kindly  disposed  man,  although  I  have  had  no  training  in  divinity 
as  thou  hast  had.  Thus  I  began  to  know  myself  according  to  my 
reasonable   intelligence,   and  sometimes  it   happened  that   I   was   so 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


19 


highly  exalted  that  I   was    astonished.     Once    it    happened    that  I 
thought  within  myself:  Thou  hast  so  intellectual  a  gift,  that  if  thou 
shouldst  apply  thyself  earnestly  to  study,  thou  wouldst  comprehend 
something.     But  as  this  thought  took  shape,  I  saw  at  once  that  it 
was  a  suggestion   of  the  devil,  and  detected    its    utter    perversity. 
Then  I  said :  O  thou  wicked  spirit,  what  false  and  filthy  counsel  hast 
thou  given  me — treacherous  counsellor  as  thou  art.     For  if  we  had 
a  God  who  could  be  comprehended  by  our  reason,  I  would  not  give 
a  straw  for  Him.     At  another  time,  when  at  midnight  I  began  to 
recite  matins,  a  great  longing  took  possession  of  me,  so  that  I  said : 
O  eternal  and  merciful  God,  I  would  that  thou  shouldst  grant  me 
to  experience  something  above  and  beyond  the  power  of  reason.    But 
as  soon  as  I  had  thus  spoken,  I  was  terrified  at  this  eager  desire,  and 
I  exclaimed :   Alas,  my  God  and  my  Lord,  forgive  me  in  Thy  boundless 
mercy  for  acting  thus — that  I  a  poor  worm  of  the  earth  should  allow 
such  a  thought  to  enter  m}'  heart,  desiring  so  rich  a  gift  ?nd  one  so 
full  of  Thy  grace — I,  a  man  who,  as  I  fully  confess,  have  heretofore 
by  no  means  lived  as  well  as  I  ought.     I  confess,  dear  Lord,  that  in 
all  things  I  have  been  ungrateful  to  Thee.    Therefore  I  am  convinced 
that  I  am  not  worthy  to  tread  the  earth  after  harboring  such  a  pre- 
sumptuous desire  for  Thy  rich  favors : — the  earth  is  burdened  with 
my  worthless  carcass.     I   then  flogged  myself  till   the  blood  flowed 
upon  my  naked  body.     The  words  I  spoke  to  God  burned  jn  my  heart 
and  were  on  my  lips  till  day  broke,  and  meanwhile  my  blood  flowed 
in  my  penance.     Then  did  God  show  me  mercy,  and  to  my  reason  he 
granted   a  much   clearer  light  than   before.     But    presently    I    was 
ravished  out  of  my  reason  into  an  ecstacy,  and  the  time  of  it  seemed 
exceedingly  short.     When  God  permitted  me  to  return  to  myself,  I 
beheld  a  marvellous  supernatural  sign,  so  that  I  could  say  even  with 
St.  Peter:  'Master,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here'   (Luke  ix.  33).     Let 
me  assure  thee,  dear  sir,  that  I  learned  more  truth  in  that  short  hour, 
and  was  given  clearer  perception  of  spiritual   things,  than   all   the 
teachers  in  the  world  could  bestow  with  all  their  natural  learning. 
And  now,  dear  sir,  I  have  said  enough  to  show  thee  how  thou  standest 
before  God." 


20  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

CHAPTEK  FIFTH. 

Then  the  Master  spoke:  "May  God  give  thee  grace  to  say  more  to 
me,  for  that  would  be  very  welcome,  for  I  am  telling  thee  the  simple 
truth,  when  I  say  that  I  have  heard  thee  gladly.  Go  on  and  do  it, 
dear  son,  and  do  not  leave  me  but  stay  with  me.  If  thou  needest 
money,  I  will  not  let  thee  suffer  want,  even  if  I  must  pawn  one  of 
my  books."  Then  said  the  man :  ''May  God  reward  thee,  dear  sir. 
But  I  do  not  need  thy  gift,  for  God  has  made  me  his  steward  to  the 
extent  of  five  thousand  florins.  These  are  God's,  and  did  I  but  know 
some  one  who  needed  them,  or  any  other  purpose  God  had  for  them,  I 
would  give  them  away."  Then  the  Master  said :  "Dear  son,  thou  art 
thus  a  rich  man,  a  very  great  steward  of  the  Lord.  But  I  am  aston- 
ished at  thy  saying,  that  I  and  all  other  teachers  till  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, could  not  teach  thee  as  much  as  thou  didst  learn  in  one  hour. 
Explain  this  to  me,  I  will  gladly  listen.  And  is  it  not  true  that  the 
Scriptures  have  come  from  the  Holy  Ghost?"  The  man  answered: 
"Sir,  it  seems  incredible  that  thou  shouldst  talk  so  childishly  after 
all  that  I  have  told  thee.  And  I  will  ask  thee  a  question,  and  if 
thou  shalt  answer  it  with  all  thy  intelligence,  with  or  without  the 
help  of  Scripture,  I  will  give  thee  ten  thousand  florins."  The  Master 
asked:  "What  is  it?"  And  the  man  said :  "Canst  thou  instruct  me  how 
to  write  a  letter  to  a  heathen,  one  buried  deep  in  a  heathen  country, 
in  such  style  and  language  that  the  heathen  can  read  it  and  under- 
stand it,  and  that  the  letter  will  have  such  an  effect  on  him  as  that 
he  will  come  to  the  Christian  faith?"  The  Master  said:  "Dear  son, 
that  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  tell  me  where  that  has  ever 
happened,  if  thou  knowest  anything  of  the  sort.  Did  it  ever  happen 
1o  thee?"  The  man  answered:  "Yes.  Although  I  am  a  miserable 
sinner,  through  me  the  Holy  Ghost  has  done  that  work.  It  would 
take  too  long  to  tell  how  it  happened — one  could  fill  a  book  with  an 
account  of  it.  The  heathen  was  a  well  meaning  man,  and  he  often 
cried  out  to  heaven,  and  implored  Him  who  had  created  him  and  all 
the  world  besides,  saying:  O  Thou  creator  of  all  things,  here  am  I 
born  in  this  country,  and  I  find  that  the  Jews  have  one  faith  and  the 
Christians  another.  O  Lord,  thou  art  over  us  all  and  thou  hast  made 
all  creatures:  I  implore  Thy  light  to  know.  Is  there  no  faith  better 
than  the  one  in  which  I  was  born — none  whatever?  If  there  is,  I 
beseech  Thee  to  show  it  to  me  that  I  may  believe  it — show  it  in  what- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  21 

soever  way  it  pleaseth  Thee.  I  will  gladly  obey  Thee  and  believe. 
But  if  it  should  happen  that  Thou  dost  not  grant  my  prayer  nor 
showest  me  a  better  faith,  and  that  I  shall  die  in  my  present  faith 
because  I  know  none  better  and  because  Thou  hast  not  revealed  a 
better  one  to  me,  then  shalt  Thou  have  done  me  an  injustice.  Now 
understand,  dear  sir,  that  a  letter  was  written  and  sent  to  that 
heathen  by  me,  a  poor  sinner,  and  by  its  means  he  came  to  the 
Christian  faith.  And  he  wrote  me  a  letter  in  answer,  in  which  he 
told  me  what  had  happened  to  him,  and  his  letter  was  written  in 
good  plain  German,  so  that  I  could  very  easily  read  it.  Dear  sir, 
much  more  might  be  said  about  this,  but  enough  for  the  present; 
and  thou  wilt  understand  the  meaning  of  what  I  have  said."  Then 
the  Master  spoke:  "God  is  wonderful  in  all  His  works  and  gifts. 
Dear  son,  thou  hast  told  things  that  are  strange  indeed." 

The  man  said :  "I  fear  that  some  of  the  things  I  have  said  may 
have  distressed  thee,  and  that  is  because  I  am  a  layman  and  thou  a 
great  master  of  sacred  learning;  and  yet  have  I  presumed  to  say  so 
much  after  the  manner  of  the  learned.  But  I  meant  it  all  affection- 
ately, seeking  thy  soul's  welfare  and  wholly  for  God's  honor,  as  He 
bears  me  witness."  Then  the  Master  answered :  "Dear  sir,  if  it  will 
not  anger  thee,  I  will  tell  thee  what  has  really  distrssed  me."  And 
the  man  said :  "Be  assured  on  that  point,  thou  needest  have  no  fear 
of  angering  me."  The  Master  said:  "My  mind  is  in  a  state  of  amaze- 
ment, and  I  do  feel  distressed,  that  thou  being  but  a  layman  and  I  a 
clergyman,  I  should  receive  instruction  from  thee.  And  it  further- 
more annoys  me  that  thou  didst  call  me  a  Pharisee."  Then  spoke  the 
man:  "Does  nothing  else  weigh  on  thy  mind?"  The  Master  said: 
"I  can  think  of  nothing  else."  And  the  man  said:  "May  I  inform 
f;hee  on  both  these  points?"  The  Master  said:  "Yes,  dear  son,  and 
I  ask  it  of  thee  in  all  friendliness,  and  for  God's  sake."  Then  the  man 
said:  "Tell  me,  dear  sir,  how  did  it  happen,  that  dear  St.  Catherine, 
who  was  but  a  young  girl  of  fourteen  years,  yet  vanquished  by  her 
discourse  fifty  of  the  greatest  professors,  so  that  they  were  ready  to 
die  for  the  truth?  Who  worked  that  wonder?"  Then  the  Master 
said :  "The  Holy  Ghost  did  that."  And  the  man  said :  "Think  you 
not  that  the  Holy  Ghost  still  has  that  power?"  The  Master 
answered :  "Yes,  I  believe  it  firmly."  Then  said  the  man :  "Why  then 
wilt  thou  not  believe,  that  the  same  Holy  Ghost  here  and  now  speaks 
to  thee  through  me,  all  unworthy  as  I  am  and  a  poor  sinner;  even  as 


22  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

He  spoke  the  truth  by  the  mouth  of  Caiaphas,  who  was  also  a  sinner. 
But  thou  mayst  be  sure,  that  since  thou  receivest  my  message  thus 
evilly,  therefore  will  I  be  careful  to  have  no  more  speech  with  thee." 
Then  said  the  Master :  ''Dear  son,  say  not  so.  I  hope,  if  God  wills  it, 
to  improve  my  soul's  state  through  thy  words."  Then  the  man  spoke: 
"Ah,  dear  sir,  it  distressed  thee  that  I  said  that  thou  art  a  Pharisee. 
And  jet  when  I  did  so,  I  added  enough  to  prove  to  thee  that  I  did 
thee  no  wrong;  thou  shouldst  have  rested  content.  But  as  thou  art 
not  satisfied,  I  must  go  on  further,  and  I  will  show  more  plainly  that  I 
am  right,  and  that  thou  deservest  the  name  Pharisee.  Dear  sir, 
thou  knowest  full  well  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  Himself  said  of 
the  Pharisees:  'They  bind  heavy  and  insupportable  burdens,  and  lay 
them  on  men's  shoulders;  but  with  a  finger  of  their  own  they  will 
not  move  them,  (Matt,  xxiii:  4).  Now,  dear  sir,  thou  hast  in  thy 
sermon  bound  together  twenty-four  burdens,  and  thou  takest  little 
account  of  them  for  thy  own  self.  Our  Lord  also  said:  'All  things 
whatsoever  they  [the  Pharisees]  shall  say  to  you,  observe  and  do: 
but  according  to  their  works  do  ye  not;  for  they  say  and  do  not* 
(Matt,  xxxiii:  3)."  Then  the  Master  spoke:  "Our  dear  Lord  said 
those  words  for  that  occasion  and  time."  And  the  man  answered: 
"He  speaks  them  yet,  now  and  forevermore,  and  to  all  men.  Dear 
Master,  look  into  thyself  and  see  if  they  are  not  to  be  applied  to  thee 
or  to  thy  way  of  living :  God  knows  if  that  be  the  case,  and  so  dost 
thyself.  And  I  avow  to  thee,  as  regards  thyself,  that  I  had  rather  be 
guided  by  thy  words  than  by  thy  life.  Lay  it  to  heart  as  to  whether 
or  not  thou  mayst  be  called  a  Pharisee  in  the  sight  of  God ;  but  I  do 
not  mean  that  thou  art  one  of  those  false  Pharisees  whose  portion  is 
the  fire  of  hell."  The  Master  spoke:  "I  know  not  what  to  say.  I 
confess  freely  that  I  am  a  sinner,  and  I  declare  that  I  will  reform  my 
life;  I  will  do  it  if  it  kills  me.  Dear  son,  I  can  no  longer  postpone 
this  holy  work,  and  I  beg  thee  sincerely  and  for  God's  sake,  to  tell  me 
how  I  shall  take  hold  and  begin.  Teach  me  and  guide  me  how  to 
reach  the  highest  perfection  that  man  can  reach  in  this  life."  The 
man  spoke :  "Dear  sir,  I  beg  thee  not  to  be  angry  with  me ;  but  I  must 
tell  thee  in  all  truth  that  thou  art  hard  to  advise.  For  if  thou  art 
to  be  converted,  it  will  be  a  woeful  thing  to  thy  established  manner 
and  custom  of  living,  for  all  the  old  ways  must  be  given  up;  and 
now  thou  art  nigh  fifty  years  old."  Then  the  Master  answered :  "That 
may  all  be  so.     But  ah,  dear  son,  remember  that  to  him  who  came 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  23 

at  the  eleventh  hour  the  same  penny  was  paid  as  to  him  who  came 
at  the  first.  And  I  will  tell  thee  this,  my  dear  son :  I  have  thought 
it  all  over,  and  I  have  set  it  firmly  in  my  heart  that  with  God's 
assistance  I  will  give  up  the  life  and  enjoyment  of  my  senses,  and 
also  my  intellectual  way  of  meditating;  and  I  will  follow  thy  direc- 
tion, and  consider  it  all  one  if  it  costs  me  even  my  life.  I  beg  thee 
for  God's  sake  to  delay  me  no  longer,  but  to  tell  me  at  once  how  I 
shall  make  a  beginning."  Then  the  man  said :  "Since  thou  hast 
now  received  grace  from  God  to  wish  to  be  humbled  beneath  a  vile, 
poor,  worthless  creature,  and  to  be  subjected  to  him  and  bend  under 
his  yoke :  let  us  give  praise  to  God  for  all  this,  for  this  grace  comes 
wholly  from  Him  and  must  return  again  to  Him  by  our  thanksgiving. 
Dear  sir,  inasmuch  as  it  is  wholly  on  God's  account  that  I  will  guide 
thee,  I  will  call  Him  into  help.  I  will  instruct  thee  in  divine  love, 
and  I  will  give  thee  a  lesson  to  learn,  as  is  done  with  children  in 
school;  it  is  the  twenty-four  letters  of  the  alphabet.  And  so  I  begin 
with  A." 


CHAPTER  SIXTH. 

"A.  Make  a  beginning  of  a  new  life  in  the  spirit  of  a  man  and 
with  no  childish  timidity. 

''B.  Give  up  all  wickedness;  and  do  good  with  thy  mind  made  up, 
and  all  diligently. 

"C.  Be  temperate  and  moderate  in  everything;  learn  to  hold  the 
safe  middle  course. 

"D.     Be  humble  in  everything,  in  word  and  deed. 

*'E.  Thy  own  will  must  thou  renounce  in  the  most  thoroughgoing 
spirit,  steadfastly  and  earnestly  clinging  to  God  and  abiding  in  God. 

"F.  Be  zealous,  obedient,  and  willing  for  all  good  works,  and  be 
wholly  free  from  murmuring. 

"G.  Diligently  practice  thyself  in  all  divine  works  of  mercy,  both 
corporal  and  spiritual. 

"H.  Look  not  backwards,  neither  towards  the  world,  nor  crea- 
tures, nor  thy  own  affairs. 

**I.  Deep  in  thy  heart  recall  thy  past  life  with  entire  truthfulness, 
real  repentance,  with  bitterness  of  heart,  and  tearful  eyes. 

"K.  Boldly  and  sturdily  withstand  the  temptations  of  the  devil, 
of  the  world,  and  of  the  flesh. 


24  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

*'L.  Learn  to  overcome  idleness  courageously,  and  all  delicacy  in 
bodily  matters,  and  the  devil's  suggestions  of  personal  comfort. 

"M.  With  burning  love,  with  assured  hope,  with  mighty  faith, 
live  in  God;  and  bear  thyself  towards  thy  neighbor  as  thou  wouldst 
towards  thyself. 

^'N,     Covet  no  man's  goods,  be  they  bodily  or  spiritual. 

''O.  Make  the  best  of  all  things  as  they  happen,  never  borrowing 
trouble. 

"P.  Penances,  come  they  from  God  or  from  thy  neighbor  or  from 
any  creature,  thou  shalt  willingly  accept  and  suffer  to  atone  for  thy 
sins. 

''Q.  Whosoever  shall  harm  thee  in  thought,  word  or  deed,  acquit 
him  and  pardon  him  in  all  sincerity. 

"R.  Purity  of  body  and  of  soul,  destitution  of  goods  and  of  honors, 
thou  shall  cultivate  with  all  earnestness. 

"S.  Be  gentle-minded  in  all  happenings,  and  find  a  way  of  improv- 
ing thyself  under  all  circumstances. 

'•T.  Fidelity  and  truthfulness  shalt  thou  cherish  in  thy  dealings 
with  all  men,  shunning  all  double  dealing. 

"U.  Zealously  learn  to  refrain  from  all  and  any  kind  of  excess  in 
eating. 

"X.  Follow  the  example  of  our  beloved  Lord,  guiding  thy  every 
step  thereby,  as  far  as  thou  art  able. 

''Y.  Ceaselessly  beseech  our  dear  Lady's  intercession  that  she  may 
help  thee  to  learn  this  our  lesson. 

"Z.  Hold  thy  will  and  thy  senses  in  an  even  balance,  so  that  thou 
mayst  enjoy  peace  in  all  things,  whether  it  be  those  between  God 
and  thee,  or  between  thee  and  all  created  things. 

*'Now  this  whole  lesson  must  be  learned  and  observed  without 
contradiction,  with  a  free  heart,  and  a  good  will." 


CHAPTER  SEVENTH. 

"Now,  dear  sir,  take  this  lesson  of  a  child,  without  any  objections, 
as  if  it  came  from  God  to  thee  for  thy  good,  through  me,  a  poor 
unworthy  man." 

Then  the  Master  spoke:  "It  may  please  thee  to  call  this  a  child's 
lesson,  but  to  my  thinking  it  will  be  a  manly  exploit  to  observe  it  all. 
And  now  tell  me,  dear  son,  how  long  a  time  wilt  thou  give  me  to 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


learn  it?"  The  man  answered :  "We  will  take  five  weeks,  to  do  honor 
to  the  five  holy  wounds,  so  that  thou  mayst  the  better  learn  thy  task. 
Thou  Shalt  be  thy  own  master;  and  when  one  or  other  of  these 
sentences  arranged  by  the  alphabet  is  not  observed,  and  thou  thinkest 
that  thou  canst  not  master  it,  then  strip  thyself  naked  and  chastise 
thy  body,  so  that  it  may  be  reduced  to  submission  to  the  soul  and  to 
reason."     Then  the  Master  said:  "I  will  gladly  be  obedient." 

At  the  end  of  three  weeks  the  man  asked  the  Master:  "Dear  sir, 
how  stands  it  with  thee?"  The  Master  said:  "Let  me  tell  thee,  dear 
son,  that  during  these  three  weeks  I  have  been  whipped  harder  on 
account  of  this  lesson,  than  ever  I  was  whipped  before  in  my  whole 
life."  Then  spoke  the  man:  "Dear  sir,  thou  must  understand  that 
before  one  goes  onward  in  a  lesson,  he  must  learn  perfectly  what 
goes  before— namely,  the  first  lines."  The  Master  answered:  "If  I 
should  say  that  I  now  knew  them  well,  I  should  say  what  is  not  true." 
Then  the  man  said :  "Go  right  on  that  way,  till  thou  hast  learnt  thy 
task  well."  At  the  end  of  three  weeks  more,  the  Master  sent  for  the 
man,  and  said:  "Dear  son,  rejoice  with  me,  for  it  seems  to  me  that 
with  God's  help  I  now  know  the  first  lines  well.  And  now,  if  thou 
wilt,  I  am  ready  to  recite  the  lesson  to  thee."  The  man  said:  "No, 
dear  sir;  but  I  will  gladly  rejoice  with  thee,  and  fully  credit  thee 
that  thou  knowest  thy  lesson  well."  And  the  Master  answered:  "1 
tell  thee  in  all  sincerity,  that  I  have  something  heavy  on  my  mind. 
And  dear  son,  I  beg  thee  to  teach  me  yet  further."  Then  spoke  the 
man :  "I  can  teach  thee  nothing  more,  as  far  as  I  am  personally  con- 
cerned. But  if  it  pleases  God  to  teach  thee  through  me,  I  will  gladly 
do  my  part,  willingly  acting  as  the  instrument  by  which  our  Lord 
will  act  upon  thee. 

"Listen,  dear  sir,  for  I  will  counsel  thee  about  divine  love  and 
brotherly  fidelity;  so  that  when  the  Lord's  call  shall  come  to  thee,  as 
it  did  to  the  young  man  in  the  gospel,  I  shall  have  no  responsibility: 
af  thou  wilt  be  perfect,  go  sell  what  thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor, 
and  thou  shalt  have  treasure  in  Heaven:  and  come  follow  Me'" 
(Matt,  xix:  21).  Then  the  Master  spoke:  "Dear  son,  thou  needst  not 
care  for  that,  for  I  have  already  yielded  myself  to  that  call,  and  with 
God's  help  I  will  go  forward  obedient  in  it  to  God  and  to  thee." 
Then  spoke  the  man:  "Because  thou  hast  made  that  secure,  giving 
thyself  entirely  over  to  God  to  have  a  care  of  thee,  then  will  I  earnestly 
counsel  thee  ever  to  be  obedient  to  the  rules  of  thy  Order  ynd  to  thy 


26  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

superiors;  for  it  may  easily  happen,  that  if  thou  wouldst  tread  the 
straight,  narrow  way,  thou  shalt  be  oppressed  by  others,  and 
especially  by  thy  own  brethren.  And  when  that  happens,  thy 
thoughts  will  be  bent  on  the  words  by  which  thou  didst  vow  thyself 
to  God,  being  tempted  meanwhile  to  find  some  way  of  loosing  thyself 
from  the  cross.  But  that  must  not  be.  For  thou  must  willingly 
be  obedient,  suffering  gladly  what  happens  to  thee,  from  whomsoever 
it  may  come  to  thee.  Thou  must  tread  the  way  the  Lord  pointed  out 
to  the  young  man,  namely,  thou  must  take  up  thy  cross  and  follow 
Jesus  Christ,  imitating  Him  in  very  truth;  in  all  humility  and  in 
patience.  That  proud,  cultivated  intelligence  of  thine,  which  thou 
hast  gained  by  study  of  sacred  learning,  thou  must  let  pass  from  thee. 
During  this  thy  time  of  preparation  thou  must  neither  study  nor 
preach.  But  toward  thy  penitents,  both  men  and  women,  thou  shalt 
bear  thyself  very  simply  when  they  make  their  confessions.  And 
when  they  are  done,  instead  of  giving  them  thy  usual  advice,  say  to 
them:  I  am  now  anxiously  learning  how  to  give  myself  good  advice, 
and  when  I  have  succeeded  in  that,  I  will  then  give  you  good  advice. 
If  any  one  askest  thee  when  thou  wilt  preach,  refuse  to  tell  him ;  but 
say  to  him  in  all  truth  that  thou  art  not  idle;  and  thus  the  people 
will  excuse  thee."  Then  the  Master  spoke:  "Dear  son,  all  this  I  will 
gladly  do;  but  what  occupation  shall  I  have  meanwhile?"  The  man 
said:  ''Thou  shalt  go  into  thy  cell  and  read  thy  breviary,  and  attend 
in  choir  and  join  in  the  singing;  thou  shalt  celebrate  thy  daily  mass 
when  thou  canst  do  so.  Whatever  time  is  left  over,  take  it  up  with 
the  passion  of  our  Lord,  and  meditate  how  thy  life  stands  in  com- 
parison with  His.  Think  also  on  the  lost  time  of  thy  life,  namely 
that  in  which  thou  didst  have  thyself  in  view  as  thy  aim  and  purpose. 
Think,  too,  how  very  small  has  been  thy  love  compared  to  His  love. 
These  things  shalt  thou  study  and  that  very  humbly,  so  that  thou 
mayst  attain  to  some  degree  of  real  humility,  thereby  becoming  rid 
of  thy  old  habit  of  mind  and  quite  departing  from  it  And  when 
our  Lord  decides  that  the  time  is  come,  then  will  He  make  a  new  man 
of  thee,  supposing  that  thou  shalt  have  been  born  again  of  God. 

"But  be  sure  that  ere  all  this  happens,  thou  must  sell  all  that  ihou 
hast,  and  humbly  give  it  up  to  God.  And  that  means  all  that  thou 
dost  possess  in  thy  proud  intelligence,  whether  of  Scripture  learning 
or  other  learning,  whereby  thou  mightest  achieve  honor  in  this  life, 
or  that  has  before  this  ministered  to  thy  joy.    All  this  thou  must  now 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


let  go,  and  thou  must  with  St.  Mary  Magdalen  fall  at  Christ's  feet, 
and  earnestly  undertake  all  these  ways  of  perfection.  Then  without 
doubt  the  King  of  Heaven  will  look  upon  thee  with  favor.  But  He 
by  no  means  allows  things  to  rest  thus,  for  He  will  push  thee  further 
yet,  so  that  thou  mayst  be  purified  still  more,  even  as  gold  in  the 
furnace.  And  it  may  well  happen  that  He  will  offer  thee  the  bitter 
draught  that  He  offered  His  only  begotten  Son.  And  I  surmise  that  by 
God's  will  all  that  thou  doest  and  all  that  thou  leavest  undone,  and 
indeed  thy  whole  life,  shall  be  brought  to  contempt  and  made  nothing 
of  in  the  eyes  of  the  people.  All  thy  penitents  will  leave  thee,  think- 
ing that  thou  hast  not  good  sense  any  longer.  All  thy  good  friends 
and  brothers  in  thy  monastery,  will  take  offense  at  thy  way  of  life, 
and  say  that  thou  hast  adopted  a  preposterous  kind  of  devotion. 

"But  when  all  this  comes  to  pass,  do  not  be  affrighted,  but  rather 
be  rejoiced,  for  just  then  thy  salvation  is  at  hand.  To  be  sure  thy 
human  weakness  will  be  terrified  and  sickened  by  it.  But  neverthe- 
less, dear  sir,  do  not  give  up,  but  trust  God  steadfastly,  for  He  in 
no  wise  abandons  His  servants;  and  thou  knowest  that  full  well  from 
thy  knowledge  of  the  lives  of  the  dear  saints.  Now,  dear  sir,  if  thou 
wilt  indeed  undertake  this  way,  realize  that  nothing  in  the  world 
is  better  for  thee  or  more  useful  than  great  detachment — boundless 
and  humble,  extending  to  all  things,  as  well  sweet  as  bitter,  whether 
for  weal  or  woe,  so  that  thou  shalt  be  able  to  say  truthfully:  Ah,  my 
Lord  and  my  God,  if  it  were  thy  will  that  I  should  stay  in  this  pain 
and  in  this  anguish  of  heart  till  the  end  of  the  world,  yet  would  I  not 
depart  from  Thee  and  I  would  steadfastly  continue  in  Thy  service. 
And  now,  my  dear  sir,  I  know  that  in  thy  heart  thou  sayest,  that  this  is 
indeed  a  heavy  task  that  I  have  conferred  with  thee  about.  And  for 
that  reason  it  was  that  I  begged  thee  to  dismiss  me,  and  that  I  said 
that  if  thou  shouldst  fall  short  of  thy  purpose,  I  should  not  be  to 
blame." 

Then  the  Master  said :  ''Thou  hast  spoken  truly ;  I  own  that  it 
seems  to  me  somewhat  hard  to  undertake  this  way."  The  man  spoke: 
"But  thou  didst  beg  me  to  teach  thee  the  shortest  road  to  the  highest 
state  of  contemplation.  Now  I  know  no  shorter,  no  surer  way  than 
this,  if  one  would  model  on  the  true  example  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  But,  dear  sir,  I  counsel  thee  by  all  my  truth,  that  thou  take 
time  to  think  over  all  this;  and  what  God  then  gives  thee  to  do,  that 


28  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

do  in  His  name."    Then  the  Master  said:   ''I  will  do  that;  and  I  will 
wait  and  see  if  with  God's  help  I  may  overcome  my  repugnance." 


CHAPTER  EIGHT. 

After  eleven  days  the  Master  sent  for  the  man  and  said  to  him: 
''Ah.  dear  son,  what  martyrdom  have  I  suffered,  and  what  interior 
battles  have  I  fought  day  and  night,  ere  I  could  vanquish  the  devil 
and  my  own  flesh.  But  with  the  grace  of  God,  I  have  now  concen- 
trated all  my  faculties  of  mind  and  powers  of  body  to  this  decision:  I 
will  cheerfully  undertake  this  way,  and  I  will  remain  in  it  fast  and 
firm,  come  weal  come  woe."  Then  the  man  said:  "Dear  sir,  dost  thou 
recall  the  words  I  used  with  thee,  when  thou  didst  ask  me  how  thou 
shouldst  make  a  beginning?"  The  Master  spoke:  "Yes,  for  the 
moment  thou  hadst  gone  from  me  I  wrote  thy  advice  down  word  for 
word."  Then  the  man  said:  "Dear  sir,  that  thou  hast  received  this 
bold  spirit  from  God,  I  am  heartily  glad,  and  value  it  for  thee  as  if 
it  were  for  myself,  and  of  this  God  is  my  witness.  And  now  in  the 
name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  make  a  beginning."  Then  the  man 
said  farewell,  and  he  took  his  departure,  and  the  Master  did  as  he 
had  been  directed. 

And  it  came  to  pass  ere  a  year  elapsed,  that  the  Master  was  held 
to  be  good  for  nothing  in  the  monastery,  even  by  his  most  trusted 
friends.  And  his  penitents  all  left  him;  they  were  gone  from  him  as  if 
they  had  never  seen  him.  All  this  was  a  heavy  blow  to  him  and 
caused  him  much  suffering.  Meanwhile  his  head  began  to  grow 
weak.  And  now  he  sent  for  the  man,  and  told  him  how  things  were 
with  him,  and  how  his  whole  body  was  almost  in  a  state  of  sickness, 
and  especially  his  head.  Then  the  man  said:  "Sir,  do  not  be  alarmed. 
Humbly  cleave  to  God,  and  trust  Him  implicitly.  I  assure  thee  that 
I  am  well  pleased  with  thee;  all  goes  well  with  thy  life,  and  will 
daily  go  better. 

"Dear  sir,  thou  knowest  well,  that  whosoever  will  take  the  right 
road  and  travel  onward,  must  imitate  the  sufferings  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Therefore  stand  thy  ground,  and  give  thyself  wholly 
up  to  God.  I  assure  thee  that  thy  experience  was  also  my  own.  And 
meanwhile,  as  thou  art  now  undergoing  those  interior  trials,  treat 
thy  body  with  some  consideration,  giving  it  wholesome  food.    As  to 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  09 

thy  head,  I  will  have  made  for  thee  a  decoction  of  herbs,  the  same  as 
strengthened  me  when  I  was  in  thy  situation.  But  bear  in  mind  that 
I  ever  gave  both  body  and  soul  to  God,  to  do  with  them  entirely  as  he 
pleased." 

Then  the  Master  spoke:   ''But  thou  toldst  me  before  to  avoid  good 
food  and  drink."  And  the  man  answered:   "Yes,  sir;  but  that  was  in 
the  first  beginnings,  while  as  yet  the  body  was  robust;  but  now  that  it 
becomes  dry  and  thin  and  would  be  all  submission  to  the  spirit,  there- 
fore thou  mayst  come  to  its  help  and  build  it  up  somewhat,  or  other- 
wise thou  wouldst  be  tempting  God  by  excessive  austerity.     Whilst 
thou  art  in  thy  present  weak  state  thou  dost  a  service  to  God  if  thou 
dost  discretely  nourish  thy  body;  but  by  no  means  shalt  thou  inordi- 
nately indulge  thy  appetite— that  must  not  be.    Dear  sir,  call  in  God 
to  thy  help  and  go  forward  cheerfully.     Give  thyself  up  to  God  in 
trustful  and  entire  self  renunciation;  rely  confidently  on  his  infinite 
mercy,  and  wait  for  His  grace.     Whatever  God  may  demand  of  thee, 
sweet  or  bitter,  prove  thyself  equal  to  it  with  His  help.     And  now 
I  beg  thee  for  God's  sake  not  to  take  it  amiss  that  I  must  return  home, 
for  thither  I  am  called  by  an  affair  of  great  importance;  my  interest 
is  much  involved— that  I  say  to  thee  in  all  sincerity.    But  if  it  should 
happen  that  thou  canst  not  get  on  without  me,  send  to  my  city  for 
me,  and  I  will  willingly  come  to  thee.     But  if  thou  canst  endure  to 
suffer  without  the  help  of  any  creature,  that  is  everyway  the  best  for 
thee."    Then  the  Master  spoke:   "Dear  son,  say  no  such  thing  to  me, 
for  I  cannot  and  will  not  get  on  without  thee  for  any  length  of  time. 
If  thou  goest  away  it  will  be  excessively  painful  to  me,  for  I  can 
have  no  comfort  in  this  world  now."    The  man  answered :   "Dear  sir,  I 
will  tell  thee  of  a  better  comfort,  and  that  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  who 
has  called  thee  to  this  way,  lovingly  invited  thee,  and  brought  thee 
so  far  onward,  by  means  of  me  a  poor  sinner.    His  is  the  work  done 
in  thee,  not  mine;  and  I  have  been  but  His  instrument,  gladly  serving 
Him  in  it,  to  God's  glory  and  to  thy  happiness."     Then  the  Master 
spoke:  "Dear  son,  may  God  be  thy  eternal  recompense.    And  because 
thy  affairs  are  so  urgent  I  must  let  thee  go.    I  will  resign  mvself  to 
God  to  suffer  as  best  I  may."    The  man  spoke:    "Dear  sir,  now  that 
thou  art  subjected  to  the  divine  discipline,  and  hast  entered  a  life 
of  true  spirituality  in  obedience  to  God,  and  inasmuch  as  this  is  thy 
free  act,  I  now  admonish  thee  to  bear  thyself  discreetlv,  and  care 
for  thyself  prudently,  lest  thou  shouldst  regret  that  thou  art  forsaken 


30  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

by  all  creatures.  But  if  it  should  happen  that  thou  fallest  into  want 
and  money  fails  thee,  then  I  advise  thee  to  pawn  a  part  of  thy  books, 
and  to  avoid  suffering  excessively.  But  on  no  account  shalt  thou  sell 
the  books,  for  the  time  is  sure  to  come  again,  when  good  books  will 
be  useful  to  thee,  and  indeed  necessary."  Then  the  man  made  his 
farewell  and  took  his  departure.  But  as  to  the  Master,  his  eyes  over- 
flowed and  he  began  to  weep. 


CHAPTER  NINTH. 

So  it  happened  that  the  Master  suffered  great  trials  and  tempta- 
tions for  two  years,  and  these  included  disgrace  in  the  eyes  of  all  his 
friends.  To  this  was  added  such  destitution  that  he  was  forced  to 
pawn  a  portion  of  his  library.  Meanwhile  his  body  was  reduced  to 
great  weakness.  But  he  bore  it  all,  and  found  himself  sincerely 
humble.  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  night  of  the  feast  of  St.  Paul's 
conversion,  that  he  was  assailed  by  the  worst  temptation  that  could 
be  imagined.  And  at  that  moment  all  his  natural  force  was  so  weak, 
that  he  could  not  so  much  as  walk  to  the  choir  to  attend  at  matins, 
and  must  perforce  sit  idly  in  his  cell,  giving  himself  up  to  God  most 
meekly,  void  of  all  comfort  and  help  from  creatures.  This  was  his 
sorest  trial.  Now  amid  all  that  feebleness,  he  meditated  on  the  pas- 
sion of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  on  the  great  love  He  had  for  us. 
And  then  he  considered  his  own  life,  and  how  petty  a  thing  it  was, 
compared  to  the  love  of  God  for  him.  Upon  this  he  entered  into  a 
very  deep  sorrow  for  all  his  sins,  and  of  regret  for  all  the  time  he  had 
wasted,  and  he  spoke  to  God  with  heart  and  mouth:  Ah  merciful 
God!  In  thy  boundless  mercy  take  pity  on  me  a  poor  sinner,  for  I 
am  unworthy  to  walk  the  earth.  And  as  he  sat  there  in  his  utter 
helplessness  and  sadness,  and  being  quite  wide  awake,  he  heard  with 
his  bodily  ears  a  voice  that  said:  Stand  fast  in  thy  peace,  and  trust 
in  God.  And  remember  that  when  He  was  on  earth  in  His  human 
nature,  when  He  cured  men  of  bodily  sickness.  He  also  made  them 
well  in  their  souls.  The  moment  these  words  were  spoken,  he  lost 
all  sense  and  reason,  and  knew  not  whether  he  was  carried  away  nor 
how.  But  when  he  came  to  his  senses  again,  he  found  a  great  change 
had  taken  place  in  him.  All  his  interior  and  his  outward  faculties 
were  conscious  of  a  new  strength;  and  he  was  gifted  with  clear 
perceptions  of  matters  that  before  had  been  very  strange  and  alien 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  31 

to  him.  He  greatly  wondered  from  whence  this  change  had  come; 
and  then  he  thought:  Thou  canst  not  rightly  place  thyself  now,  and 
thou  wilt  send  for  thy  friend  and  tell  him  of  this. 

So  he  sent  for  the  man,  and  when  he  came  the  Master  told  him  all 
that  had  happened.  Then  spoke  the  man:  "These  thy  words  I  have 
heard  with  joy  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart.  Dear  sir,  thou  must 
understand  that  now  for  the  very  first  time  thou  hast  found  the  true, 
the  great  grace  in  God.  I  say  to  thee  that  now  for  the  very  first 
time  thou  hast  been  touched  by  the  Most  High.  And  this  thou  must 
know:  as  formerly  the  letter  had  somewhat  killed  thee,  so  now  shall 
the  same  make  thee  alive  again.  For  now  thy  teaching  comes  from 
God  the  Holy  Ghost,  whereas  before  it  was  from  the  Hesh.  Now 
thou  hast  the  light  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  received  from  the  grace  of 
God,  and  thou  hast  the  holy  Scriptures  in  thee.  Therefore  hast  thou 
now  a  great  advantage,  and  in  the  future  far  more  than  formerly 
thou  Shalt  understand  the  Scriptures;  for  thou  knowest  full  well 
that  the  Scriptures  in  many  places  seem  to  contradict  themselves. 
But  now  that  in  the  light  of  the  Holy  Ghost  thou  hast  received 
divine  grace  to  possess  the  holy  Scripture  in  thyself,  so  wilt  thou 
understand  that  all  Scripture  has  the  same  meaning  and  is  never 
self-contradictory.  And  now  thou  wilt  go  on  right,  following  the 
example  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Thou  must  begin  to  preach  again, 
teaching  thy  fellow  men  the  right  road  to  eternal  life.  The  time  is 
come  when  good  books  are  useful  to  thee.  And  be  sure  that  now  one 
sermon  will  profit  the  peoplfe  and  give  them  good  fruit  more  than  did 
a  hundred  formerly.  For  the  words  that  thou  shalt  speak  go  forth 
from  a  purified  soul,  judging  and  weighing  all  things  in  simplicity 
of  spirit.  Hence  just  in  proportion  as  thou  hast  been  good  for 
nothing  in  the  people's  estimation,  thou  shalt  now  become  all  the 
better  appreciated  and  loved. 

"But  it  is  of  particular  necessity  that  thou  shalt  keep  thyself 
truly  humble.  Thou  knowest  that  whosoever  carries  a  precious 
treasure  openly  in  his  hand,  must  be  on  his  guard  against  thieves. 
I  assure  thee  that  the  devil  is  greatly  frightened,  when  he  finds  that 
God  has  confided  to  a  man  so  dear  a  prize,  so  noble  a  treasure  as 
thou  possessest.  He  will  exert  all  his  skill  and  cunning  to  rob  thee 
of  it.  Therefore  be  prudently  on  thy  guard.  And  thou  canst  in  no 
way  baffle  his  scheming  so  well  as  by  boundless  humility.  Now,  dear 
sir,  there  is  no  longer  any  need  of  my  speaking  to  thee  by  way  of 


32  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

instruction,  as  I  did  before.  For  now  thou  thyself  hast  iliat  Master 
right  and  true,  whose  instrument  I  have  been.  Hearken  to  Him  and 
be  obedient;  that  do  I  counsel  thee  with  all  my  faithful  heart. 

"And  now  I  on  my  part  wish  to  be  instructed  in  divine  love  by 
thee,  for  with  the  help  of  God  I  have  done  thee  the  favor  that  God 
led  me  here  to  do.  So,  if  God  wills,  I  shall  stay  a  good  while  with 
thee  and  hear  thy  preaching.  For  if  God  grants  it,  I  am  of  opinion 
that  thou  shouldst  begin  preaching  again."  Then  the  Master  spoke: 
"Dear  son,  what  is  thy  advice?  I  have  placed  many  good  books  in 
pawn  for  thirty  florins."  Then  said  the  man:  "I  will  give  thee 
that  sum  of  money  for  God's  sake;  and  if  after  thy  books  are 
redeemed  aught  remains  over,  thou  mayst  give  it  to  God;  for  all  that 
we  have  is  His,  whether  goods  of  body  or  soul."  And  thus  did  the 
Master  redeem  his  books. 

He  then  announced  publicly  that  he  would  preach  the  third  day 
following.  The  people  were  amazed  at  this,  because  he  had  stopped 
preaching  for  so  long  a  time,  and  a  great  throng  came  to  hear  him. 
When  he  saw  that  the  crowd  was  so  great,  the  Master  mounted  a 
high  pulpit  so  that  all  could  hear  him  better.  He  knelt  and  covered 
his  face  with  his  cowl,  and  he  prayed  silently:  Merciful  and  ever- 
lasting God,  if  it  be  Thy  will,  grant  me  the  grace  to  speak  so  that 
Thy  divine  name  may  be  praised  and  honored,  and  these  people 
thereby  advanced  in  Thy  love.  And  as  he  said  these  words,  his  eyes 
overflowed  with  tears  so  abundantly,  welling  up  from  his  heart,  that 
never  a  word  could  he  utter  from  the  power  of  his  feelings.  That 
lasted  so  long  that  the  people  were  much  annoyed.  And  a  man  in 
the  crowd  spoke:  "Sir,  how  long  must  we  sit  here  waiting  for  thee? 
It  is  already  very  late;  if  thou  art  not  going  to  preach,  then  say  so 
and  let  us  go  home."  But  the  Master  yet  remained  weeping  and  in 
deep  recollection,  and  again  did  he  speak  to  God:  Ah  my  Lord  and 
my  God,  if  it  be  Thy  divine  will,  then  take  this  weeping  from  my  eyes, 
and  grant  that  I  may  preach  this  sermon  to  Thy  praise  and  glory. 
But  if  Thou  dost  not  do  this,  so  is  it  a  sign  that  thou  deemest  that 
I  have  not  yet  been  despised  and  scorned  enough.  Now,  dear  Lord, 
perfect  Thy  divine  will  upon  poor  me,  to  Thy  praise  and  to  my  need. 
But  this  prayer  helped  nothing,  for  the  weeping  grew  harder  and 
harder.  Then  did  he  understand  that  God  would  have  it  thus.  And 
so  he  addressed  the  people :  "My  dear  children,  it  is  a  deep  pain  to 
my  heart,  that  I  have  detained  you  so  long,  for  I  can  say  not  a  single 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  33 

word  for  weeping.  Pray  to  God  for  me  that  He  may  help  me.  And 
I  with  His  grace  will  preach  for  your  benefit  another  time — the  soonest 
I  possibly  can."  And  so  the  people  went  away,  and  this  occurrence 
was  noised  abroad  over  the  whole  city.  He  was  greatly  ridiculed  for 
all  this,  and  made  nothing  of  by  everybody.  People  said:  "It  is  now 
plain  enough  that  he  has  become  a  veritable  fool."  Then  his  own 
brethren  in  the  monastery  strictly  forbade  him  to  preach  again,  for 
this  occurrence  gave  much  scandal  in  their  community ;  and  they  said 
that  he  made  the  Order  a  scandal  in  the  people's  eyes,  by  the  foolish 
spirituality  which  he  had  adopted,  and  which  hurt  his  brain  and  made 
an  idiot  of  him. 

Then  the  Master  sent  for  the  man,  and  he  related  all  that  had 
happened  to  him.  The  man  said:  "Dear  sir,  do  not  be  alarmed  at 
this  occurrence.  The  Bridegroom  is  accustomed  thus  to  try  all  His 
best  loved  friends,  and  this  is  a  certain  sign  that  God  is  thy  good 
friend.  Without  doubt  there  was  something  of  pride  hidden  in  thy 
soul  unknown  to  thyself.  This  is  why  thou  hast  been  scorned  and 
ridiculed.  And  it  may  be  that  hereby  thou  hast  received  some  great 
gifts  from  God,  of  which  thou  art  thyself  as  yet  unaware — granted 
thee  through  the  exercise  of  patience  in  this  trial.  Therefore  be  at 
peace,  and  be  cheerful  and  humble.  Nor  needst  thou  take  this  for 
so  very  strange  a  thing,  for  I  have  knowTi  the  same  and  worse  to  happen 
to  others.  Thou  shouldst  not  be  ashamed  of  the  burden  of  this  cross 
that  God  has  sent  thee,  but  rather  value  it  as  a  great  treasure,  a  very 
precious  gift  of  God.  I  counsel  thee  to  stay  by  thyself  for  five  days, 
shut  ofif  from  speech  with  all  men,  to  the  praise  and  honor  of  the 
five  holy  wounds  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And  when  the  five  days 
are  passed,  beg  thy  Prior  for  leave  to  deliver  a  sermon  in  Latin.  If 
he  will  not  permit  that,  then  pray  him  to  try  thee  in  class,  and  permit 
thee  to  deliver  a  lecture  to  the  brethren." 

Now  this  last  permission  was  granted  him.  And  he  lectured  to 
the  community  in  so  deep-searching  a  way,  that  they  never  heard 
the  like  in  their  whole  lives,  so  great  and  profound  a  divine  doctrine 
did  he  teach.  Then  they  allowed  him  to  deliver  a  sermon  to  the 
people.  One  day  after  one  of  the  brethren  had  preached  to  the  people 
in  the  church — the  same  in  which  the  Master  had  formerly  been 
accustomed  to  preach — that  brother  announced:  "I  have  been 
directed  to  announce  that    the  Master    will    preach    in    this    place 


34  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

tomorrow.  If  what  happened  to  him  lately  should  occur  again,  then 
I  am  not  to  be  blamed  for  it.  But  this  much  I  can  truthfully  say, 
that  in  our  convent  school  he  has  lectured  to  us  with  such  great  and 
deep  doctrine  and  such  divine  knowledge  as  we  have  not  heard  this 
many  a  day.  How  he  will  succeed  with  you  God  knows,  not  I." 
The  following  day  the  Master  came  to  the  church  of  that  convent  (it 
was  a  convent  of  nuns)  and  he  began  to  preach  as  follows: 


CHAPTER  TENTH. 

Dear  children,  it  may  well  be  two  years  or  more  since  last  I 
preached.  I  then  spoke  to  you  of  twenty-four  points  of  the  spiritual 
life.  It  was  then  my  custom  to  use  much  Latin  in  my  sermons,  and 
to  divide  them  into  points.  But  it  is  now  my  purpose  not  to  do  so 
any  more;  and  when  I  do  speak  in  Latin,  it  will  be  when  the  educated 
are  present  who  can  understand  it.  And  now  let  us  say  an  Ave  Maria 
and  beg  God's  grace. 

Dear  children,  I  have  chosen  a  text  for  my  sermon,  and  I  will 
discuss  it  and  adhere  to  it.     In  German  it  is  as  follows : 

"Behold  the  Bridegroom  cometh,  go  ye  forth  to  meet  Him"  (Matt. 
XXV :  6).  The  Bridegroom  is  our  dear  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
bride  is  Holy  Church  and  Christianity.  Ah,  dear  children,  we  are 
thus  all  spouses  of  Christ,  and  we  should  all  gladly  go  forth  to  meet 
Him.  But  in  that,  alas,  we  are  found  wanting.  Dear  children,  the 
right  roads  and  the  plain  ways  on  which  we  should  go  forth  to  meet 
the  Bridegroom,  have  become  deserted  and  overgrown,  and  we  are 
even  beginning  nowadays  to  have  little  knowledge  of  them  at  all. 
The  road  to  Christ  is  strange  enough  to  many  a  one  among  us — that 
road  on  which  we  should  gladly  meet  our  true  Bridegroom.  Of  this, 
with  God's  help,  I  will  speak  on  another  occasion.  But  now,  knowing 
that  we  are  all  chosen  to  be  spouses  of  Christ,  I  will  have  something 
to  say,  showing  how  the  bride  should  act  if  she  would  really  go  forth 
to  meet  the  Bridegroom. 

My  dear  children,  a  faithful  bride  should  strictly  avoid  all  that  is 
against  the  Bridegroom.  That  is  all  vainglory,  pride,  envy,  together 
with  all  the  sins  of  this  world,  all  the  concupiscence  of  the  flesh, 
whether  of  delicate  and  luxurious  pampering  of  the  body  or  any  other 
such  thing:  everything  indeed  except  what  is  of  real  necessity.     And 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


35 


when  that  happens,  that  is  when  the  bride  for  sake  of  the  Bridegroom 
detests  all  this  and  forsakes  it  totally,  then  does  the  bride  begin  to 
be  somewhat  pleasing  to  the  Bridegroom. 

But  if  she  would  become  yet  more  pleasing,  then  must  she  humbly 
bow  down  and  say  with  heart  and  mouth:  Ah  my  dear  Lord  Bride- 
groom, Thou  knowest  all  hearts  well;  and  now  with  all  my  heart  I 
say  this  to  Thee — that  I  will  do  all  that  lies  in  my  power  to  learn 
from  Thee  through  my  heart's  reason,  what  is  pleasing  to  Thee.  Now 
when  the  bride  pays  these  vows  to  the  Bridegroom,  He  turns  and 
looks  upon  the  bride.  Then  she  requests  Him  to  give  her  a  jewel  for 
a  keepsake.  And  what  is  that  jewel  ?  It  is  that  she  shall  be  visited 
with  many  inner  and  outer  trials,  according  to  the  way  He  is  accus- 
tomed to  try  His  special  friends. 

But  if  it  happens  that  the  bride  is  as  yet  unused  to  suffering,  then 
will  she  say  to  Him :  "Ah,  dear  Lord  Bridegroom,  this  is  very  hard 
upon  me,  and  I  feel  most  anxious  lest  I  shall  not  be  able  to  endure 
it.  Therefore,  dear  Lord  Bridegroom,  I  beg  thee  to  maki  my  suffer- 
ings somewhat  lighter,  or  to  take  away  a  part  of  them.  Then  the 
Bridegroom  says:  But  let  Me  ask  this.  My  dear  bride:  should  the 
bride  be  now  better  off  than  the  Bridegroom  once  was?  If  thou 
wilt  go  forth  to  meet  the  Bridegroom,  thou  must  in  some  degree 
imitate  Him ;  and  it  is  altogether  proper  that  a  faithful  bride  should 
suffer  somewhat  out  of  sympathy  with  her  Bridegroom. 

And  when  the  bride  thus  heard  her  Bridegroom's  will  and  perceived 
His  earnestness,  she  was  much  frightened,  and  said :  Dear  Lord. 
Bridegroom,  Thou  must  not  be  angry  with  me,  for  I  will  gladly  be 
obedient.  Visit  me  with  what  trials  Thou  pleasest,  and  I  will  gladly 
suffer  it  all  with  Thy  help  and  in  Thy  love.  When  the  Jiridegroom 
heard  this,'  the  bride  was  somewhat  more  dear  to  Him  than  before. 
Therefore  He  would  give  her  a  better  cup  to  drink.  Now  the  draught 
He  gave  was  that  she  should  be  quit  of  all  her  thoughts,  that  all  doing 
and  not  doing  should  become  entirely  tasteless  to  her  because  it  had 
ceased  to  please  her  in  the  least  degree.  No  matter  how  good  things 
might  be  in  themselves,  as  she  did  them  she  could  only  think  how 
much  she  angered  her  Bridegroom  by  doing  them;  and  she  greatly 
forboded  how  much  punishment  she  must  perhaps  suffer  for  it  all. 
As  this  showed  itself  outwardly,  she  was  scorned  and  derided  by 
everybody,  and  whatever  she  did  was  accounted  nothing  but  fool- 
ishness. 


36  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Now,  dear  children,  all  this  time  the  bride  was  worn  and  feeble 
in  all  her  natural  powers;  she  constantly  dreaded  that  she  could  not 
hold  out  but  must  finally  die  during  her  trial.  Therefore  she  was 
affrighted.  This  was  because  she  was  still  cowardly  and  weak- 
spirited.  So  she  invoked  her  Bridegroom  anxiously,  and  said:  Ah, 
dear  Lord  Bridegroom,  how  Thou  hast  terrified  me,  oh  so  dreadfully- 
I  cannot  suffer  long  this  way;  I  am  about  to  die.  Then  the  Bride- 
groom spoke:  If  thou  wilt  go  forth  rightly  to  meet  the  l^ridegroom, 
it  is  fitting  that  thou  shouldst  first  go  after  Him  a  part  of  the  way 
He  has  gone  over.  Now  the  Bridegroom  suffered  for  thirty-three 
years — much  shame,  hunger,  thirst,  cold,  heat,  and  bitter  torments. 
At  last  He  suffered  a  cruel  death.  And  all  this  he  bore  out  of  true 
love  of  His  bride  and  entirely  for  her  sake.  Is  it  not  tlien  proper 
that  the  bride  should  risk  death  for  His  sake,  and  out  of  heart's  love 
for  Him?  Surely,  if  thou  hadst  right  trust  and  true  love  for  Him, 
all  thy  fears  would  vanish  away. 

When  the  bride  heard  these  words  from  her  Bridgeroom,  she  was 
much  frightened  and  her  whole  heart  trembled ;  and  she  said :  Ah, 
dear  Lord,  I  confess  most  sincerely  that  I  have  done  wrong  in  mur- 
muring; and  on  that  account  I  am  exceedingly  afraid.  It  cuts  me  to 
the  heart  that  I  have  not  given  myself  up  to  Thee  most  trustfully  unto 
death.  Dear  Lord  Bridgeroom,  I  will  now  most  truthfully  promise 
Thee  all  that  Thou  wilt  have  me:  Whatever  Thou  dost  will,  that  do 
I  will  also :  sick  or  well,  for  weal  or  woe,  for  sweet  or  bitter,  cold  or 
hot,  dry  or  wet — just  as  Thou  wilt  so  do  I  will.  I  will  give  my  will 
up  to  Thee  entirely.  I  will  be  wholly  and  gladly  obedient  to  Thee. 
Apart  from  what  Thou  dost  will,  I  will  never  desire  anything  what- 
soever. Do  with  me,  a  poor  worthless  creature,  all  that  Thou  wilt 
in  time  and  in  eternity.  For,  dear  Lord,  when  I  consider  what  there 
is  in  me  and  of  me,  I  feel  that  I  am  not  worthy  to  tread  the  earth. 

When  the  Bridegroom  saw  this  true  heartfelt  loyalty  of  the  bride, 
and  the  deep  fund  of  humility  in  her,  what  did  He  do?  He  was  moved 
with  pity;  and  He  bestowed  a  present  on  the  bride,  namely,  a  blessed 
sweet  draught.  And  what  draught  is  this?  It  is  that  He  caused 
her  yet  greater  trials,  and  afflicted  her  with  yet  greater  anguish  than 
she  ever  before  had  suffered.  Now  when  the  bride  became  aware  of 
this,  when  she  knew  His  stem  purpose  and  His  will,  she  suffered  all 
this  willingly  on  the  Bridegroom's  account.  And  she  bowed  down 
humbly  before  Him,  and  said :    Ah  dear  Lord  Bridegroom,  it  is  indeed 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  37 

right  that  Then  shouldst  not  will  as  I  will,  but  rather  that  I  should 
will  as  Thou  dost.  From  Thy  divine  hand  will  I  receive  this  new 
present,  all  willingly  and  gladly,  and  wholly  for  the  sake  of  Thy  love, 
whether  to  my  flesh  come  weal  or  woe:  for  to  Thy  love  and  Thy  will 
have  I  most  lovingly  given  myself  up. 

When  the  Bridegroom  in  His  eternal  wisdom  knew  this  purpose 
of  His  bride's  soul,  knew  the  downright  earnestness  of  this  humble 
bride,  then  she  became  very  dear  to  Him.  And  out  of  true  love  He 
left  her  this  present  of  his — namely  to  suffer  in  all  her  natural 
powers  so  long  as  was  necessary  to  cure  all  her  imperfections,  and  to 
cleanse  away  all  the  stains  of  her  former  sins,  until  she  should  be  all 
pure  and  beautiful.  And  so  He  spoke:  All  hail  my  well  loved  bride, 
so  beautiful  and  so  well  pleasing  to  Me;  for  now  thou  art  all  clean 
and  without  spot,  and  thou  art  most  acceptable  to  Me.  Then  did 
He  gaze  upon  her  with  an  immeasurably  great  and  divine  affection. 
And  presently  to  the  joys  of  the  marriage  feast  comes  the  Bridegroom's 
eternal  Father,  and  He  says  to  the  bride:  All  hail,  my  well  loved 
chosen  friend.  It  is  now  high  time  that  we  should  go  to  the  church, 
to  solemnize  the  espousals.  And  then  He  takes  the  Bridegroom  and 
the  bride,  and  leads  them  to  the  church,  and  He  plights  them  to  each 
other,  and  binds  them  together  in  divine  love ;  and  God  binds  them  in 
a  union  so  fast  and  firm,  that  the  bride  says  that  neither  in  time  nor 
eternity  shall  they  ever  be  separated.  And  when  they  have  thus  been 
made  one  in  the  divine  espousals,  the  Bridegroom  says :  Dear,  eternal 
Father,  what  shall  now  be  our  wedding  gift  to  the  bride?  The  Father 
says:  That  shall  be  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  that  office  is  due  to  Him  as 
standing  for  the  Father  Upon  this  was  poured  into  the  bride  the 
overflowing  divine  love,  so  superabundant  that  it  seemed  to  overflow 
upon  even  the  Bridegroom.  And  now  the  Bride  was  ravished  out 
of  herself,  and  was  wholly  inebriated  with  love,  and  became  forgetful 
of  self  and  of  all  creatures  in  time  and  eternity. 

Now,  my  dear  children,  whosoever  has  been  invited  to  so  noble  a 
spiritual  espousals,  and  has  accepted  the  invitation  and  come  to  the 
marriage  feast,  the  same  shall  begin  to  taste  the  true,  the  solemnly 
promised,  the  richly  gifted  sweetness  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  bride 
is  then  a  true  adorer,  for  she  prays  to  the  Father  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 
At  this  marriage  feast  is  joy  upon  joy.  Here  in  one  hour  more  peace 
and  joy  is  had  than  all  creatures  in  time  and  eternity  can  ever  bestow. 


38  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

The  joy  of  the  bride  with  the  Bridegroom  is  greater  than  any  human 
mind  can  ever  comprehend. 

As  the  Master  reached  thus  far  in  his  sermon  and  spoke  these  words, 
a  certain  man  cried  out  very  loud :  *'It  is  true !"  and  he  fell  down  as 
if  he  were  dead.  And  then  a  woman  cried  out  from  among  the 
people:  "Sir,  stop  speaking,  or  this  man  will  die  on  our  hands." 
Then  the  Master  said:  Ah,  dear  children,  the  Bridegroom  then  took 
the  bride  and  led  her  away  to  His  home.  Let  us  gladly  leave  her  to 
Him.  And  thus  will  I  make  an  end  of  my  sermon.  Dear  children, 
let  us  all  call  out  to  heaven  to  our  God  and  Lord  for  His  help.  For 
there  is  sore  need  to  do  so,  since  we  have  grown  so  dull  and  foolish 
that  we  have  no  compassion  one  for  another,  although  we  know  that 
we  have  been  named  by  God  brothers  and  sisters.  There  are  few 
enough  among  us  who  are  willing  to  crucify  their  flesh  in  imitation 
of  the  Bridegroom,  and  in  order  to  obtain  a  better  joy  and  have  an 
espousals  rich  in  graces. 

You  should  know  that  in  our  days  there  are  not  many  who  have 
in  all  sincerity  gone  forth  to  meet  the  Bridegroom,  as  many  a  one 
did  in  former  times.  Hence  the  need  that  every  one  of  us  should 
study  his  soul,  and  take  earnest  account  of  himself.  For  the  time 
approaches  and  is  indeed  now  come,  that  most  of  those  living  here 
have  eyes  and  see  not,  have  ears  and  hear  not.  Dear  children,  let  all 
of  us  strive  to  win  to  this  most  blessed,  loving  and  joyous  marriage 
feast. 

Now  after  the  bride  had  taken  her  departure  from  the  espousals 
and  was  left  to  herself,  and  found  herself  still  living  amid  this  life's 
misery,  then  she  said  in  her  soul :  Alas,  poor  me,  miserable  me ;  am 
I  yet  in  this  life?  And  so  she  was  somewhat  sad  within  herself. 
But  she  was  so  entirely  detached  in  her  inmost  soul,  and  so  perfectly 
humbled  towards  her  Bridegroom,  that  she  dared  not  so  much  as 
think  of  or  desire  her  Bridegroom's  return,  esteeming  herself  wholly 
unworthy  of  Him.  But  therefore  did  the  Bridegroom  by  no  means 
desert  her,  but  He  looked  upon  her  from  time  to  time,  for  He  knew 
full  well  that  no  one  could  comfort  her  except  Himself  alDne. 

Now,  dear  children,  do  not  be  astonished  that  I  have  not  told  you 
how  affectionately  the  Bridegroom  conversed  with  the  bride.  It  is 
possible  that  men  would  not  believe  me  (except  it  be  one  here  and 
there  who  has  tasted  this  sweet  union),  if  I  told  them  the  strange 
and  marvellous  words  the  bride  speaks  with  her  Bridegroom.     We 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  39 

find  such  things  in  the  Scripture;  for  when  the  inner  soul  speaks 
with  its  beloved  the  words  cannot  be  perfectly  uttered.  And  even 
in  these  days,  it  happens  that  when  the  espoused  soul  speaks  out  loud 
with  its  Bridegroom,  those  who  listen  say  that  the  soul  is  drunk,  or 
silly. 

Now,  dear  children,  I  fear  that  I  have  held  you  too  long.  But  it 
did  not  seem  long  to  me;  and  I  meant  it  all  very  kindly.  Nor  could 
I  on  thi^  occasion  be  easily  more  brief,  if  I  would  rightly  explain 
this  matter.  So  I  beg  you  to  take  it  in  good  part.  God  grant  us  all 
to  become  true  and  perfect  brides  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  that  we 
may  go  forth  in  real  and  boundless  self-abandonment  and  humility 
to  meet  our  blessed  Bridegroom;  and  that  we  may  ever  and  eternally 
remain  espoused  to  Him.  To  this  happy  lot  may  God  the  Father, 
and  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost  lovingly  assist  vs.     Amen. 


CHAPTER  ELEVENTH. 

When  this  sermon  was  over,  the  Master  went  and  offered  mass,  and 
he  gave  God's  body  in  communion  to  several  good  souls.  But  fully 
forty  men  staid  behind  in  the  churchyard  lying  as  it  were  in  a  swoon. 
Now  the  man  who  had  previously  given  counsel  to  the  Master,  when 
he  learned  of  this,  told  the  Master  of  it,  and  when  mass  was  over  he 
led  him  to  the  churchyard  that  he  might  see  these  people  aud  consider 
what  ailed  them.  But  while  mass  was  being  said  they  hud  risen  up 
and  gone  away,  all  but  twelve,  who  still  lay  there.  Then  the  Master 
said  to  the  man  :  "Dear  son,  what  thinkest  thou  we  should  do  with  these 
men?"  Then  the  man  went  from  one  to  another  of  them  and  touched 
them.  But  they  moved  very  little,  and  lay  there  almost  as  if  they 
were  dead.  This  was  a  very  strange  thing  to  the  Master,  for  he  had 
never  seen  the  like  before.  So  he  said  to  the  man :  "Tell  me ;  what 
dost  thou  think?  Are  these  people  dead  or  living?"  The  man  smiled 
and  said :  "Were  they  dead,  the  blame  would  be  on  thee  and  the 
Bridegroom.  How  canst  thou  bring  them  back  to  consciousness?" 
The  Master  spoke:  "If  the  Bridegroom  is  with  me  in  this  under- 
taking, then  can  I  indeed  restore  them."  Then  the  man  said :  "These 
men  are  still  alive,  and  I  beg  thee  to  request  the  sisters'  leave  to  have 
them  carried  under  shelter,  lest  by  exposure  to  the  night  air  and  by 
lying  on  the  cold  earth,  they  should  catch  cold."    And  so  the  Master 


40  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

had  them  carried  into  a  warm  place.  Then  the  sisters  said:  "Dear 
sir,  here  is  one  of  our  sisters  to  whom  the  same  thing  has  happened, 
and  who  lies  in  bed  as  if  she  were  dead."  The  Master  said :  "Have 
a  care,  my  dear  children,  for  all  these  sick  people  for  God's  sake,  and 
as  soon  as  any  of  them  returns  to  consciousness,  give  him  something 
warm  if  he  is  able  to  take  it."  And  the  sisters  said  that  they  would 
gladly  do  so.  And  now  the  Master  took  his  departure,  and  the  man 
also,  and  they  went  to  the  Master's  cell.  Then  the  man  spoke :  "Now, 
dear  sir,  what  thinkest  thou?  Didst  thou  ever  see  the  like  of  this  in 
thy  whole  life?  Thou  now  seest  plainly  what  wonders  God  will  do 
by  one  who  is  a  fit  instrument  of  his  work.  Dear  sir,  I  foresee  that 
this  sermon  will  move  many  people,  and  they  will  discuss  it  one  with 
another.  If  it  be  thy  will,  I  would  advise  that  thou  leave  these  weak 
children  awhile  in  peace,  for  they  must  have  a  long  time  to  deal  with 
this  discourse.  And  if  thou  thinkest  well  of  it,  and  God  is  favorable, 
then  thou  mightest  give  a  sermon  to  people  of  the  secular  state  of 
life,  for  it  is  now  the  time  of  Lent.  The  Master  willingly  complied, 
and  he  preached  very  well  to  the  people  living  in  the  world,  several 
of  whom  were  greatly  improved. 

The  next  year  it  happened  that  the  Master  went  to  a  certain 
monastery  of  nuns,  and  five  of  the  sisters  begged  him  for  the  love  of 
God  to  give  them  a  sermon,  instructing  them  how  a  tru^  religious 
should  pass  her  life.  Then  the  Master  said:  "That  I  v/ill  gladly 
do,  with  God's  blessing,  next  Sunday."  And  when  he  arrived,  many 
people  attended  the  sermon,  and  the  Master  entered  and  began  as 
follows : 


CHAPTEK  TWELFTH. 

Dear  children,  St.  Paul  gives  us  good  instruction  in  this  day's 
Epistle,  from  which  I  make  this  extract:  "I  know  a  man  in  Christ 
above  fourteen  years  ago  (whether  in  the  body,  I  know  not,  or  out  of 
the  body,  I  know  not;  God  knoweth),  such  a  one  caught  up  to  the 
third  heaven"  (II  Cor.  xii:  2).  Now  we  notice  that  our  dear  apostle, 
who  is  speaking  of  himself,  had  kept  these  wonderful  things  secret  for 
fourteen  years,  nor  would  he  ever  have  revealed  them  but  by  God's 
permission.  He  did  not  do  as  people  do  nowadays.  For  if  some 
little  grace  is  granted  them,  they  forthwith  blazen  it  abroad  without 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  41 

God's  leave,  telling  it  to  others  who  know  as  little  as  themselves  what 
it  may  signify.  This  is  very  foolish,  and  is  an  injury  to  themselves. 
Therefore  be  on  your  guard  against  such  an  indiscretion.  We  find 
few  men,  alas,  in  our  time  who  have  correct  judgment  in  such  matters. 
Therefore,  dear  children,  no  one  should  without  God's  permission 
publish  around  the  graces  he  may  have  received.  God  granted  leave 
to  St.  Paul  to  tell  us  his  wonderful  experiences,  and  this  was  for  our 
improvement.  And  also  to  teach  the  doctrine  that  when  God  gives 
a  man  the  antecedent  and  unmerited  graces,  he  should  not  .^hrink  from 
any  heavy  task  God  may  lay  upon  him;  as  He  did  in  the  case  of  St. 
Paul. 

And,  dear  children,  you  must  know  that  God's  gifts  are  to  come 
to  us  through  suffering;  and  if  they  come  before  suffering,  then  are 
they  none  the  less  to  be  preserved  by  suffering.  And  because  suffering 
so  greatly  ennobles  the  soul,  and  is  so  fruitful  of  good  to  it,  therefore 
does  God  give  great  suffering  to  his  dear,  holy  friends,  and  He  did 
especially  to  His  only  begotten  Son.  Men  suffer  in  this  life  by  God's 
will,  and  this  is  on  account  of  the  fruitfulness  of  suffering.  This 
is  why  God  granted  leave  to  St.  Paul  to  tell  us  of  his  sufferings,  and 
also  of  his  graces.  In  this  day's  Epistle  he  says :  "In  many  more 
labors,  in  prisons  more  frequently,  in  stripes  above  measure,  in  deaths 
often.  Of  the  Jews  five  times  did  I  receive  forty  stripes,  save  one. 
Thrice  was  I  beaten  with  rods,  once  was  I  stoned,  thrice  I  suffered 
shipwreck,  a  night  and  a  day  I  was  in  the  depth  of  the  sea.  In 
journeyings  often,  in  perils  of  waters,  in  perils  of  robber:^;,  in  perils 
from  my  own  nation,  in  perils  from  the  Gentiles,  in  perils  in  the  city, 
in  perils  in  the  wilderness,  in  perils  in  the  sea,  in  perils  from  false 
brethren"  (II  Cor.  xi:  23-26). 

These  and  many  other  pains  and  miseries  did  the  apostle  suffer, 
and  why?  Further  on  in  this  Epistle  he  tells  us  why  sufferings  were 
sent  him :  "And  lest  the  greatness  of  the  revelations  should  exalt  me, 
there  was  given  me  a  sting  of  my  flesh,  an  angel  of  Satan  to  buffet  me. 
For  which  thing  thrice  I  besought  the  Lord,  that  it  might  depart 
from  me.  And  He  said  to  me:  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee;  for 
power  is  made  perfect  in  infirmity."  And  then  St.  Paul  adds. 
"Gladly  therefore  will  I  glory  in  my  infirmities,  that  the  power  of 
Christ  may  dwell  in  me"  (II  Cor.  xii:7-9).  Now,  dear  children,  it 
behooves  us  to  believe  St.  Paul  when  he  says  suffering  is  useful  and 
fruitful,  and  imitate  his  example  in  bearing  all  kinds  of  inflictions. 


42  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

For  be  sure  that  if  ever  we  come  to  a  fruitful  Christian  life,  there 
is  no  other  way  but  this :  a  voluntary  renunciation  of  our  nature,  so 
that  a  man  shall  take  leave  of  all  natural  joy,  and  do  it  from  his 
inmost  heart,  providing  only  for  reasonable  necessity  and  that  solely 
because  it  advances  him  nearer  to  God.  Whatever  provision  for 
nature  is  over  and  above  that,  he  must  renounce  wholly  and  be  totally 
stripped  of. 

Be  sure  that  nobody  can  possess  and  taste  God's  sweetness,  until 
he  has  put  away  from  him  and  totally  rooted  out  the  inclinations  of 
the  life  of  the  senses,  and  the  concupiscence  of  his  entire  nature. 
Hence  did  St,  Paul  again  say:  '*For  if  you  live  according  to  the 
flesh,  you  shall  die :  but  if  by  the  Spirit  you  mortify  the  deeds  of  the 
flesh,  you  shall  live"  (Rom.  viii:  13).  My  dear  children,  we  must 
frame  ourselves  into  the  sweet  image  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Here 
again  St.  Paul  teaches  us  to  put  off  the  old  man  and  clothe  ourselves 
with  Christ:  "Put  ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  make  not  pro- 
vision for  the  flesh  in  its  concupiscences"  (Rom.  xiii :  14). 

But  even  beyond  all  this  there  is  a  much  nobler  and  greater  self- 
denial.  For  after  the  spirit  has  fully  vanquished  the  flesh,  and  has 
suppressed  all  the  lower,  sensual,  fleshly  uprisings  of  nature,  then 
does  the  spirit  leap  upward  into  things  eternal,  and  the  spiritual  life 
becomes  full  of  sweetness,  and  the  former  works  of  nature  are  heartily 
hated.  Now  when  that  happens,  when  a  man's  spirit  begins  to  enjoy 
supernatural  things,  all  very  high  and  noble,  another  step  must  be 
taken.  As  first  of  all  he  renounced  all  the  sweetness  of  nature,  it 
now  remains  for  him  to  renounce  his  own  will.  And  he  must  give 
up  joy  in  spirtual  things;  he  must  renounce  the  superfluities  of  the 
spirit  as  he  did  before  those  of  nature;  he  must  give  up  to  God,  and 
let  Him  do  His  work  in  him  just  as  He  pleases.  And  heroin  does  he 
first  come  to  real  self-renunciation,  real  and  true,  arriving  at  that 
poverty  of  spirit  which  is  rewarded  with  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Now,  my  dear  children,  it  happens  that  some  souls,  drawing  them- 
selves inward,  place  their  joy  in  themselves,  picking  and  choosing 
what  pleases  them  in  the  spiritual  life.  They  do  not  abandon  them- 
selves to  God,  but  all  in  self-will  they  follow  their  own  self-chosen 
devotional  methods.  The  souls  that  act  that  way  enjoy  God's  gifts 
and  graces  inordinately,  receiving  little  fruit,  and  sometimes  none  at 
all.     Now  God  knows  that  if  He  should  cast  a  brighter  light  upon 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  43 

such  people's  faults,  and  if  He  withdrew  from  them  their  devotional 
sweetness,  they  would  not  remain  faithful  to  Him.  That  is  why  He 
gives  such  spirits  the  sweet  solace  of  religious  feeling,  lest  ihey  should 
quite  give  up  His  service.  They  are  yet  petty  and  weak  of  character ; 
and  the  reason  is  because  they  are  full  of  self-will.  They  are  very 
dear  to  themselves.  As  to  perfection,  they  mistake  the  show  for  the 
reality.  They  are  essentially  outward  characters,  having  little 
interior  life.    Hence  they  are  all  too  readily  led  astray. 

But  there  are  other  souls,  who  have  given  up  to  God  in  a  state  of 
most  interior  detachment,  receiving  everything  from  God  with  equal 
indifference  whether  it  be  bitter  or  sweet.  And  if  spiritual  joy 
departs,  that  loss  moves  them  not  one  whit  farther  from  God.  These 
souls  prefer  the  reality  to  the  show  of  perfection;  they  lead  spiritual 
lives  fruitful  of  the  essentials  of  religion.  They  are  the  true,  interior 
spirits. 

And  you  should  know  this :  the  man  who  has  thus  freely  given  up 
everything  in  the  body  and  in  the  soul  that  is  not  God  has  made  great 
and  indescribable  progress.  What  he  now  needs  is  the  counsel  of  the 
wise  and  the  good.  And  he  must  also  very  carefully  cultivate  ft  deep, 
a  boundle«?s  humility,  and  in  that  constantly  abide,  for  the  evil  beasts  of 
hell  never  give  over  their  purpose  to  destroy  him. 

Dear  children,  deep  resignation — that  is  to  say,  a  sincere  detachment 
from  all  our  natural  inclinations — is  a  good  beginning.  But  that  should 
be  inspired  with  real  humility,  as  St.  Peter  teaches :  "Be  you  humbled, 
therefore,  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  that  He  may  exalt  you  in  the 
time  of  visitation"  (I  Peter  v,  6).  Dear  children,  could  we  but 
learn  how  to  be  gladly  and  totally  free  from  desires,  that  would  be  good. 
Upon  this  subject  St.  Dionysius  speaks :  "When  it  happens  that  God 
actually  and  truly  dwells  within  my  soul,  then  is  my  spirit  so  exalted 
that  it  seems  to  me  that  nothing  in  the  world  is  lacking  to  me,  and  if  He 
at  the  same  moment  made  all  created  things  subject  to  me,  it  would  not 
be  a  favor  done  me.  But  when  it  happens  that  God  is  in  my  soul 
only  by  His  presence  and  by  way  of  satisfaction  in  Him  and  perception 
of  His  sovereignty,  then  do  I  yet  have  a  longing  for  Him,  and  that  long- 
ing can  only  exist  because  of  some  imperfection  of  which  I  am  guilty ; 
for,  as  Solomon  teaches,  we  should  have  peace  in  all  Divine  works." 
Thus  does  St.  Dionysius  reckon  interior  longing  to  be  in  a  kind  of  a 
way  a  defect,  for  it  is  self-evident  that  if  one  longs  for  entire  detach- 
ment he  has  not  yet  fully  attained  to  it.    The  most  perfect  detachment  is 


44  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

to  be  detached  from  one's  very  detachment,  if  we  may  say  so.  But  this 
will  seem  a  strange  doctrine  to  certain  men  among  us,  who  are  advocat- 
ing novel  and  erroneous  views,  for  they  have  beheld  God  only  according 
to  their  own  spiritual  joys. 

But  I  must  now  grant  the  request  of  these  Sisters  and  tell  them  what 
are  the  virtues  proper  to  their  state  of  life.  And  I  say  this :  A  true 
nun  should  all  her  life  long  be  purified  from  all  creatures  and  be 
detached  from  them.  She  should  have  so  pure  a  soul  that  it  may  be 
fit  and  able  to  help  to  eternal  salvation  all  who  hold  the  faith  of  Christ. 
But  one  of  the  Sisters  might  say :  I  have  so  much  human  weakness  that 
it  is  necessary  for  me  to  be  now  and  then  recreated  and  refreshed  with 
human  company,  and  I  must  spend  some  time  conversing  with  people. 
I  answer :  Alas,  thou  poor  creature,  in  this  thou  art  under  the  guidance 
of  the  devil!  Make  up  thy  mind  that  whosoever  seeks  in  the  cloister 
anything  else  but  willing  suffering  through  God  enters  there  very  unad- 
visedly. Some  enter  the  cloister  with  such  motives  that  it  seems  a  sin 
for  them  to  live  on  the  alms  given  to  their  order,  for  they  would  be  very 
unwilling  to  practice  actual  poverty;  that  is  to  say,  to  lead  the  life  of 
those  poor  people  on  the  streets  who  are  in  actual  want  and  subsist  by 
begging.  Besides  this,  when  a  Sister  joins  the  community  she  should  set 
about  becoming  free  from  all  imperfections  of  the  bodily  and  of  the 
spiritual  life.  She  must  willingly  go  along  with  Jesus  Christ  to  Calvary 
and  be  crucified  with  Him  for  the  salvation  of  all  mankind.  For  Christ 
exclaimed  from  the  cross :  "My  God,  My  God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken 
Me?"  (Matt,  xxvii,  46).  And  as  God  the  Father  did  thus  forsake  His 
only  begotten  Son  for  men's  salvation,  so  must  all  true  monks  and  nuns 
forsake  all  created  things,  all  worldly  and  fleshly  desires.  Otherwise, 
they  have  their  labor  for  their  pains.  Holy  Mary  Magdalen  was  a  true 
nun,  for  she  willingly  gave  up  all  self-love  and  gladly  chose  to  be 
deprived  of  all  human  help. 

The  Heavenly  Father  sent  His  only  begotten  Son  in  human  nature, 
that  He  might  endure  suffering,  and  we  would  fly  from  all  suffer- 
ing. I  tell  you  emphatically  that,  do  what  we  may,  if  we  would  find 
the  safest  and  the  shortest  and  the  most  reasonable  way  to  perfection, 
then  we  have  no  choice  but  to  set  our  Lord's  life  and  passion  before  us  as 
our  pattern  and  follow  after  Him  by  suffering. 

But  I  must  tell  you  something  else :  The  Heavenly  Father  is  not  so 
hard  with  us  as  He  was  with  His  only  begotten  Son.  If  we  will  but  give 
ourselves  to  God  in  a  state  of  suffering  and  do  it  with  all  our  powers ; 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  45 

if  we  but  gladly  accept  sufferings  because  He  so  wills  it ;  if  we  do  not 
seek  to  escape  from  suffering  when  He  visits  it  upon  us,  but  stand  fast 
and  firm :  when  the  Heavenly  Father  finds  us  at  last  thus  disposed 
toward  Him,  then,  in  due  time,  He  will  withdraw  all  suffering  from  us 
and  He  will  bestow  on  us  a  comfort  divinely  joyful.  When  a  man 
experiences  these  happy  and  gracious  joys  in  his  espousals  with  God, 
he  will  never  again  think  of  earthly  joys.  The  joys  even  of  Christmas 
and  of  Easter  seem  to  him  to  be  all  merged  in  the  unbroken  happiness 
of  his  perpetual  marriage  feast,  as  God  ever  comes  to  him  with  over- 
flowing supernatural  graces.  Whatever  day  that  first  happens  to  him 
is  the  great  day  of  his  heavenly  jubilation. 

Dear  children,  these  are  the  reasons  why  we  should  gladly  suffer  all 
that  our  tender  Father  inflicts  upon  us.  We  know  full  well  that  the 
man  who  through  suffering  attains  to  the  Divine  espousals  is  made  a 
wise  man,  and  his  life  is  a  well-ordered  life.  He  overflows  with  the 
influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  giving  him  plain  guidance  what  to  do  and 
what  to  leave  undone  and  making  all  his  activity  spiritually  fruitful. 
But,  meanwhile,  such  a  man  makes  nothing  of  himself.  He  is  pro- 
foundly humble,  and  he  feels  a  continual  fear,  dreading  lest  he  is  falling 
short  of  his  duty  to  his  well-loved  Father.  God  grant  us  to  learn  how  to 
suffer  in  all  our  life.  May  God  the  Father  and  the  Son  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  help  us  to  enjoy  the  Divine  espousals.     Amen. 


CHAPTER    THIRTEENTH. 

Dear  child,  if  thou  wilt  finally  come  to  thy  perfection  and  to  God, 
thou  must  observe  three  things:  Firstly — Thou  must  make  God  thy  one 
and  only  motive  and  meaning,  seeking  God's  honor  in  everything  and 
by  no  means  thy  own  honor — His  will  and  not  thy  own.  Secondly — In 
all  external  activity  thou  shalt  keep  a  close  watch  on  thyself.  Gaze 
down  into  thy  own  utter  nothingness  and  take  good  heed  of  that.  Look 
carefully  to  thy  relations  to  persons  and  things  around  about  thee,  an<i 
to  thy  own  sentiments  and  feelings  about  them,  looking  inward  toward 
thy  most  secret  thoughts.  Thirdly — Meddle  not  with  what  does  not 
concern  thee.  Let  things  be  as  they  are,  if  they  are  not  committed  to 
thy  charge.  What  is  good,  is  good;  what  is  bad,  is  bad,  and  thou  canst 
not  help  it.  Turn  inward  to  thy  own  soul  and  there  abide,  waiting  for 
the  tones  of  thy  Father's  voice  calling  thee  to  be  and  remain  steadfastly 
in  Him. 


46  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

And,  O  dear  child,  if  thou  wilt  but  observe  these  two  other  things, 
thou  shalt  win  a  great  victory.  Firstly — Thou  must  in  all  sincerity  be 
little  in  thy  own  esteem,  whether  thou  considerest  thy  outward  or  thy 
inward  life.  Nor  should  this  sentiment  be  in  words  only,  but  in  thy 
heart's  truest  sincerity.  Reckon  thyself  as  of  small  account,  yea,  of  no 
account  at  all,  and  let  this  be  the  clear  persuasion  of  thy  mind  and  the 
strong  feeling  of  thy  heart,  with  not  the  least  taint  of  hypocrisy.  Sec- 
ondly— Have  true  Divine  love.  And  this  is  not  to  be  what  we  call  love 
in  our  life  of  the  senses,  but  rather  that  essential  manner  of  loving  by 
which  our  intention  is  fixed  singly  and  wholly  on  God  in  our  inmost 
soul. 

O  man,  thou  shalt  be  void  of  all  attention,  understanding  and  activity 
of  the  senses  that  is  not  directed  to  God,  because  the  Lord  God  Him- 
self is  empty  and  void  [to  thy  apprehension]  in  order  that  tbe  spirit 
may  be  assimilated  to  the  infinite,  absolute  Divine  essence.  It  is  neces- 
sary that  thy  soul  should  thus  stand  free  and  detached  if  it  shall  ever  be 
able  to  comprehend  the  hidden  mystery  of  familiar  union  with  God. 
Thus  must  a  man  renounce  all  things  in  which  he  detects  any  trace  of 
self-love.     Amen. 


CHAPTER    FOURTEENTH. 

And  now  you  must  know  that  this  Master  increased  in  a  godly  life 
and  became,  by  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  so  wise  that  he  was  often 
called  on  to  preach  both  to  the  clergy  and  the  laity,  following  the  way 
we  have  described.  He  was  much  loved  in  both  town  and  country.  What- 
ever weighty  matter  was  to  be  settled,  he  was  called  on  for  guidance, 
not  only  in  spiritual,  but  also  in  temporal  affairs,  for  his  advice  was 
implicitly  followed.  When  the  Master  had  passed  eight  years  of  these 
fruitful  labors  it  was  God's  will  to  leave  him  no  longer  in  this  state  of 
exile.  And  He  would  have  him  come  to  Him  without  any  purgatory. 
God  then  sent  him  the  decree  of  death.  He  was  attacked  by  a  severe 
illness  and  lay  abed  for  full  twenty  weeks,  a  most  painful  time  and  full 
of  deep  sorrows.  Finally  he  knew,  in  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
that  he  was  about  to  bid  farewell  to  this  world,  for  God  would  now 
reward  him  for  his  labors.  Therefore  did  the  Master  send  for  that 
holy  man,  his  beloved  friend,  telling  him  that  he  had  not  long  to  live. 
The  man  was  obedient  and  came  to  the  Master,  who  received  hira  very 
affectionately.    The  man  was  glad  to  find  him  yet  alive,  and  he  said: 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  47 

'"Dear  sir,  how  art  thou?"  The  Master  answered:  '*I  believe  that  the 
time  is  at  hand  when  God  would  take  me  out  of  this  life.  Therefore, 
dear  son,  it  is  a  great  comfort  to  me  that  thou  shalt  be  with  me  at  my 
end.  And  I  pray  thee  to  take  the  books  lying  there.  Thou  shalt  find 
written  in  them  all  the  conferences  that  thou  gavest  to  me  and  my 
answer  to  thy  words.  Thou  shalt  also  find  there  some  account  of  my 
life  and  of  what  God  has  done  for  me,  His  poor,  unworthy  servant. 
Dear  son,  if  thou  thinkest  well  of  it  and  God  gi-ants  thee  the  gi'ace  to 
do  it,  thou  wilt  make  a  little  book  of  all  this."  Then  the  man  spoke : 
"Dear  sir,  I  have  written  down  thy  five  sermons,  and  if  thou  approve 
of  it  I  will  add  them  to  the  little  book  thou  askest  me  to  make  about 
thee."  Then  the  Master  said :  "I  admonish  thee  with  all  the  earnest- 
ness I  am  capable  of,  and  for  the  love  of  God,  that  thou  shalt  write 
nothing  about  me  and  shall  not  mention  my  name.  For  thou  shouldst 
certainly  know  that  my  way  of  life,  the  words,  the  works  that  have 
been  done  through  me,  a  poor,  unworthy,  sinful  man,  are  not  mine, 
but  Almighty  God's — they  are  His  alone,  now  and  forevermore.  There- 
fore, dear  son,  if  thou  shalt  write  the  little  book  for  the  benefit  of  our 
fellow-Christians,  so  write  it  that  neither  my  name  nor  thine  shall  once 
be  mentioned.  Thou  mayst,  however,  use  the  words — the  Master,  the 
man.  Again,  permit  not  this  little  book  to  be  read  or  to  be  seen  by 
anyone  in  this  city,  for  they  would  easily  know  that  I  was  the  Master 
named.  Take  it  with  thee  into  thy  own  country,  lest  my  interior  life 
should  be  be  revealed  in  this  place." 

During  full  eleven  days  the  Master  conversed  with  the  man.  And 
then  the  time  came  when  he  must  die.  And  he  said :  "Dear  son,  I  beg 
thee,  for  God's  sake,  that  thou  wilt  consent,  if  God  is  willing,  that  after 
ray  death  my  spirit  should  appear  to  thee  and  tell  thee  how  it  is  with 
me."  Then  the  man  said:  "Dear  Sir,  if  God  pleases,  I  will  gladly 
consent." 

And  it  came  to  pass  that  when  he  was  dying  the  Master  had  a  manner 
and  appearance  the  most  shocking  and  fearful,  so  that  all  the  brethren 
in  the  monastery,  and,  indeed,  others  from  without,  were  distressed  and 
amazed,  such  was  the  anguish  that  he  seemed  to  endure  when  he  died. 
His  death  caused  universal  sorrow,  both  in  his  community  and  in  the 
city  generally.  When  people  were  told  of  the  long  and  confidential 
friendship  between  him  and  the  man,  many  came  to  see  the  latter  and 
wished  to  show  him  honor,  inviting  him  to  visit  them.  But  when  this 
happened  he  instantly  left  the  city  and  returned  home.     And  while  he 


4g  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


was  yet  on  his  journey,  the  third  day  after  the  Master's  death  he  and 
rfs  servant  we  e  overtaken  by  nightfall  at  a  little  village.  Seemg  . 
nobleman  going  along  the  road,  he  said  to  him:  "^-r,/"-^' ^^^^^^^^ 
an  inn  in  this  village?"  The  nobleman  answered :  "No."  And  the  man 
.aid  •  "Wilt  thou  be  so  kind,  dear  friend,  to  give  us  a  n^g^^^s  lodging  for 
the  love  of  God?  and  we  will  pay  thee  what  thou  wilt."  The  nobleman 
answered:  "If  thou  will  put  up  with  our  accommodations  I  will  gladly 
lodge  you  as  best  I  may."  And  he  led  them  to  his  house.  And  so  he  lay 
down  to  sleep  in  a  room,  and  the  servant  lay  on  the  straw  m  the  barn 

Now,  it  happened  during  the  night  that  the  man  awoke,  and  presently 
he  heard  a  voice  speaking,  but  he  saw  no  one.  Then  he  began  to  be  fright- 
ened, and  he  made  the  sign  of  the  cross  on  himself.    The  voice  spoke 
"Fear  not,  my  dear  son,  it  is  I,  the  Master."    Then  spoke  the  man :     My 
dear  Master,  is  it  thou?    Then  I  do  beg  of  thee  from  my  heart  s  depths 
to  tell  me,  if  such  be  God's  will,  how  it  is  with  thee  and  how  it  happened 
that  thou  hadst  so  distressful  a  death?    For  thy  brethren  in  the  mon^ 
astery  almost  despaired  for  thee;  thy  own  fellow-religious,  it  would 
seem,  were  much  shocked  at  the  manner  of  thy  death."     Then  the  Mas- 
ter's voice  spoke:  "Dear  son,  I  will  tell  thee,  and  thou  must  know  that 
the  Lord  God  willed  me  to  have  so  painful  and  anxious  an  end  in  order 
that  the  holy  angels  might  receive  my  soul  instantly  after  death  and 
bear  it  away  to  Heaven.     And  I  must  tell  thee,  besides,  that  thou  also 
Shalt   for  the  same  reason,  have  the  same  distressful  kind  of  a  death. 
It  was  necessary  for  me  to  suffer  that  trial  in  order  to  escape  the  pains 
of  purgatory.    I  must  tell  thee,  too,  that  the  evil  spirit  caused  me 
<.rievous  pain  and  tempted  me  with  great  cunning,  so  that  I  was  much 
alarmed  lest  I  should  fall  into  despair.    But,  however  dreadful  was  my 
suffering  at  death,  I  now  see  how  little  it  was  compared  to  the  additional 
joy  granted  me  on  that  account  by  the  Almighty,  Eternal  and  Merciful 
God     The  instant  that  my  soul  was  parted  from  my  body  the  blessed 
angels  took  it  and  they  bore  me  away  to  Paradise.   And  they  said  to  me : 
'Here  shall  thou  tarry  five  days ;  but  have  no  anxiety,  nor  the  least  fear 
that  the  evil  spirits  will  harm  thee  more;  nor  shalt  thou  have  any  toil. 
Only  this  •  Thou  shalt  be  postponed  here  for  five  days  from  the  everlast- 
ing and  blissful  company  of  Heaven.     At  the  end  of  that  time  we  will 
come  to  thee  again  and  we  will  lead  thee  into  the  unspeakable  joy  of 
Heaven.'     Now,  dear  sou,  more  than  this  I  dare  not  tell  thee,  nor  mayst 
thou  lawfully  ask  to  know.     I  pray  God  to  reward  thee  for  thy  good 
spiritual  teaching  of  me  and  thy  most  profitable  counsel.     For  this  T 
can  never  give  God  and  thyself  sufficient  thanks." 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  49 

Then  the  man  spoke :  "Dear  sir,  I  beg  of  thee  from  the  depths  of  my 
heart  that  when  thou  shalt  come  to  God  thou  wilt  pray  for  me."  What 
the  man  said  after  this  received  no  answer.  And  then,  being  tired  out, 
he  would  gladly  have  slept,  and  turned  now  on  one  side  and  then  on  the 
other,  but  all  in  vain.  He  could  rest  no  more  that  night,  and  he  was 
so  anxious  that  he  could  scarcely  wait  the  break  of  day.  At  daylight 
he  instantly  wrote  to  the  Prior  of  the  monastery  and  to  the  brethren 
there  all  that  the  Master's  spirit  had  said  to  him.  He  then  returned 
to  his  home,  and  in  due  time  he  made  a  good  and  happy  end. 

May  we  all  follow  the  sweet  example  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  so  that 
we  may  pass  through  this  miserable  life  and  all  its  transitory  joys  and 
enter  the  ever-enduring  joys  of  Heaven  with  God  and  His  elect.  May 
God  the  Father,  and  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  grant  us  that 
unspeakable  favor.     Amen. 

END  OF  THE  HISTORY  OP  MASTER  JOHN  TAULER. 


THE   INTERVIEW  OF  MASTER  JOHN  TAULER 
WITH   A   BEGGAR.* 

There  was  once  a  famous  Master  of  holy  learning  wlui  for  eight  years 
prayed  God  to  send  him  a  man  able  to  teach  him  the  v.ay  of  truth.  It 
happened  one  day  tbat  this  longing  was  more  than  usually  earnest 
within  him,  and  presently  he  heard  a  voice  from  on  high,  saying:  "Go 
forth  to  the  church  door  and  thou  shalt  find  the  man  thou  hast  been 
looking  for."  Going  to  the  church  door,  the  Master  met  a  beggar  there. 
He  was  in  a  miserable  plight,  his  feet  covered  with  mud  and  all  his  tat- 
tered clothes  not  worth  three  pennies.  The  Master  said :  "Good  day, 
my  friend."  The  beggar :  "I  never  remember  to  have  had  a  bad  day  my 
whole  life  long."  The  Master :  "May  God  grant  thee  prosperity."  The 
beggar:  "I  never  have  known  adversity."  The  Master:  "Well,  then, 
may  God  make  thee  happy."  The  beggar :  "I  have  never  been  unhappy." 
The  Master :  "At  any  rate,  may  God  save  thee.  And  I  beg  thee  to  speak 
more  plainly  to  me,  for  I  do  not  catch  thy  meaning."  The  beggar :  "Thou 
didst  bid  me  good  day  and  I  answered  that  T  have  never  had  a  bad  one. 


♦The  authenticity  of  this  incident  is  more  than  doubtful.  It  is  not  given  in  the 
German  critical  edition  of  Tauler  that  we  have  followed  in  our  translation.  But 
we  give  it  here  because  it  is  inseparably  associated  with  Tauler's  name  and 
career,  and  is  in  itself  very  instructive. 


50  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

In  fact,  when  1  am  hungry,  I  praise  God;  when  I  am  cold,  or  it  hails, 
or  snows,  or  rains,  if  the  air  is  clear  or  foggy,  I  praise  God.  If  I  am 
favored  by  men  or  despised,  I  praise  Him  equally.  And  all  this  is  why 
I  have  never  known  a  bad  day.  Thou  didst  wish  me  prosperity,  and  I 
answered  that  I  have  never  known  adversity,  for  I  have  learned  to  live 
with  God,  and  I  am  certain  that  all  that  He  does  can  be  naught  but  good. 
Therefore,  all  that  happens  to  me  that  is  pleasing,  or  the  contrary — 
sweet  or  bitter — I  receive  from  Him  as  being  very  good  for  me.  Thus 
I  have  never  been  in  adversity.  Thou  hast  wished  me  happiness,  and  I 
answered  that  I  have  never  been  unhappy,  for  I  have  resolved  to  fix  my 
affections  only  on  the  Divine  will.  Hence  it  comes  that  I  desire  only 
what  God  desires."  The  Master:  "But  what  wouldst  thou  say  if  God 
would  will  to  cast  thee  into  hell?"  The  beggar:  "God  cast  me  into 
hell?  If  He  did  it,  I  would  embrace  Him  with  my  two  arms.  With  the 
arm  of  humility  I  would  embrace  His  sacred  humanity,  and  with  the 
arm  of  love  I  would  embrace  His  divinity,  and  I  would  thus  force  Him 
to  descend  with  me  into  hell.  For  hell  with  Him  would  be  more  happy 
than  Heaven  without  Him."  The  Master  concluded  from  this  that 
resignation,  united  to  profound  humility,  is  the  shortest  road  to  God. 
Then  he  asked  the  beggar:  "Whence  comest  thou?"  The  beggar: 
"From  God."  The  Master:  "Where  didst  thou  find  God ?"  The  beggar: 
"Where  I  left  all  creatures."  The  Master:  "Where  is  God?"  The 
beggar :  "In  hearts  that  are  pure  and  in  men  of  good-will."  The  Master : 
"Who  art  thou  ?"  The  beggar :  "I  am  a  king."  The  Master :  "Where  is 
thy  kingdom?"  The  beggar:  "In  my  soul;  for  I  have  learned  to  order 
and  govern  my  interior  faculties  and  my  exterior  senses  in  such  a  way 
that  I  am  master  of  all  my  affections  and  of  all  the  powers  of  my  soul. 
Now,  that  kingdom  is  certainly  to  be  preferred  to  all  the  kingdoms  of 
the  world."  The  Master :  "By  what  means  hast  thou  gained  this  degree 
of  perfection  ?"  The  beggar :  "By  silence,  meditation  and  union  with 
God.  I  have  never  been  able  to  find  rest  in  anything,  be  it  what  it 
might,  that  was  less  than  God.  I  have  found  my  God,  and  in  Him  I 
have  found  rest  and  peace  eternal." 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  51 


Synopsis — Mortal  sin — Uses  of  suffering — Interior  life — Our  Saviour's 
three  motives. 


SERMON    FOR   THE    FIRST    SUNDAY    OF    ADVENT. 
It  is  now  the  hour  for  us  to  arise  from  sleep. — Rom.  xiil,  11. 

Today  we  celebrated  the  beginning  of  Advent,  the  coming  of  our  Lord. 
A  precious  time  has  begun  for  us,  and  we  find  during  this  season  words 
of  joy  and  devotion  in  the  lessons  and  songs  of  holy  Church.  Even  as 
the  month  of  May  is  the  most  delightful  and  beautiful  part  of  the  year, 
so  the  season  of  Advent  has  a  holiness  and  sweetness  all  its  own.  It  is 
the  time  toward  which  the  prophets  and  saints  of  the  ancient  covenant 
during  four  thousand  years  sighed  with  incomparable  ardor,  crying  out 
to  God :  "O  that  thou  wouldst  rend  the  heavens  and  come  down !" 
(Isaias,  Ixiv,  1.)  to  deliver  those  that  sit  in  darkness  and  in  the  shadow 
of  death.  All  the  happenings,  all  the  symbols  of  the  Old  Testament,  had 
the  one  end  of  setting  forth  the  grandeur  of  Him  who  was  to  come,  and 
who  now  has  come.  Let  us,  then,  thank  God  and  always  praise  Him, 
that  He  has  created  us  at  this  time  and  under  this  law  of  grace,  that  He 
has  willed  to  give  us  His  gifts  and  His  riches  in  such  abundance,  if  we 
will  only  take  them.  The  Holy  Apostle  exhorts  us  to  awake  from  the 
sleep  of  sin  :  "The  night  is  passed,  the  day  is  at  hand  *  *  *  let  us 
walk  honestly  as  in  the  day"  (Rom.  xiii,  12-13).  We  must,  therefore, 
consider  carefully  how  we  have  fallen  and  how  we  can  rise  again  out  of 
our  sins  and  vices  to  our  first  innocence. 

God  created  us  to  fill  the  places  from  which  Lucifer  and  His  angels 
were  driven  out.  Through  hate  and  envy  of  us  Lucifer  treacherously 
led  the  first  man  into  disobedience  and  caused  him  to  lose  all  the  graces 
and  virtues  which  made  him  like  God  and  the  angels.  In  this  way  was 
man  poisoned  and  his  noble  nature  stained.  By  his  sin  he  wounded  it 
mortally.  And  by  this  transgression  has  come  upon  us  blindness  of 
reason,  perversity  of  will,  disorder  of  the  appetite  of  concupiscence 
and  weakness  in  resisting  evil.     ''Man  when  he  was  in  honor  did  not 


52 


The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


understand;  he  hath  been  compared  to  senseless  beasts  and  made  like 
unto  them"  (Ps.  xlviii,  21) . 

We  thus  have  three  enemies  to  combat,  which  triumph,  unhappily, 
almost  universally,  and  rule  in  the  breasts  of  nearly  all  men— the  world, 
the  devil  and  the  flesh.  When  these  three  enemies  have  worked  their  will 
in  man  his  soul  is  lost— that  soul  so  noble,  chosen  out  by  God  with  so 
much  love— for  he  who  allows  himself  to  be  wholly  overcome  shall  most 
certainlv  go  down  to  eternal  death.  God's  friends-those  who  seek  in 
all  things  His  glory-can  hardly  keep  back  their  tears  when  they  behold 
the  hateful  tyranny  with  which  these  three  enemies  hold  sway  over  so 
great  a  multitude  of  men,  among  whom  they  usurp  the  place  of  God. 
And  these  souls  are  to  be  found  both  in  the  worldly  state  of  life  and  in 
the  cloister.  To  God's  friends  the  eternal  destruction  of  their  brethren 
is  a  great  torture.  Their  hearts  wither  away  with  sorrow  as  they  con- 
sider that  self-love  is  so  rooted  in  the  world  that  there  are  few  who  love 
God  purelv  and  tend  toward  Him  solely. 

The  world  rules  by  pride-exterior  pride  or  that  of  the  spirit.    How 
many  men  belong  to  this  order  of  the  devil !     They  wish  to  be  something, 
to  make  a  fine  showing,  and  they  could  not  count  their  sins  and  vices 
if  they  tried.     Satan  excites  his  subjects  to  hate,  wrath,  bitterness,  sus- 
picions, rash  judgments  and  revenge,  to  aversions  and  discord.     His 
disciples  are  glad  to  sow  dissensions;  they  are  without  love  for  their 
brethren.    Our  flesh  seeks  its  own  interest  in  everything,  in  all  sensual 
and  voluptuous  pleasures.     Men  ignore  all  the  misery  this  surely  brings, 
those  above  all  who  suffer  from  it.     By  these  three  enemies  is  the 
greater  part  of  men  drawn  into  hell.    If  one  wishes  to  recover  his  first 
glory  and  the  dignitv  which  Adam  lost  by  sin  and  which  we  have  lost 
with  him;  if  one  wishes,  I  say,  to  make  a  place  in  his  heart  for  the 
coming  of  Jesus  Christ,  he  must   flee  from  the  world,  triumph  over 
demons,  overcome  his  flesh  with  sound  reason  and  in  all  discretion,  and 
carefully  exercise  himself  in  the  virtues  which  I  shall  explain  to  you. 

In  the  earthlv  paradise  man  fell  by  two  things— sensuality  and  pride. 
Now  we  must  rise  up  and  regain  the  early  force  of  our  nature  by  two 
things.  Firstly— We  must  resist  courageously  and  with  judgment,  even 
unto  death,  every  ill-regulated  pleasure.  Secondly— We  must  humble 
ourselves  in  deep  abasement,  not  only  under  God,  against  whom  we  have 
risen  in  pride,  but  even  under  all  men.  Wouldst  thou  rise  to  the  first 
place,  choose  always  the  lowest.  By  these  two  means  it  is  that  nature 
wins  back  her  first  energy. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  53 

Man  must  become  like  the  angels  in  two  ways.  Firstly— He  must 
willingly  pardon  all  who  have  offended  him  and  love  his  enemies  sin- 
cerely, as  do  the  angels  in  our  case  when  we  vex  them  by  our  sins.  Sec- 
ondly—He must  render  willing  service  to  our  neighbor,  even  as  the 
angels  serve  us  for  the  love  of  God.  In  two  ways  we  should  become  like 
God— in  the  practice  of  obedience  after  our  Saviour's  example,  who 
obeyed  His  Heavenly  Father  even  unto  death,  and  by  growth  and  perse- 
verance in  that  virtue  and  in  all  others.  Thus  do  we  become  heavenly 
men ;  thus  are  we  made  one  spirit  with  God  through  deep  humility,  by 
entire  yielding  up  of  self,  by  patience  full  of  sweetness,  by  poverty  of 
spirit  and  by  warmth  of  charity.  All  who  do  this— and  their  number, 
alas!  is  very  small— shall  triumph  over  their  foes.  God  will  free  them 
from  the  heavy  burdens  which  weigh  them  down  and  help  them  in  bear- 
ing the  trials,  many  and  painful,  which  He  sends ;  for  he  sends  trials  in 
order  that  men  entering  within  themselves  may  consider  the  reasons  of 
these  trials,  so  that  being,  as  it  were,  thrown  back  on  themselves  by 
suffering,  they  may  be  kept  in  a  state  of  recollection.  He  wishes  them  to 
ask  themselves  why  God  crushes  them  beneath  so  heavy  a  weight;  for 
whithersoever  God  shall  lead  them  by  these  trials  they  must  follow,  sub- 
missive to  His  Divine  will.  Again,  God  sends  trials  so  that  men  may 
depart  from  themselves  and  from  all  creatures,  and  likewise  that  by 
suffering  they  may  have  patience. 

But  in  what  does  this  patience  consist?  Is  it  that  a  man  is  inacces- 
sible to  all  external  emotion?  No;  certainly  not.  To  be  truly  patient 
is  to  hold  for  certain  that  no  one  can  do  us  wrong ;  nay,  far  more  than 
that,  we  feel  that  those  who  make  us  suffer  are  right  in  what  they  do 
against  us,  that  they  ought,  indeed,  to  torment  us  yet  more,  and  that 
we  ought  to  feel  a  tender  gentleness  toward  them.  Such  patient  men 
follow  Jesus  Christ  in  His  humility,  who  says :  "If  you  continue  in  My 
word  you  shall  be  My  disciples,  indeed ;  and  you  shall  know  the  truth, 
and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free"  (John  viii,  31-32). 

There  are  two  ways  of  hearing  the  Word  of  Jesus  Christ.  Some  hear 
it  with  joy,  as  far  as  they  can;  reason  and  the  senses  listen  to  it  with 
pleasure ;  but  this  is  only  a  natural  light.  What  they  cannot  feel  nor 
taste  they  reject,  and,  since  such  food  cannot  satisfy  them,  they  cease 
not  running  about  looking  for  something  new,  something  more  that  they 
can  hear  and  understand.  They  do  not  perceive  that  they  must  stop 
these  useless  searchings  and  adopt  another  way  if  they  would  become 
better.  The  others,  on  the  contrary,  enter  within  themselves  and  dwell 
in  the  remotest  depth  of  their  being,  observing  simply  by  their  reason. 


54  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

enlightened  by  grace,  the  commands  of  God,  and  they  wait  until  He 
calls  them  and  invites  them  directly  and  without  any  perceptible  inter- 
mediary whither  He  wills  to  conduct  them.  Whatever  Divine  influence 
comes  by  such  exterior  means  as  perishable  creatures  has  little  flavor;  is, 
as  it  were,  wrapped  up  in  multiplicity  and  contains  a  seed  of  bitterness. 
One  finds  herein  a  certain  savor  of  the  creature,  from  which  the  posses- 
sion of  God  must  be  freed  if  the  spirit  shall  truly  taste  Him  and  if  He 
shall  sink  into  the  deepest  depths  of  the  soul.  Those  who  look  within 
themselves  for  the  gifts  and  decrees  of  God  partake  of  them  at  their  very 
fountainhead,  and  there  they  give  them  back  again.  They  draw  and  taste 
at  the  very  fountainhead,  whilst  the  former  class  are  self-seekers  in 
everything.  And  yet  nowhere  can  they  find  their  own  selves  in  a  way 
so  certain  and  so  simple  as  in  that  innermost  depth,  where  we  feel  the 
immediate  presence  of  God. 

Perhaps  you  will  ask  me  how  we  can  do  and  observe  without  hin- 
drance what  God  requires  of  us?  It  is  by  being  careful  to  dwell  within 
ourselves.  Let  each  one  dwell  within  and  give  over  all  seeking  on  the 
outside.  So  shall  a  man  soon  and  surely  learn  what  he  should  do,  what 
God  wills  of  him  interiorly  and  exteriorly ;  and,  when  he  knows  it,  let 
him  yield  himself  to  God  and  follow  along  whatsoever  road  He  shall 
conduct  him,  whether  it  be  in  the  active  life  or  the  contemjilative  or 
the  unitive,  in  suffering  or  in  joy.  If  God  gives  him  nothing,  let  him 
resign  himself  simply  to  His  will,  and,  for  love  of  Him,  agree  to  be 
deprived  of  His  gifts.  And  let  him  sink  yet  deeper  into  his  inner  life, 
having  ever  before  his  eyes  the  dear  image  of  our  Lord.  Our  Lord  had 
three  motives  in  all  His  actions;  He  sought  only  His  Heavenly 
Father iS  glory,  with  no  thought  of  anything  else,  great  or  small,  and 
He  referred  all  to  His  Father's  glory.  Secondly — From  the  depths 
of  His  being  He  willed  our  salvation  and  our  happiness.  He  willed 
the  salvation  of  all,  and  to  bring  all  to  the  knowledge  of  His  name;  even 
as  St.  Paul  says  that  God  ''Will  have  all  men  to  be  saved  and  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth"  (I  Tim.,  ii,  4).  Thirdly— In  all  His  words 
and  deeds  and  life  our  Lord  willed  to  leave  us  in  an  eminent  degree  the 
true  pattern  and  exemplar  of  a  perfect  life.  His  followers  are  the 
noblest  and  most  lovable  of  all  men.  Those  who  are  born  spiritually 
with  Him  are  the  choicest  treasures  of  the  Church — always  striving 
after  perfection  and  having  no  care  if  their  works  be  great  or  small,  but 
in  all  things  seeing  only  God,  and  therefore  it  is  that  their  works  are 
perfect.  They  do  by  no  means  consider  whether  God  shall  set  them  very 
high  or  very  low,  for  they  have  taste  only  for  the  Divine  will. 

May  God  grant  us  these  dispositions!     Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  55 


Synopsis — Spiritual  direction — Self-knowledge — Brotherly   love — Lov- 
ing God — Growth  in  love — Imitation  of    the    saints — Beholding 


Christ — Sensible  devotion. 


SERMON  FOR  THE   THIRD   SUNDAY  OF   ADVENT.* 
What  went  ye  out  into  the  desert  to  see? — Matt,  xl,  7. 

Our  Lord  asks  the  Jews:  "What  went  ye  out  into  the  desert  to  see? 
A  reed  shaken  by  the  wind?"  We  find  in  these  words  three  matters  for 
consideration — the  going  out,  the  desert,  and  what  they  went  to  see. 
Let  us  first  speak  of  the  going  out.  This  is  done  in  four  ways,  for  we 
must  go  out  from  the  world,  that  is  to  say,  from  its  concupiscence,  by 
contempt  for  it,  according  to  St.  John's  words :  "Love  not  the  world, 
nor  the  things  which  are  in  the  world.  If  any  man  love  the  world,  the 
charity  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him"  (I  John,  ii,  15).  Those  who 
renounce  the  love  of  the  world  depart  truly  out  of  Egypt;  they  leave 
King  Pharaoh's  service  in  renouncing  pride,  vainglory,  presumption  and 
all  other  sins;  and  those  who  would  go  out  of  the  world  have  great  need 
of  finding  a  Moses  who  will  serve  them  as  conductor— one  who  will  be 
like  the  first  Moses,  full  of  gentleness  and  compassion.  They  need  a 
guide — sweet,  kindly  and  patient — who  will  make  their  going  forth, 
which  costs  so  dearly,  more  easy  to  them.  There  are  others  who  go  forth 
out  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  that  is  to  say,  from  avarice,  intemperance 
and  impurity,  and  who  have  still  to  suffer  dire  assaults  from  these  vices. 
They  should  have  an  angel  for  director  and  counsellor;  that  is  to  say,  a 
man  compassionate,  grave  and  of  an  austere  manner  of  life.  He  who 
allows  himself  to  be  thus  directed  or  led  will  surely  escape  pride,  avarice 
and  sensuality,  according  to  the  words  of  Isaias:  "For  you  shall  go 
out  with  joy  and  be  led  forth  with  peace"  (Isaias  Iv,  12).^  Or,  accord- 
ing to  our  Saviour:  "In  the  world  you  shall  have  distress"  (John  xvi, 
33) ,  and  in  Me,  peace. 

We  must  go  forth  from  all  exterior  things,  useless  preoccupations, 
self-love  and  self-will,  and  enter  into  ourselves  if  we  would  know  our- 

♦Tauler  has  left  no  sermon  for  the  Second  Sunday  of  Advent. 


56  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

selves  and  distinguish  clearl}'  the  nature  and  origin  of  the  motives 
which  actuate  us.  Whosoever  does  not  go  forth  from  himself,  whether 
on  account  of  self-love  or  some  other  motive,  cannot  learn  to  know  him- 
self, according  to  the  teaching  of  St.  Bernard :  "There  are  plenty  of  men 
who  know  many  things,  but  who  yet  know  absolutely  nothing  of  them- 
selves. Now,  to  know  oneself  and  to  realize  how  sick  one  is  and  full  of 
defects  is  of  more  worth  than  to  possess  all  sciences.  Says  Solomon  in 
tht  Canticle:  'If  thou  know  not  thyself,  O  fairest  among  women,  go 
forth  and  follow  after  the  steps  of  the  flocks  and  feed  thy  kids  beside 
the  tents  of  the  shepherds'  "  (Cant,  i,  7).  That  is  to  say,  look  at  thy- 
self in  the  lives  of  the  saints  and  follow  their  example,  instead  of  fol- 
lowing thy  own  will. 

Thou  must  depart  from  thy  own  ease  and  sense  and  thou  must  give 
thyself  up  wholly  to  the  service  of  thy  neighbor,  helping  him  with  all 
thy  might  by  good  advice,  good  works  and  pious  example,  by  a  deep  and 
constant  charity,  in  order  that  he  may  the  more  easily  attain  to  eternal 
happiness.  For  such  is  our  Saviour's  precept :  "A  new  commandment  I 
give  unto  you,  that  you  love  one  another.  *  *  *  By  this  shall  all 
.men  know  that  you  are  My  disciples,  if  you  have  love  one  for  another." 
(John  xiii,  34-35) ,  And  St.  Paul  says :  '"Bear  ye  one  another's  burdens, 
and  so  shall  ye  fulfill  the  law  of  Christ"  (Gal.  vi,  2).  And  in  Genesis 
we  read  that  Joseph  said  to  his  brethren :  "You  shall  not  see  my  face 
unless  you  bring  your  youngest  brother  with  you"  (Gen.  xliii,  3). 
And  again  in  the  Canticle  we  read :  "Come,  My  beloved,  let  us  go  forth 
into  the  field,  let  us  abide  in  the  villages;  let  us  get  up  early  to  the 
vineyards"  (Cant,  vii,  11). 

We  must  go  forth  from  all  that  is  not  God ;  in  such  a  manner  that  our 
love  for  Him  surpasses  all  other  love,  and  that  we  love  Him  with  all 
our  soul,  all  our  heart  and  all  our  strength.  Of  old  God  said  to  Abra- 
ham :  "Go  forth  out  of  thy  country  and  from  thy  kindred,  and  out  of  thy 
father's  house"  (Gen.  xii,  1).  That  means  fix  not  thy  heart  on  perish- 
able things,  but  on  God  alone ;  seek  Him  and  love  Him  in  all  that  thou 
dost  possess.  The  Canaanitish  woman  had  thus  gone  forth,  as  her  words 
testify,  and,  therefore,  she  got  from  Jesus  all  that  she  asked.  In  the 
Canticle  God  invites  the  faithful  soul  and  its  companions  to  this  going 
forth,  saying  to  them:  "Go  forth,  ye  daughter  of  Sion"  (Cant,  iii,  11). 
It  is  right  that  He  should  give  them  the  name  of  daughters  rather  than 
that  of  sons,  for  their  spirit  is  yet  weak,  troubled  by  the  fears  and  dis- 
tresses of  women,  for  they  are  not  yet  strong  enough  of  resolution  to 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  57 

undertake  to  give  up  all,  and  they  have  still  the  weakness  and  delicacy 
of  a  young  girl. 

Let  us  now  speak  of  the  desert.  Scarcely  have  we  quit  worldly  desires 
and  sin  than  we  encounter  the  desert,  an  image  of  that  life,  spiritual  and 
detaxjhed,  that  we  must  lead  here  below.  But  there  are  two  kinds  of 
desert — one  good  and  the  other  bad.  The  latter  is  that  in  which  the 
heart  of  man  fills  itself  with  vanity,  stripping  itself  of  charity  and  of 
heavenly  longings.  In  the  temple  of  the  soul  are  no  longer  heard  the 
chants  of  divine  praise ;  and  the  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,  that  is  to 
say,  good  thoughts,  are  scattered  and  go  forth  each  on  his  way.  The 
fertile  desert  is  that  wherein  a  man  has  driven  down  into  the  lowest 
depths  of  his  heart  the  stormy  disturbance  of  passions,  the  irregularity 
of  worldly  desires  and  the  love  of  created  things.  He  still  sometimes 
experiences,  it  is  true,  in  his  body  or  his  senses  the  first  movements  of 
the  passions,  but  his  will  remains  inaccessible  to  their  attempts.  There 
is  the  good  desert — storm  without  and  the  sweetness  of  peace  within.  It 
is  of  this  desert  that  God  speaks  to  the  prophet :  ''I  will  lead  her  into 
the  wilderness  and  will  speak  to  her  heart"  (Osee  ii,  14),  for  no  one 
hears  or  understands  what  is  within  himself  or  what  God  says  within 
until  He  reaches  that  desert. 

It  is  called  a  desert,  this  life  of  detachment  and  separation,  because  of 
the  small  number  of  those  who  go  into  it  after  being  separated  from  the 
world.  These  are  few  enough  when  compared  with  the  great  number  of 
those  who  continue  to  yield  to  their  sensual  desires.  We  must  drive  out 
of  our  hearts  the  world  and  its  images  and  advance  into  the  interior  of 
the  desert,  to  dwell  there  with  Moses.  There  can  we  the  more  easily 
guard  our  flocks ;  that  is  to  say,  free  ourselves  from  our  interior  tempta- 
tions and  the  caprices  of  our  imagination.  When  Moses  had  led  his 
flocks  into  the  interior  of  the  desert  God  showed  Himself  to  him  in  a 
burning  bush,  which  signifies  that  the  fire  of  charity  and  holy  desires 
shall  fill  our  heart,  and  then  it  is  that  we  can  follow  God  whithersoever 
He  calls  us. 

There  is  to  be  found  that  delightful  desert  of  which  it  is  \STitten: 
''Who  is  she  that  goeth  up  by  the  desert  as  a  pillar  of  smoke  of  aromat- 
ical  spices?"  (Cant,  iii,  6) .  St.  Gregory  says  that  the  nature  of  love  is 
to  rise  each  day  higher  above  oneself  toward  God  by  holy  desires  and 
never  to  rest  until  one  has  reached  the  supreme  good.  For  upon  the 
earth  there  is  nothing  that  can  attract  a  loving  soul's  glances;  but  his 
whole  effort  is  to  go  to  God,  raising  himself  above  himself.     Such  is  the 


58  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

heritage  of  God's  friends,  and  the  more  they  are  united  to  Him  by  the 
fervor  of  their  longings,  the  more  wearisome  and  painful  becomes  all 
that  smiles  on  them  in  the  world.  It  is  of  this  desert  that  the  angels 
speak  in  the  Canticle,  saying :  "Who  is  she  that  goeth  up  by  the  desert?" 
And  to  them  the  fervent  soul  makes  answer :  "I  found  Him  whom  my 
soul  loveth;  I  held  Him,  and  I  will  not  let  Him  go"  (Cant,  iii,  4).  For 
whoever  penetrates  into  this  desert  knows  how  to  savor  and  how  to 
express  interior  and  mystical  things.  Charity  by  its  good  works  renews 
and  increases  all  the  virtues,  and  this  our  Saviour  well  showed  us  when 
he  clothed  himself  with  glory  on  Mount  Tabor  and  discovered  to  us  the 
fruits  that  we  gather  in  the  desert  when  we  are  sincerely  converted  to 
God.  Thus  St.  Paul  tells  us :  ''We  all,  beholding  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
with  open  face,  are  transformed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to 
glory,  as  by  the  spirit  of  the  Lord"  (TI  Cor.  iii,  18). 

We  find,  besides,  in  the  desert  a  multitude  of  beautiful  flowers  on 
which  the  foot  of  man  has  never  trodden.  It  is  even  so  with  a  life  of 
renunciation  and  separation;  by  pious  practices,  hard  to  nature,  the  habit 
of  Christian  virtue  is  acquired.  But,  as  these  practices  cost  much  effort 
and  pain,  there  are  but  few  who  make  up  their  minds  to  adopt  thtm.  In 
this  desert  we  find  lilies  and  other  flowers  of  shining  whiteness,  namely, 
purity  of  soul  and  body.  There  we  also  find  deep  red  roses,  namely, 
mortification,  exhausting  to  flesh  and  blood,  triumphing  over  sin  and 
causing  us,  if  necessary,  bravely  to  suffer  martyrdom.  Ah,  there  are 
things  there  which  one  can  hardly  get  in  the  world.  This  desert  grows 
also  the  violet,  the  symbol  of  humility,  and  many  other  precious  plants 
and  flowers;  that  is  to  say,  the  example  of  the  saints.  Choose,  then,  for 
thyself  a  spot  in  that  desert  by  living  piously,  by  imitating  the  purity, 
poverty  and  obedience  of  the  saints  and  their  other  virtues,  according  to 
what  is  written  in  the  Canticle:  ''The  flowers  have  appeared  in  our 
land"  (Cant,  ii,  12),  which  means  that  many  men  have  departed  this 
life  full  of  virtue  and  of  merit. 

But  one  must  not  expect  to  find  his  ease  in  the  desert,  and  it  is  on  this 
account  that  the  lovers  of  this  world  cannot  endure  it.  The  children  of 
Israel  murmured  against  Moses  because  of  the  very  many  privations  to 
which  they  were  subjected.  Those  privations  are  a  symbol  of  the  sober, 
severe  and  recollected  life  necessary  for  every  Christian;  for,  had  we 
the  whole  universe  at  our  command,  we  ought  yet  to  use  only  what  is 
needful,  and  we  ought  ever  to  dread  going  beyond  the  just  measure  of 
necessity ;  it  is  thus  that  the  soul  strengthens  itself.     This  desert  minis- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  5^ 

ters,  it  is  true,  very  little  that  is  pleasing  to  the  senses,  but  in  compensa- 
tion we  find  abundance  of  spiritual  comforts,  much  surpassing  worldly 
joys.  'The  Lord  will  comfort  Sion.  *  *  *  He  will  make  her  desert 
a  place  of  pleasure  and  her  wilderness  a  garden  of  the  Lord"  fisaias 
ii,  3).  And  again  the  prophet  says:  "That  which  was  dry  land  shall 
become  a  pool,  and  the  thirsty  land  springs  of  water"  (Isaias  xxxv,  7). 
The  solitary  soul  shall  be  granted  a  more  numerous  posterity,  that 
is  to  say,  a  greater  number  of  merits,  than  the  soul  that  is  wedded  to  the 
world.  God  had  commanded  Pharaoh  to  let  the  people  of  God  go  into 
the  desert  to  sacrifice  to  the  Lord,  for  they  were  to  receive  spiritual  con- 
solations in  place  of  the  worldly  consolations  of  Egypt. 

When  we  have  penetrated  into  this  desert  we  shall,  with  the  eyes  of 
the  soul,  see  the  King  and  His  bride,  namely,  God  and  the  soul ;  and  that 
sight  is  a  fountain  of  delights  for  us.  So  it  is  written  in  the  Canticle: 
"Go  forth,  daughters  of  Sion,  and  see  King  Solomon"  (Cant,  iii,  2)  ; 
that  is  to  say,  Christ,  of  whom  Isaias  says :  "A  child  is  bom  to  us,  and 
His  name  is  Wonderful"  (Isaias  ix,  6).  Behold,  indeed,  how  much 
God  is  wonderful,  since  He  has  even  willed  to  become  man  for  the  sake 
of  His  bride.  This  is  the  marvel  that  Moses  saw  and  of  which  he  tells : 
"I  will  go  and  see  this  great  sight— why  the  bush  is  not  burnt"  (Exo- 
dus iii,  3).  That  bush  is  the  human  nature  of  Christ;  the  flame  is  His 
holy  soul,  burning  with  love,  and  the  light,  that  is  His  divinity  united  to 
His  mortal  body.  Come,  then,  and  behold  Christ,  this  Solomon  into 
whom  is  poured  the  infinitude  of  wisdom  and  who  understands  all 
things.  He  is  the  truth  that  has  shown  us  the  road  to  Heaven.  The 
soul  should  contemplate  Him  without  ceasing,  in  order  to  be  able  to 
imitate  Him  by  living  according  to  the  Spirit  and  not  according  to 
nature.  And  even  nature  will  be  greatly  strengthened  in  her  struggles, 
if  she  will  hold  her  eyes  fixed  on  her  King,  and  meditate  how  it  was  that 
He  accomplished  His  pilgrimage  here  below.  It  is  a  great  consolation 
for  a  loving  soul  to  consider  in  Jesus  Christ  at  one  time  the  infirmity 
of  human  nature,  and  again  the  spiritual  life  that  He  led  so  superior  to 
human  nature. 

According  to  an  illustrious  teacher,  an  abundance  of  consolation* 
weakens  our  energies,  and  spiritual  joys  even  wholly  devour  the  soul 
when  they  are  excessive.  A  very  lively  happiness  cannot  last  long,  and  a 
prompt  change  is  made  necessary-,  for  here  below  the  soul  is  not  admitted 
to  serve  God  in  the  holy  of  holies :  "Thy  chalice,  which  inebriateth  me, 
how  goodly  it  is!"  (Ps.  xxii,  5).     The  soul  should,  therefore,  consider 


60  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

in  Jesus  Christ  sometimes  the  glory  of  His  divinity,  sometimes  the 
excellence  of  His  humanity.  As  to  souls  estranged  from  God,  whom  He 
has  not  yet  visited,  in  them  we  should  arouse  faith ;  but  interior  souls, 
well  proved  and  rich  in  experience,  them  we  must  lead  to  contemplate 
this  King  in  His  beauty.  Souls  consumed  with  love  should  also  study 
with  the  inner  eye  how  they  may  guide  other  souls ;  or,  if  need  be,  how 
to  resist  them  for  their  own  good. 

"Lord,"  exclaims  St.  Bernard,  "come  to  me  and  reign  from  Thy  throne 
in  me,  for,  alas !  it  too  often  happens  that  I  occupy  it  myself."  Pride, 
covetousness,  lust  and  sloth  would  reign  in  me ;  wrath,  hate  and  calumny 
make  deadly  attacks  upon  me  and  claim  control  of  my  will.  I  resist 
them,  I  mourn  over  their  assaults  and  I  cry  out :  I  will  have  no  king 
but  Jesus  Christ.  O  peaceful  King,  come  and  reign  in  me,  for  I  desire 
no  other  king  but  Thee!  I  await  Thee,  O  Lord,  with  wonder,  with 
prayers  and  burning  supplications,  with  many  changes  of  grief  and  joy ! 
O,  how  can  we  for  an  instant  leave  off  preparing  to  receive  so  great  a 
King — a  God  who  has  made  our  poor  nature  capable  of  receiving  His 
Divine  Being,  who  has  taken  it  and  united  it  to  Himself,  and  clothed 
Himself  with  its  shades  and  colors  and  displayed  its  beauty  to  us.  He 
loves  us  much  more  than  we  love  Him.  I  shall,  therefore,  be  without 
excuse  if  I  do  not  love  Him  above  all  things,  for  He  asks  nothing  else 
of  us  but  that  we  love  Him.  We  should,  therefore,  go  forth  entirely 
from  ourselves,  and  enter  into  that  blessed  solitude,  and  long  to  know 
and  to  contemplate  the  true  King  and  spouse  of  our  soul.  For  this  we 
need  Moses — that  is  to  say,  a  good  will  to  conduct  us  even  to  that 
mountain  where  God  dwells. 

The  people  taken  out  of  Egypt  by  Moses  are  our  old  habits,  for  after 
our  conversion  we  easily  go  back  to  our  accustomed  ways  and,  with  our 
fleshly  desires  and  our  unclean  or  worldly  thoughts,  make,  as  it  were,  a 
golden  calf,  that  we  may  live  according  to  the  flesh  and  enjoy  creatures 
rather  than  God.  On  this  account  we  have  great  need  that  the  true 
Moses,  Jesus  Christ,  should  lead  us  and  guide  us  on  our  way ;  that  He 
may  draw  us  after  Him,  in  order  to  make  us  enter  into  the  interior 
desert  of  our  soul,  in  which  is  the  mysterious  dwelling  place  of  the  Lord. 
May  He  grant  us  this  grace.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor ^ 61 


Inttg  mh  IfflultttJltrtt^ 

Synopsis— Definition  of  simplicity — Three  classes  of  created  things— 
Ahandomnetit— Purity  of  heart— Unquiet  souls— Perfection  de- 
fined—Souls abandoned  ly  God— Contemplating  Christ. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FOURTH  SUNDAY  OF  ADVENT. 

I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness,  Make  straight  the  way  of  the 
Lord. — John  i,  23. 

We  are  close  to  that  festival,  so  full  of  charm,  in  which  the  Eternal 
Word  took  birth  in  human  nature,  in  order  that  He  might  ceaselessly 
be  begotten  in  every  one  of  us.  Speech,  or  word,  and  the  voice  are  closely 
related  to  each  other.  Yesterday  I  explained  to  you  how  we  should 
sincerely  abandon  ourselves  to  God,  and  annihilate  ourselves  before  Him 
from  the  depth  of  our  soul.  Would  it  not  be  a  great  help  if,  in  order  to 
reach  that  end,  we  could  find  a  road  shorter  than  all  others?  That  road 
is  simplicity.  And  to  obtain  simplicity  one  must  close  his  senses,  empty 
his  mind  of  every  image,  and  despise  himself.  Amid  the  infinite  multi- 
plicity of  our  outward  actions  we  should  remain  masters  of  our  senses, 
for  without  this  they  will  carry  us  outside  of  ourselves,  and  bring  back 
into  us  a  thousand  foreign  images.  We  read  of  a  father  of  the  desert, 
venerable  for  the  holiness  of  his  life,  that,  being  obliged  to  go  outside  of 
his  cell  in  the  month  of  May,  he  covered  his  eyes  with  his  hood.  When 
asked  why  he  did  so  he  said :  "So  that  my  eyes  may  not  look  at  the  trees 
of  these  country-  places,  and  that  I  may  be  nowise  hindered  from  seeing 
my  soul."  Ah,  my  children,  if  the  sight  of  a  lonely  forest  was  a  hin- 
drance to  that  holy  man,  what  an  injury  to  us  shall  of  fen  be  the  worldly 
and  trifling  things  which  surround  us.  The  second  means  to  lead  us  to 
that  simplicity,  is  to  love  God  above  all  things. 

Now,  we  can  make  three  classes  of  the  things  amid  which  we  live. 
One  class  is  injurious;  the  other  is  vain  and  fleeting;  the  third,  though 
consisting  of  good  things,  is  yet  capable  of  being  made  a  hindrance  to 
us.  Outward  things  are  hurtful  to  us  when  they  draw  creatures  to  us 
with  pleasure  and  content  and  we  are  happy  with  them,  and  when  we 
seek  or  enjoy  in  them  ill-regulated  or  blameworthy  delight.     Ah,  chil- 


62  The  Sermons  euid  Spiritual  Conferences 

dren,  no  one  can  tell  how  disastrous  such  things  are  to  us,  for  they  force 
God  to  draw  away  from  us  to  make  room  for  them,  even  when  we  have  no 
intention  of  sinning,  in  clinging  to  them.  Why  rob  that  sweet  friend 
of  our  souls  of  the  happiness  and  pleasure  He  would  love  to  enjoy  in 
His  own  palace?  Why  defile  this  precious  vine  of  His  as  if  by  a  poison- 
ous vapor ;  and  we  while  in  that  state  can  no  longer  say,  with  the  spouse 
in  the  Canticle:  "Our  bed  is  flourishing"  (Cant,  i,  1.5). 

But  here  a  distinction  must  be  made.  A  man  who  loves  God  sincerely 
and  who  would  love  Him  yet  more,  sometimes  experiences  the  influence 
of  creatures  pressing  upon  him  against  his  will  and  inflicting  on  him  a 
kind  of  martyrdom,  even  unto  death.  What,  then,  should  he  do? 
Suffer  them  with  patience  and  in  abandonment  to  God — providing, 
always,  that  he  is  himself  in  no  manner  the  cause  of  these  temptations 
by  his  attachment  to  creatures.  Happy,  children,  a  thousand  times 
happy,  is  the  man  whose  purity  shall  never  have  been  soiled  by  any 
image  alien  to  purity.    He  will  possess  a  priceless  treasure. 

Besides  bad  things,  there  are  those  that  are  vain  and  useless.  As  to 
these,  we  should  be  no  more  disturbed  by  them  than  by  flies  flying  about, 
or  the  Rhine  flowing  along;  these  are  no  real  hindrances  to  us,  and  no 
one  here  below  is  quite  free  from  them ;  only  it  happens  that  by  them 
some  are  more  disturbed  than  others.  "When  the  heart  is  full  of  the 
love  of  God,"  says  St.  Bernard,  "vain  things  no  longer  find  any  room 
in  it."  What  we  should  do  in  such  a  case,  is  to  drive  out  one  nail  by 
driving  in  another  on  top  of  it,  which  means  the  sinking  deep  into  our 
heart  of  thoughts  of  Divine  things,  so  as  to  drive  out  thoughts  of  vain 
things. 

Finally,  there  are  things  which,  in  spite  of  their  usefulness,  are  yet 
for  us  a  hindrance.  We  meet  with  people  who  make  as  much  anxiety 
and  uneasiness  for  themselves  as  if  the  river  Rhine  flowed  over  their 
soul.  Their  heart  never  can  enjoy  a  moment  of  calm.  If  they  try  to 
taste  a  little  outward  peace  and  rest,  they  are  prevented  by  the  multi- 
tude of  thoughts  and  cares  that  trouble  them,  as  the  wind  tosses  the 
leaves  of  a  tree.  They  cannot  free  their  hearts  of  the  things  they  have 
undertaken  to  do,  and  they  carry  them  on  with  such  struggles  of  mind, 
that  they  are  never  happy,  and  enjoy  no  interior  peace.  Beloved  chil- 
dren, when  one  wishes  for  many  things  he  loses  unity.  I  know  that 
there  are  men  who  are  quiet  and  restful  by  character.  These  more  easily 
avoid  these  anxious  preoccupations  than  the  others  do.  But  if  men  of 
a  lively  and  eager  disposition,  had  a  little  persistence  in  overcoming 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  63 

their  restless  nature,  and  would  but  do  violence  to  themselves,  thus  con- 
quering and  winning  peace  of  heart,  they  would  become  very  superior  to 
the  others. 

These  unquiet  and  agitated  souls  should  watch  themselves  closely  and 
unremittingly ;  they  should  renounce  and  avoid  all  frivolity,  put  under 
the  ban  certain  recreations  and  amusements,  if  they  would  reach  a 
perfect  way  of  life  and  fulfill  God's  will.  Like  brave  and  loyal  knights, 
they  should  behave  with  honor  on  the  field  of  battle  and  fight  generously. 
They  should  break  down  nature,  triumph  over  the  images  which  usurp 
their  mind,  and  act  like  a  man  who  has  a  chain  entangled  in  his  hair  and 
cannot  remove  it  without  pain — cut  off  and  cast  away  what  enslaves 
them.  If  a  schoolmaster  had  among  his  pupils  a  child  who,  instead  of 
learning  his  lessons,  went  gadding  about  and  playing,  he  would  correct 
him  once  or  twice;  then,  if  he  saw  that  all  this  was  useless,  he  would 
turn  away  from  him  and  leave  him  to  become  what  he  willed.  That  is 
what  our  Saviour  does  with  those  whom  He  has  deigned  to  invite  into 
His  Divine  school,  that  holy  state  in  which  one  enjoys  His  familiar 
company,  learns  to  love  Him  tenderly  and  tastes  His  sweetness.  His 
disciples — these  are  members  of  communities  or  others  who  are  striving 
for  perfection ;  his  school — it  is  the  spiritual  life  in  which,  by  leaving  the 
world,  one  frees  himself  from  a  multitude  of  sorrows  and  cares  in  order 
to  love  God  sincerely  and  in  the  most  perfect  way,  fixing  one's  glances 
ever  upon  God  and  oneself,  and  dying  wholly  to  nature,  to  the  senses, and 
to  the  world.  There  we  are  under  the  eyes  of  God ;  He  warns,  punishes, 
strikes  us;  and  if,  in  spite  of  this,  we  run  away  to  play  instead  of  attend- 
ing to  His  lessons.  He  expels  us  from  His  school  and  gives  us  up  to  our 
own  will.  From  that  on  warnings  cease,  and  so  do  chastisements;  and 
thus  without  love  and,  so  to  speak,  without  grace,  yea,  without  God,  we 
are  content  to  live  in  a  deceitful  calm,  for  now  our  Master  deigns  no 
more  to  chide  us,  to  strike  us  or  to  be  concerned  about  us.  O  children, 
how  disquieting  and  perilous  is  that  state?  Guard  carefully  against 
falling  into  it. 

A  spiritual  man  should  long  only  for  God,  forgetting  self  and  crea-' 
tures,  acting  as  worldlings  do  who,  if  they  can  but  obtain  the  earthly 
goods  for  which  they  strive,  are  indifferent  to  the  pleasure  or  pain  it 
costs  them.  Our  Lord  complains  that  the  children  of  light  are  less  wise 
in  seeking  their  ends  than  the  children  of  darkness.  A  spiritual  man 
should  be  so  aflame  with  Divine  fire,  and  become  so  Divine  inwardly 
and  outwardly,  that  we  could  only  see  God  in  him,  and  that  no  heart 


64  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

would  be  so  cold  but  it  would  be  warmed  in  His  company,  as  we  see 
dead  coals  lighted  up  again  by  a  burning  one  placed  among  them,  receiv- 
ing from  it  their  light  and  heat.  Be  sure  of  this,  children ;  there  is  not 
a  single  instant  in  which  God  does  not  pour  into  us  some  Divine  influ- 
ence, which  we  would  plainly  feel  if  we  were  but  more  attentive;  for 
God  is  borne  on  by  His  nature  to  communicate  Himself  unceasingly, 
and  all  the  nature  of  our  spirit  is  formed  to  receive  Him.  God  is  all 
act,  and  the  soul  is  all  receptivity.  The  soul  should  be  to  God,  who  is 
our  origin  and  our  end,  what  the  stream  is  to  its  fountainhead.  But, 
alas,  poor  creatures  that  we  are,  we  are  ever  going  out  of  ourselves  and 
remaining  in  the  life  of  the  senses!  Therein  we  deceive  and  injure  our- 
selves, even  though  we  know  that  Jesus  Christ  has  said :  "God  is  a 
spirit,  and  they  that  adore  Him  must  adore  Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth" 
(John  iii,  24),  and,  therefore,  not  externally  alone  with  the  senses  and 
the  imagination. 

But  do  not  fancy  that  I  wish  to  strip  thee  of  all  images ;  there  is  one 
which  I  would  engrave  deeply  in  thy  soul.  Enter,  then,  into  thy  interior, 
and  from  thence  take  thy  flight,  even  to  the  heart  of  God ;  there  possess 
thyself  of  that  supreme  image  which  is  eternally  being  formed,  and  which 
God  is  ever  drawing  forth  from  the  abyss  of  His  Divinity,  namely,  Jesus 
Christ,  God's  only  begotten  Son.  Go  yet  deeper  into  that  Divine  abyss 
in  order  to  sink  that  ravishing  image  yet  further  down  into  the  depths 
of  thy  being,  as  if  in  a  mirror,  until  it  penetrates  all  the  powers  of  thy 
soul.  Whether  thou  dost  walk  or  stand  still,  dost  eat  or  drink,  sleep  or 
wake,  let  not  that  beloved  image  be  absent  one  instant  from  thy  mind 
and  thy  imagination.  According  to  it,  guide  and  arrange  all  thy  being 
and  all  thy  life,  whether  inward  or  outward.  Do  as  a  painter  does 
who  would  copy  a  masterpiece;  at  every  touch  of  his  brush  his  eye  is 
carefully  fixed  on  the  model  before  him,  which  he  reproduces  as  exactly 
as  he  possibly  can. 

Enter  thou,  therefore,  into  the  Divine  depths;  contemplate  there 
unceasingly  that  Divine  and  enrapturing  image  and  all  that  it  has 
received  of  the  Father,  and  make  after  that  picture  the  co})y  thou 
desirest;  fix  thy  gaze  upon  both  its  Divinity  and  its  holy  humanity; 
study  its  humility  and  kindness ;  but  stay  not  for  any  fixed  form ;  rather 
elevate  thyself  above  all  forms  and  use  them  all  vaguely,  according  to 
circumstances,  having  everywhere  and  always  thy  mirror  before  thy 
eyes,  as  well  amid  the  throngs  of  men  as  alone  in  solitude.  If  thou  art 
even  the  busy  porter  of  a  convent,  or  occupied  in  other  outward  works, 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  65 

let  that  sweet  image  be  none  the  less  familiar  to  thee  than  if  thou  wert 
seated  quietly  in  thy  chamber  or  in  the  church ;  act  and  speak  as  if  thou 
wert  ever  in  its  presence.  When  thou  eatest,  moisten  each  mouthful 
with  the  precious  blood  of  the  heart  of  Jesus;  if  thou  drinkest,  think 
that  it  is  He  who  giveth  thee  His  blood  to  drink  out  of  His  sacred 
wounds;  if  thou  sleepest,  rest  upon  His  bleeding  heart;  if  thou  speakest, 
realize  that  He  is  very  close  to  thee  and  hears  thy  words,  that  He  is 
present  with  thee  and  sees  all  thy  movements  and  all  thy  thoughts,  and 
thus  busy  thyself  in  the  contemplation  of  this  Divine  model. 

And  He  will  draw  thee  yet  further,  and  will  lift  thee  up  to  that  image 
without  form,  without  mode,  which  nothing  can  picture  or  describe  as 
it  is  revealed  to  devout  souls  interiorly.  Go  ever  onward  and  upward, 
for  whosoever  halts  and  sits  down  before  God  has  ordered  him  to  do  so, 
shall  be  expelled  from  his  place.  Sometimes  we  have  many  purposes  in 
our  mind,  and  when  that  is  the  case  we  lose  unity  with  God.  Formerly 
and  in  happier  times  a  master  of  spiritual  life  sai'a:  "Watch  well  the 
depths  of  the  soul,  what  works  and  observances  raise  thee  up  most 
quickly  to  that  Divine  image  above  all  forms,  and  choose  them  instead 
of  others,  until  thou  shalt  be  stripped  of  thyself  and  of  all  images  and 
absorbed  into  the  Divine  being."     May  God  grant  us  that  grace.    Amen. 


66  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Sly?  E\:}ttt  Strtl|fi  at  ffilyrtflt 

Synopsis — The  three  Christmas  masses — The  hirth  of  Christ  in  our 
soul.  The  eternal  generation  of  the  8on  of  God — His  generation 
in  us.  Interior  emptiness  and  fullness — Practical  suggestions — 
Detachment — Relation  of  virtuous  acts  to  the  inner  life — Interior 
silence  and  retirement. 


FIRST   SERMON   FOR   THE   FEAST   OF    CHRISTMAS. 

For  a  Child  is  born  to  us,  and  a  Son  is  given  to  us. — Isaias  ix,  6. 

Today  the  church  celebrates  three  births,  each  of  which  is  such  a 
source  of  joy  and  delight  that  we  should  break  forth  into  jubilation,  love 
and  thanksgiving,  and  whoever  does  not  feel  such  sentiments  should  mis- 
trust himself.  The  first  birth  and  the  most  sublime,  is  that  whereby  the 
Heavenly  Father  begets  His  only  Son  in  the  Divine  essence,  and  in  the 
distinction  of  the  Divine  persons.  The  second  birth  is  that  which  made 
Mary  a  mother  in  virginity  most  pure  and  inviolate.  The  third  is  that 
by  which  every  day  and  every  hour  God  is  truly  and  spiritually  begotten 
in  our  souls  by  grace  and  love.  These  three  births  are  shown  forth  by 
the  three  masses  of  Christmas  Day.  The  first  is  sung  at  midnight,  com- 
mencing with  the  words :  "Thou  art  My  Son ;  this  day  have  I  begotten 
Thee"  (Ps.  ii,  7),  that  is  to  say,  in  eternity. 

This  brings  home  to  us  the  hidden  birth  accomplished  in  the  darksome 
mystery  of  the  inaccessible  Divinity.  The  second  mass  begins  with 
these  words:  ''Today  light  has  shined  upon  us"  (Isaias  ix,  2).  It 
figures  the  glory  of  human  nature  Divinely  influenced  by  its  union  with 
the  Word.  That  mass  is  celebrated  partly  in  the  night  and  partly  in 
the  day,  because  the  birth  it  represents  is  partly  known  to  us  and  partly 
unknown.  The  third  mass  is  sung  in  the  daytime,  and  begins  with  the 
words :  "A  Child  is  born  to  us  and  a  Son  is  given  to  us."  It  figures  that 
mysterious  birth  which  should  happen,  and  does  happen,  every  day  and 
every  instant  in  holy  souls,  when  they  dispose  themselves  for  it  by  deep 
attention  and  sincere  love;  for  one  can  never  experience  that  birth 
except  by  the  recollection  of  all  one's  powers.  In  that  nativity  God 
belongs  to  us  and  gives  Himself  to  us  so  completely,  that  nothing  what- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  67 

ever  is  more  our  own  than  He  is.  And  that  is  what  those  words  say  to 
us :  ''A  Child  is  born  to  us,  and  a  Son  is  given  to  us."  He  is,  therefore, 
our  own;  He  is  ours  totally  and  everywhere,  for  He  is  always  being 
begotten  within  us. 

Let  us  speak  first  of  the  ineffable  birth  represented  by  the  third  mass 
of  Christmas,  and  let  us  explain  how  it  may  be  brought  about  in  us  in 
a  manner  the  most  perfect  and  efficacious.  To  that  end  let  us  consider 
the  qualities  of  that  first  generation,  by  which  the  Father  begets  the  Son 
in  eternity.  The  ineffable  riches  of  the  Divine  good  are  so  overflowing 
that  God  cannot  contain  Himself,  and  by  His  very  nature  He  is  forced  to 
expend  and  communicate  Himself.  ''It  is  God's  nature  to  expend  Him- 
self," says  St.  Augustine.  The  Father  has  thus  poured  Himself  out  into 
the  other  two  Divine  persons;  after  that  He  communicated  Himself  to 
creatures.  The  same  saint  says  further:  "It  is  because  God  is  good 
that  we  are  good,  and  all  the  good  that  the  creature  has  is  good  with  the 
essential  goodness  of  God."  What,  then,  is  the  peculiar  character  of 
the  Divine  generation?  The  Father,  inasmuch  as  He  is  Father,  turns 
inward  to  Himself  and  His  Divine  intelligence;  He  sees  Himself  and 
penetrates  Himself  with  a  gaze  which  wholly  embraces  His  Divine 
essence,  and  then,  just  as  He  sees  and  knows  Himself,  so  does  He  utter 
Himself  completely;  and  the  act  whereby  He  knows  Himself  and  the 
Word  whereby  He  utters  Himself  is  also  the  act  whereby  He  begets  His 
Son  in  eternity. 

Thus  the  Father  Himself  remains  within  Himself  in  the  unity  of  His 
essence,  and  goes  out  of  Himself  in  the  distinction  of  persons.  Again 
He  returns  into  Himself,  and  therein  He  rests  in  unspeakable  self- 
delight,  and  that  self-delight  goes  forth  and  overflows  in  ineffable  love, 
which  is  the  Holy  Spirit.  Thus  does  God  dwell  within  Himself  and  go 
forth  out  of  Himself  to  return  again  into  Himself.  Therefore,  is  all  out- 
going for  the  sake  of  ingoing  again.  And  hence  in  the  material  universe 
is  the  movement  of  the  heavenly  spheres  most  noble  and  most  perfect, 
because  it  unceasingly  returns  again  to  the  origin  and  beginning  from 
which  it  first  set  forth.  And  so  also  is  the  course  of  man  ever  noblest 
and  most  perfect,  when  it  returns  again  upon  its  source  and  origin. 

The  quality  which  the  Heavenly  Father  has  in  this  His  incoming  and 
outgoing,  the  same  should  every  man  have  who  will  become  the  spiritual 
mother  in  this  divine  bringing  forth.  He  must  enter  wholly  into  him- 
self, and  again  go  out  of  himself;  as  the  soul  has  three  noble  powers, 
wherein  it  is  the  true  image  of  the  blessed  Trinity — memory,  understand- 


68  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

ing  and  free  will.  Through  these  powers  is  the  soul  capable  of  receiving 
and  clinging  to  God,  and  all  that  God  is,  has  and  can  bestow,  and  in  this 
way  it  can  gaze  upon  Him  in  eternity.  For  the  soul  is  created  between 
time  and  eternity;  with  its  superior  part  it  belongs  to  eternity, 
and  with  the  inferior — the  sensitive,  animal  powers — it  belongs  to  time. 
But  both  the  higher  and  lower  powers  of  the  soul  wander  away  into 
time  and  into  the  fleeting  things  of  time,  and  this  is  because  of  the  kin- 
ship between  its  higher  and  lower  powers.  Very  easy  is  it  in  this  stray- 
ing thus  to  go  astray  from  eternity.  If  we  would  be  born  again  with  the 
Divine  birth,  then  we  need  to  start  back  again,  earnestly  struggle 
inward  and  there  gather  up  all  our  powers,  lower  and  higher,  if  we 
would  restore  all  dissipation  of  mind  to  unity,  since  united  forces  are 
ever  the  strongest,  and  they  become  united  when  drawn  back  from 
multiplicity.  When  a  hunter  would  hit  the  mark  he  shuts  one  eye  in 
order  that  with  the  other  he  may  look  straighter ;  when  one  would  think 
deeply  about  anything,  he  closes  all  his  senses  and  unites  all  his  powers 
in  his  inmost  soul,  out  of  which,  as  branches  from  a  tree,  all  the  senses 
go  forth  into  activity.  When  all  our  powers  of  sense  and  motion  are 
thus  by  an  inward  movement  assembled  together  in  the  highest  power, 
which  is  the  force  and  foundation  of  them  all,  then  happens  an  outward, 
yea,  an  overflowing  movement,  beyond  and  above  self,  by  which  we 
renounce  all  ownership  of  will,  of  appetite  and  of  activity.  There 
remains  for  thee  then  only  a  pure  and  clear  intention  to  be  of  God  and 
of  God's  purposes,  to  be  nothing  whatever  of  self,  or  ever  to  become  any- 
thing of  self,  to  be  for  Him  alone,  to  give  room  to  Him  alone,  whether  in 
things  high  or  low,  so  that  He  may  work  His  will  in  thee  and  bring 
about  His  birth  in  thee,  and  therein  remain  unhindered  by  thee  to 
the  end. 

If  two  are  to  be  made  one,  then  must  one  stand  passive  and  the  other 
active.  If  my  eye  is  to  receive  an  image,  it  must  be  free  from  all  other 
images;  for  if  it  already  has  so  much  as  one,  it  cannot  see  another,  nor 
can  the  ear  hear  a  sound  if  it  be  occupied  with  one  already.  Any  power 
of  receiving  must  first  be  empty  before  it  can  receive  anything.  Hence 
St.  Augustine  says:  ''Empty  thyself  if  thou  wouldst  be  filled.  Go 
forth,  if  thou  wouldst  enter  in."  And  elsewhere  he  says :  "O  noble  soul, 
O  noble  creature  of  God,  wherefore  goest  thou  outside  thyself  in  search 
of  Him  who  is  always  and  most  certainly  within  thee,  and  through 
Whom  thou  art  made  a  partaker  of  the  divine  nature?  What  hast 
thou  to  do  or  why  dost  thou  concern  thyself  with  creatures  ?" 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  69 


When  a  man  thus  clears  the  ground  and  makes  his  soul  ready,  without 
doubt  God  must  fill  up  the  void.  The  very  heavens  would  fall  down  to 
fill  up  empty  space,  and  much  rather  will  God  not  allow  thee  to  remain 
empty,  for  that  would  be  against  His  nature.  His  attributes;  yea,  and 
against  His  justice.  If,  therefore,  thou  wilt  be  silent,  the  Word  of  this 
Divine  birth  shall  speak  in  thee  and  shall  be  heard ;  but,  if  thou  speakest, 
be  sure  He  will  be  silent.  Thou  canst  not  serve  the  Word  better  than 
by  being  silent  and  by  listening.  If  thou  goest  out  of  self,  He  without 
doubt  goeth  in,  and  so  it  will  be  much  or  little  of  His  entering  in,  accord- 
ing to  much  or  little  of  thy  going  out. 

An  illustration  of  this  going  out  of  self  is  given  in  the  book  of  Moses, 
how  God  made  Abraham  go  forth  from  his  country  and  his  kinsfolk,  so 
that  He  might  show  him  all  good  things.  The  Divine  birth  in  the  soul 
of  man — that  means  certainly  all  good  things,  and  that  alone  is  its 
meaning.  The  country  or  region  out  of  which  the  soul  must  go — that 
means  the  body,  with  its  lusts  and  concupiscences  of  whatever  kind. 
The  friends  he  must  have — these  are  his  inclinations  and  the  sensitive 
or  sensible  powers  with  their  images,  which  draw  him  on  and  fasten 
him  down.  These  set  love  and  pain  in  motion,  joy  and  sorrow,  longing 
and  dread,  care  and  frivolity.  These  friends  are  very  near  akin  to  us ; 
against  them  we  must  be  strictly  on  our  guard  if  we  would  wholly  elude 
them,  and  if  we  would  have  born  in  us  the  all-good  that  this  Divine  birth 
really  is  for  us.  A  proverb  says :  A  boy  kept  too  much  at  home  behaves 
like  a  calf  when  away  from  home,  which  means  that  men  who  have  not 
gone  beyond  their  natural  life,  nor  raised  themselves  above  what  the 
senses  furnish  to  be  seen,  heard,  tasted,  moving  about — men  who  have 
thus  never  gone  forth  from  this  the  native  home  of  all  sensible  life, 
are  veritable  animals  when  there  is  question  of  understanding  the  high 
things  of  God.  Their  interior  being  is  like  a  mountain  of  iron,  in  which 
no  gleam  of  light  ever  shines.  When  outward  things  and  images  and 
forms  are  gone,  they  no  longer  know  and  feel  anything.  They  are, 
indeed,  at  home;  but  for  that  very  reason  they  do  not  experience  this 
wonderful  resignation.  Therefore  did  Christ  say:  "If  any  man  come  to 
Me  and  hate  not  his  father,  and  mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and 
brethren,  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  My 
disciple"  (Luke  xiv,  26). 

We  have  so  far  spoken  of  the  first  and  last  births,  and  how  by  the  last 
we  learn  a  lesson  about  the  first.  And  now  we  shall  instruct  you  about 
the  second  birth,  in  which  this  night  the  Son  of  God  is  born  of  His 


70  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

mother  and  becomes  our  Brother.  In  eternity  He  was  born  a  Son  with- 
out a  mother,  and  in  time  He  was  born  a  Son  without  a  father.  Now, 
Saint  Augustine  tells  us :  "Mary  is  much  more  blessed  because  God  was 
born  spiritually  in  her  soul  than  because  He  was  born  her  fleshly  Son." 
Now,  whosoever  would  experience  this  spiritual  and  blessed  birth  in  his 
soul,  as  Mary  did  in  her  soul,  should  consider  the  qualities  of  Mary,  that 
mother  of  God  both  fleshly  and  spiritual.  She  was  a  virgin,  all  chaste 
and  pure,  and  yet  she  was  retired  and  separated  from  all  things,  and  so 
the  angel  found  her.  It  is  thus  that  one  must  be  who  would  bring  forth 
God  in  his  soul.  That  soul  must  be  chaste  and  pure.  If  it  has  strayed 
away  from  purity,  then  must  it  come  back  and  be  made  pure  again ;  for 
the  meaning  of  virginity  in  this  teaching,  is  to  be  outwardly  unfruitful 
and  inwardly  very  fruitful.  And  this  virgin  soul  must  close  its  outward 
senses,  having  little  external  occupation,  for  from  such  it  can  have  little 
fruit.  Mary  thought  of  nothing  else  but  of  Divine  things.  Inwardly 
the  soul  must  have  much  fruit ;  the  beauty  of  the  King's  daughter  is  all 
within.  Hence  must  this  virgin  soul  live  in  detachment  in  all  its  habits, 
senses,  behavior,  in  all  its  speech.  Thus  will  it  bear  many  and  great 
fruits,  namely,  God's  Son,  God's  Word,  Who  is  all  in  all  and  contains 
all  things  in  Himself. 

Mary  was  a  wedded  virgin,  and  so  must  the  soul  be  wedded,  as  St. 
Paul  teaches.  Thou  must  sink  thy  tickle  will  deep  into  the  Divine  will, 
which  is  immovably  steadfast,  so  that  thy  feebleness  may  be  strength- 
ened. Mary  lived  retired,  and  so  must  the  soul  espoused  to  God  be  in 
retirement,  if  it  will  experience  the  interior  regeneration.  But  not  alone 
from  those  wanderings  after  temporal  things  which  appear  to  be  faulty, 
but  even  from  the  sensible  devotion  attached  to  the  practice  of  virtue, 
must  the  soul  refrain.  It  must  establish  rest  and  stillness  as  an  enclos- 
ure in  which  to  dwell,  hiding  from  and  cutting  off  nature  and  the  senses, 
guarding  quiet  and  interior  peace,  rest  and  repose.  It  is  of  this  state  of 
the  soul  that  w^e  shall  sing  next  Sunday  in  the  introit  of  the  mass: 
"While  all  things  were  in  quiet  silence,  and  the  night  was  in  the  midst  of 
her  course,  Thine  Almighty  Word,  O  Lord,  came  down  from  Heaven, 
out  of  Thy  royal  throne"  (Wisdom  xviii,  14-15)..  That  was  the 
Eternal  Word  going  forth  from  the  Father's  heart.  It  is  amid  this 
silence,  when  all  things  are  hushed  in  even  eternal  silence,  that  in  very 
truth  we  hear  this  Word;  for  when  God  would  speak  thou  must  be 
silent.  When  God  would  enter  in,  all  things  must  go  out.  When  our 
Lord  entered  Egypt,  all  the  idols  in  the  land  fell  down.    However  good 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  71 

or  holy  anything  may  seem,  if  it  hinders  the  actual  and  immediate 
Divine  generation  in  thee  it  is  an  idol.  Our  Lord  tells  us  that  He  has 
come  bringing  a  sword,  cutting  off  all  that  clings  to  men,  even  mother, 
brother,  sister;  for  whatever  is  intimately  joined  to  thee  without  God 
is  thy  enemy,  forming,  as  it  does,  a  multitude  of  imaginations  covering 
and  hiding  the  Divine  Word. 

Although  this  tranquillity  may  not  as  yet  wholly  possess  thee,  nor 
last  all  the  time  within  thee,  yet  thou  shouldst  so  constantly  cultivate 
interior  silence  as  a  means  of  experiencing  the  Divine  birth,  that  it  shall 
finally  become  a  spiritual  habit.  What  is  easy  to  a  well-practiced  man 
may  seem  impossible  to  an  unpracticed  one,  for  practice  makes  perfect. 
May  God  grant  us  all  the  grace  of  inner  stillness,  and  thereby  the  birth 
of  His  Divine  Word  in  our  souls.    Amer*. 


'•'2  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — Christ  upon  the  altar — In  the  pulpit — In  the  literal  flesh- 
In  the  human  soul — Conditions  for  interior  union  with  God. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  CHRISTMAS, 
lu  the  beginniug  was  the  Word. — John  i,  1. 

Learned  men  say  of  the  Eternal  Word,  that  God  never  spoke  it  but 
once,  and  that  in  a  certain  sense  it  is  yet  unspoken,  which  means  that 
the  Eternal  Word  is  the  speech  of  the  Father,  even  His  only  begotten 
Son,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  In  Him,  without  beginning  and  without 
end,  has  the  Father  uttered  all  created  things.  Nor  can  we  say,  in  every 
meaning  of  the  terms,  that  the  Word  has  been  uttered,  since  He  has 
never  come  forth  out  of  the  Father. 

And,  mark  well,  dear  children,  that  we  may  understand  this  Word  in 
four  ways.  The  first  is  His  place  on  the  altar  in  the  hands  of  the  priest ; 
there  shall  we  know  and  love  the  Eternal  Word,  just  as  we  shall  be 
known  to  the  Father  in  the  same  Eternal  Word.  Again  shall  we  know 
the  Eternal  Word  in  what  we  are  taught  by  the  preacher  from  the 
pulpit,  uttering  His  Divine  truth.  And  we  must  receive  Him  thus 
properly,  for,  as  water  flows  through  the  stream,  so  comes  the  Eternal 
Word  through  the  lips  of  the  preacher.  We  must  not  be  hindered  by 
the  preacher's  defects ;  we  must  rather  look  at  the  Eternal  Word  in  His 
very  essence,  as  He  floweth  forth  eternally  from  the  depths  of  His  being. 
Thirdly,  we  must  recognize  the  Eternal  Word  in  all  our  Lord's  friends, 
who,  having  imitated  Him  here  on  earth,  are  now  joined  to  Him  in 
everlasting  life,  or  who  are  yet  His  disciples  here  below.  These  are  all 
they  who  are  in  living  union  with  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Fourthly,  we 
must  know  the  Eternal  Word  as  He  is  uttered  in  our  very  souls  by  God 
Himself ;  and  this  is  a  revelation  of  Him  not  to  be  described,  for  the  soul 
has  no  words  that  can  tell  it. 

You  must  know  that  the  Eternal  Word  is  self-begotten  in  the  soul  and 
(hat  the  soul  itself,  when  favored  with  the  Divine  generation  within  it, 
knows  the  Eternal  Word  better  than  all  teachers  can  describe  Him. 
What  one  can  put  into  speech  is  all  too  little,  and,  therefore,  the  Word 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  73 

itself  quickly  teaches  the  soul.  Hence  we  are  instructed  to  hurry  gladly 
to  that  school  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  schoolmaster.  And  be 
sure,  dear  children,  that  when  He  is  the  schoolmaster,  He  wants  to  find 
His  scholars  very  well  prepared  for  Him,  so  that  they  may  be  able  to 
understand  the  precious  lessons  which  He  draws  for  them  from  the 
Father's  heart. 

Hence  the  soul  which  would  experience  this  birth  of  the  Word  must 
stand  forth  in  great  purity,  and  its  life  must  be  a  noble  one  and  wholly 
interior,  not  running  after  the  pleasures  of  the  five  senses,  nor  absorbed 
in  multiplicity  of  created  things;  but  it  must  live  in  the  utmost  purity 
of  heart.  Says  Master  Eckhart:  ^'What  God  does  in  a  soul  which  He 
finds  free  and  stripped  of  all  things,  so  detached  from  creatures  that  He 
can  be  spiritually  born  in  it,  is  both  more  pleasing  to  Him  and  more 
communicative  of  His  own  self  than  the  creative  act  by  which  He  drew 
all  things  out  of  nothing." 

And  why  is  this?  Because  God  has  no  creature  with  so  great  a 
capacity  as  a  soul  in  which  He  is  spiritually  generated,  for  in  none  can 
He  express  Himself  so  perfectly;  into  none  can  He  pour  Himself  out  so 
entirely  and  in  all  the  force  and  essence  of  His  being.  Now,  we  have 
already  said  that  the  birth  of  God  in  the  soul,  is  nothing  else  than  that 
He  reveals  Himself  to  the  soul  with  a  new  knowledge  and  after  a  new 
manner  of  communication. 

It  may  be  asked  if  the  greatest  blessedness  of  the  soul  is  to  be  found 
in  this  work  of  God  in  it?  I  answer:  Although  God  has  more  joy  in 
this  than  in  all  His  other  works  among  creatures,  whether  in  Heaven 
or  earth,  yet  the  soul's  supreme  joy  is  rather  in  its  own  work  of  recep- 
tivity while  this  birth  of  God  takes  place  in  it.  It  is  not  the  soul's 
supreme  joy  that  God  is  born  in  it,  but  rather  that,  with  intimate  love 
and  union,  it  responds  to  the  knowledge  God  imparts  by  this  generation, 
whereby  the  soul  is  born  again  and  restored  to  Him  who  is  its  origin. 
In  this  the  soul  departs  from  self  and  cleaves  to  God,  and  is  thereby 
blessed  not  by  self-blessedness,  but  by  God's.  The  soul  now  has,  if  it 
will,  the  Father  and  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  Now  is  it  dissolved 
into  the  Divine  Unity;  now  shall  be  revealed  God  alone  to  the  soul's 
self  alone.  Hence  a  famous  doctor  teaches,  that  no  one  may  come  to  this 
state  who  has  so  much  of  earthly  taint  on  him  as  could  be  held  by  the 
point  of  a  needle.  Into  the  pure  Godhead  can  no  man  enter  except  he 
be  as  pure  as  when  he  came  forth  from  God.  Thus  teach  spiritual 
writers,  and  they  wisely  counsel  us  to  yield  the  victory  to  God,  and 


74  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

receive  everything  from  Him  direct  and  nothing  from  creatures.  And 
it  is  thus  we  give  God  His  best  glory,  and,  being  detached  and  empty, 
we  await  His  action,  when  and  how  He  wills  it ;  for  we  must  own  that 
God  does  all  things  best.  Our  part  is  to  help  God,  as  far  as  in  us  lies,  to 
advance  His  glory. 

A  certain  teacher  says  that  a  king  pays  little  heed  to  those  of  his 
underlings  who  do  menial  service,  but  he  is  attentive  to  those  who  are 
his  personal  associates,  and  these  he  always  favors.  God  acts  thus  with 
His  chosen  friends — souls  that  are  in  His  company  in  His  hidden  retire- 
ment; God  refuses  them  no  petition.  Some  teachers  tell  us,  however, 
that  many  souls  reach  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  who  on  earth  enjoyed  no 
more  familiar  intercourse  with  God  than  a  man  buried  in  a  dark  forest 
enjoys  the  sunlight.  But  let  us  in  our  lives  and  in  our  purposes  earnestly 
strive  after  the  highest  privilege;  and  may  God  grant  us  His  help. 
Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  75 


Synopsis — What  part  of  the  soul  is  made  conscious  of  the  divine  gen- 
eration— The  souVs  inner  sanctuary  is  God's  holy  place — Union 
effected  without  similitudes — The  souVs  preparation  is  silence 
and  quiet — Reference  in  footnote  to  another  sermon  of  Taulefs — 
Teaching  of  St.  Augustine — Fruits  of  this  divine  generation  are 
heavenly  wisdom  and  increased  assurance  of  perseverance. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  SUNDAY  AFTER  CHRISTMAS. 

While  all  things  were  in  quiet  silence. — Wisd.  xviii,  14. 

We  are  to  speak  today  of  the  eternal  generatioD,  by  which  in  eternity 
and  without  cessation  God  the  Father  begets  the  Eternal  Word,  and  now 
in  our  Saviour's  person  born  in  time  and  in  human  nature.  Says  St. 
Augustine:  "What  is  it  to  me  that  the  eternal  generation  of  the  Word 
ceaselessly  takes  place  if  He  is  not  generated  in  me?  All  depends  on 
whether  or  not  He  is  born  in  me." 

Thus  it  behooves  us  to  speak  of  this  generation,  begun  and  perfected 
when  God  the  Father  utters  His  Eternal  Word  in  a  perfect  soul.  Herein 
understand  me  to  be  speaking  of  a  perfect  man,  one  who  has  walked  in 
God's  paths,  and  that  steadfastly  until  now,  and  not  of  men  who  are 
natural  and  unexercised  in  a  devout  life;  for  these  are  far  removed 
from  and  unknowing  of  this  Divine  generation.  The  wise  man  Solomon 
says  "While  all  things  were  in  quiet  silence  ♦  *  *  Thy  Almighty 
Word  leaped  down  from  Heaven  from  Thy  royal  throne."  This  Word  is 
the  subject  of  our  sermon.  Of  it  we  remark  three  things.  First,  we  ask : 
Where  in  the  soul  does  God  the  Father  utter  His  Word?  What  part  of 
the  soul  is  made  conscious  of  this  Divine  operation  ?  That  must  be  the 
part  that  is  purest,  noblest  and  most  delicately  sensitive.  Indeed,  what- 
ever of  nobility  God,  with  all  His  power,  has  implanted  by  creation  in 
the  soul's  nature,  and  whatever  of  nobility  the  soul  has  afterwards 
received  from  Him,  upon  all  of  this  must  God  work  in  imparting  this 
Divine  generation.  Therefore,  the  soul  must  keep  itself  all  purified 
and  high-minded,  living  in  simplicity  and  wholly  interiorly,  restraining 


76  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

itself  from  sensible  things  and  the  multiplicity  of  creatures,  for  God's 
work  is  done  in  the  purest,  simplest  and  most  recollected  state  of  the 
soul. 

The  second  question  is  this :  Just  how  should  the  soul  behave  toward 
this  Divine  generation?  Should  it  labor  in  co-operation  with  it,  so  as  to 
facilitate  the  Divine  birth,  forming  images  in  the  understanding  and  in 
the  thoughts,  saying  to  itself  such  things  as  God  is  wise,  almighty, 
eternal  ?  Or  is  it  better  to  assist  the  Divine  fatherly  act  by  withdraw- 
ing totally  from  all  thoughts,  words  and  acts,  and  from  all  images  of  the 
mind,  resting  quite  passive  under  God's  influence,  as  far  as  this  may  be 
done,  and  letting  Him  alone  to  act?  Which  of  these  two  ways  best 
serves  the  Divine  birth  in  the  soul? 

Thirdly,  we  are  to  consider  how  great  are  the  benefits  of  this  Divine 
generation. 

And  now,  reverting  to  our  first  question.  And  I  will  herein  use  ordi- 
nary and  natural  language,  easily  understood.  For,  although  I  believe 
the  Scriptures  more  than  I  do  myself,  yet  ordinary  terms  will  be  better 
understood.  Our  text  tells  us  that  a  secret  word  was  uttered  amid  quiet 
silence.  O  Lord,  where,  then,  is  that  silence,  where  is  the  spot  in  which 
that  word  is  uttered?  As  I  said  before,  so  now  say  I  again :  It  is  the 
purest  place  the  soul  can  offer  and  the  noblest;  it  is  in  the  soul's  very 
renovated  depths;  yea,  in  its  most  essential  being.  That  place  it  is  that 
holds  the  quiet  silence  ministering  to  this  Divine  birth.  Never  doea 
any  created  thing  or  any  image  enter  there ;  nor  in  that  innermost  soul 
is  there  any  action,  or  understanding,  or  knowledge ;  no,  nor  any  figure, 
whether  of  herself  or  of  any  creature.  Everything  the  soul  does  it  does 
by  its  faculties.  If  it  thinks,  it  is  with  its  reason;  if  it  recalls  the  past, 
it  is  with  the  memory,  and  if  it  loves,  it  is  with  the  will.  Thus,  it  is  ever 
with  the  soul's  faculties  and  not  with  its  essential  being  that  it  acts; 
all  its  activity  depends  on  some  intermediary.  The  power  of  seeing 
works  not  without  the  eyes;  without  them,  seeing  is  not.  And  the  same 
is  true  of  the  soul's  activity  through  all  the  other  senses;  it  always 
depends  on  an  intermediary.  But  in  the  essential  being  of  the  soul  there 
is  no  action,  for  the  faculties  with  which  it  works  flow  out  of  this  very 
essence.  In  this  alone  abides  that  silence,  that  perfect  quiet,  that 
proper  condition  for  God  to  operate  the  Divine  generation  and  speak 
His  Eternal  Word.  In  this  depths  of  its  being  the  soul  is  by  its  very 
nature  incapable  of  receiving  anything  but  God's  own  esseuce,  and  that 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  77 

without  any  intermediary.  God  enters  here  Himself  alone,  Himself 
wholly  and  not  partially,  and  God  enters  into  the  soul's  very  essence. 

None  but  God  alone  can  have  access  to  the  soul's  essence;  creatures 
cannot,  for  they  must  stay  outside  among  the  soul's  faculties,  in  which 
it  beholds  their  image,  by  means  of  which  it  gives  them  entrance.  When 
the  soul's  faculties  come  into  touch  with  creatures,  these  faculties  form 
an  image  of  them  and  present  it  to  the  soul,  which  in  that  way  knows 
them.  No  deeper  than  this  can  creatures  sink  into  the  soul.  Nor  does 
the  soul  ever  approach  creatures  except  by  willingly  receiving  an  image 
of  them,  and  by  the  presence  of  the  same  it  is  brought  in  contact  with 
creatures.  The  soul  forms  the  image  from  the  thing  itself  by  means  of 
its  own  faculties;  knowing,  for  example,  and  being  joined  to,  a  stone, 
a  horse,  or  a  man  by  the  image  thus  made  and  perceived,  the  knowledge 
necessarily  coming  into  the  soul  from  outside  through  the  senses.  Hence 
it  happens  that  nothing  is  so  little  known  to  the  soul  as  its  own  real 
self.  And  hence  a  certain  teacher  says  that  the  soul  is  unable  to  form 
or  receive  an  image  of  its  own  self,  for  the  reason  that  all  images  enter 
through  the  senses,  and  these  cannot  perceive  the  soul.  It  knows  all 
other  things,  but  itself  it  knows  not.  Of  nothing  is  it  so  ignorant  as  of 
itself,  and  this  is  for  lack  of  necessary  intermediate  image. 

And  be  assured  that  when  the  soul  is  freed  from  all  images  and  inter- 
mediaries, God  can  for  that  reason  join  it  to  Himself  directly  and  with- 
out the  interposition  of  anything  whatsoever.  Consider  that  whatever 
power  thou  dost  claim  for  any  human  master,  thou  must  own  (iod  to 
possess  the  same,  and  that  beyond  all  measure.  Now,  the  wiser  and 
mightier  such  a  master  is,  the  less  does  he  need  means  and  instruments 
to  influence  thee  and  the  simpler  is  his  power.  But  man  needs  many 
means  and  instruments  for  his  outward  works,  and  between  his  plan- 
ning and  his  performance  there  is  much  preparation.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  moon  and  sun  in  their  masterful  work  of  illuminating  the 
world,  need  no  longer  than  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  to  fill  all  the  ends 
of  the  earth  with  light.  And  an  angel  needs  even  less  means  and  uses 
fewer  images;  while  the  very  highest  seraph  has  but  one  single  figure  in 
which  he  knows  and  acts  his  part,  though  lesser  spirits  need  a  multi- 
plicity of  such  aids.  But  God  needs  no  aid  of  images  or  instruments 
at  all,  not  even  of  one.  God  acts  upon  the  soul  directly,  without  image 
or  figure;  yea,  upon  the  soul's  deepest  depths,  into  which  no  image  has 
ever  penetrated,  nor  any  being  other  than  God's  self.  This  can  no 
created  thing  ever  accomplish.    God  the  Father  thus  begets  His  Son  in 


78  The  Sermons  eind  Spiritual  Conferences 

the  soul,  and  not  as  creatures  act,  by  showing  figure  and  likeness,  but 
just  as  He  begets  Him  in  eternity. 

And  how  is  this  Divine  generation  accomplished  in  the  soul?  Remem- 
ber that  God  the  Father  has  a  knowledge  of  Himself  which  penetrates 
His  being  perfectly  and  without  the  interposition  of  any  image ;  and  it 
is  thus  that  God  the  Father  generates  His  Son  in  true  unity  of  Divine 
nature.  Now  in  no  other  manner  does  God  the  Father  beget  His  Son  in 
the  essence  and  being  of  the  soul,  and  in  doing  so  unite  Himself  with 
the  soul.  But  if  in  this  Divine  work  there  were  any  intermediary  of 
figure  or  image,  there  could  be  no  true  and  perfect  union,  and  upon  such 
a  union  depends  all  the  soul's  happiness. 

But  you  may  object  that  by  nature  the  soul  is  ever  full  of  images.  I 
answer  no;  for  if  that  were  true  the  soul  could  never  be  happy,  nor 
could  God  ever  make  a  being  capable  of  perfect  bliss;  nor  would  God 
be  our  greatest  joy  and  last  end — God,  who  is  the  beginning  and  the 
end  of  all.  No  creature  can  ever  be  the  bliss  of  another  creature,  nor 
its  perfection.  The  perfection  of  all  virtue  in  this  mortal  life  is  fol- 
lowed by  the  perfection  of  immortal  life  hereafter,  which  consists  in 
immediate  union  with  God.  If  thou  wouldst,  therefore,  enjoy  here 
below  a  foretaste  of  thy  future  bliss,  thou  must  needs  retire  inward  and 
dwell  in  thy  soul's  depths  and  essence.  There  must  it  be  that  God  will 
touch  thee  with  His  most  simjile  being,  without  medium  or  similitude. 
No  image  is  for  its  own  sake,  but  only  to  show  its  original,  coming  from 
without  by  means  of  the  senses  acting  on  creatures ;  and  as  no  creature 
can  ever  make  us  happy,  much  less  can  any  image  of  creatures. 

And  now  let  us  consider  our  second  question,  namely :  What  shall  one 
do  to  win  and  merit  that  this  Divine  generation  shall  take  place  within 
his  soul?  Shall  we  co-operate  by  meditating  on  God,  and  that  by  means 
of  similitudes?  Or  shall  one  rather  rest  in  mental  silence  and  wait  for 
God  in  quiet  of  mind,  leaving  to  Him  alone  all  active  working?  And 
now  let  me  repeat  what  I  have  said  before :  Such  a  matter  as  this  con- 
cerns only  perfect  souls,  who  have  already  won  to  themselves,  as  it 
were  essentially,  all  virtuous  living,  doing  good  without  any  effort — 
men  who  are  living  examples  of  the  life  and  teaching  of  our  Lord.  Let 
such  as  these  know  that  if  they  would  be  granted  this  divine  life,  their 
best  and  highest  part  is  to  be  still  and  let  God  act  and  speak.*     When 

♦Tauler's  teaching  here  and  elsewhere  about  the  prayer  of  quiet,  is  to  be  supple- 
mented and  explained  by  that  in  the  Sermon  for  the  First  Sunday  of  Lent  Therein 
he  exposes  and  condemns  the  quietism  of  the  false  mystics.  There,  too,  he  explains 
the  restful  and  passive  receptivity  of  real  contemplation,  just  as  it  has  ever  been 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  79 

all  the  powers  of  a  soul  are  withdrawn  from  all  activity  and  all  simili- 
tudes of  creatures,  then  in  that  soul  shall  the  Divine  Word  be  uttered. 
According  to  our  text:  "While  all  things  were  in  quiet  silence  the 
Almighty  Word  leaped  down  from  Heaven."  Therefore,  in  proportion 
as  thou  dost  earnestly  gather  inward  all  thy  faculties  in  forgetfulness 
of  all  created  things  and  of  all  their  similitudes,  being  recollected  wholly 
in  thyself  in  obliviousness  of  creatures,  the  nearer  art  thou  to  receive 
the  generation  of  the  Divine  Word. 

O,  if  thou  couldst  but  forget  all  things !  Yea,  if  thou  couldst  but  be 
unconscious  of  thy  own  very  life,  and  be  able  to  say,  with  St.  Paul : 
"Whether  in  the  body  or  out  of  the  body,  I  know  not,  God  knoweth" 
(II  Cor.  xii,  2) .  In  him  had  the  spiritual  part  so  entirely  absorbed  the 
natural  faculties  that  he  forgot  his  bodily  existence;  memory  and  under- 
standing no  longer  acted,  nor  did  the  senses  and  powers  whose  office  is 
to  regulate  corporal  life.  His  bodily  heat  was  suspended,  and  yet  with- 
out hurt  to  his  physical  condition,  and  he  suffered  no  injury  from  being 
for  three  days  without  meat  and  drink.  The  same  was  the  case  with 
Moses ;  he  fasted  during  the  forty  days  he  was  with  God  in  the  moun- 
tain, and  was  no  weaker,  but  just  as  strong,  the  last  day  as  the  first. 
So  must  one  withdraw  from  the  life  of  the  senses  and,  turning  inward 
all  his  powers,  forget  everything,  even  his  very  self.  Hence  a  teacher 
says:  "Quit  the  unrest  of  external  activity,  fly  and  hide  from  the 
storms  of  outward  things  and  inward  thoughts,  for  these  breed  disturb- 
ance." If  God  shall  utter  His  Word  in  the  soul,  the  soul  must  be  in 
peace  and  tranquillity.  It  is  then  that  He,  indeed,  utters  His  Word 
and  His  own  self  in  the  soul;  it  is  not  any  resemblance,  but  it  is  His 
very  self.  St.  Dionysius  says :  "God  has  no  similitude  or  image  of  Him- 
self, for  He  is  essentially  all  good,  all  truth,  all  being."  He  does  all 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  whether  He  acts  in  Himself  or  out  of  Him- 
self. Do  not  imagine  that  when  God  made  the  heavens  and  earth  and 
all  things,  that  he  made  one  today  and  another  tomorrow;  for,  even 
though  Moses  thus  writes,  he  does  so  in  order  that  his  readers  may  the 
more  easily  understand  God's  creative  act,  for  He  Himself  was  better 
informed.  God's  act  of  creation  was  only  this :  He  willed  and  it  was 
done.  God  acts  without  means  or  figiires ;  and  the  more  thou  art  freed 
from  them,  the  more  apt  art  thou  to  receive  His  influence;  and,  being  the 

taught  by  approved  mystical  writers.  He  shows  that  it  is  a  relative  and  not  an 
absolute  cessation  of  mental  action.  While  the  ordinary  activity  of  the  faculties 
is  suspended,  the  soul  is  gazing  into  God  with  a  distinct  longing,  intensely  reaching 
onward  into  deeper  and  deeper  joy  of  contemplation. 


80  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

more  introverted  and  self-forgetful,  thou  art  all  the  nearer  to  Him. 
About  this  St.  Dionysius  counsels  his  disciple,  Timothy :  "Chasten  thy 
senses,  elevate  thyself  above  thyself  and  all  thy  powers  above  speech 
and  reason,  above  works  and  methods  and  existence,  and  abide  in  hidden, 
quiet  darkness,  and  it  is  thus  that  thou  shalt  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  unknown  and  all-good  God."  There  must  be  withdrawal  of  the  soul 
from  all  things;  God  feels  it  beneath  His  dignity  to  act  by  means  of 
images. 

You  might  ask.  Where  does  God  act  without  any  image?  It  is  in 
the  depths  and  essence  of  the  soul.  I  cannot  know  it  in  the  ordinary 
way  of  knowing,  for  my  soul's  faculties  perceive  nothing  except  in 
images,  each  object  being  necessarily  known  by  its  proper  image;  for 
example,  the  soul  cannot  see  and  recognize  a  horse  in  the  figure  of  a 
man;  and,  because  all  images  enter  the  soul  from  without,  the  Divine 
generation  is  hidden  and  mysterious  to  it,  and  that  is  all  for  the  best. 
This  Divine  act  within  the  soul  being  so  unaccountable,  it  sinks  it  deep 
in  amazement.  Then  it  forthwith  studies  this  evient  within  its  depths, 
and  that  very  eagerly,  and  knows  better  and  better  that  it  is  most  real, 
though  it  cannot  tell  how  it  is,  nor  exactly  what  it  is,  only  it  soon  knows 
that  it  is  God.  When  a  man  knows  the  cause  of  anything,  forthwith 
he  tires  of  it  and  looks  about  to  find  something  else  to  investigate,  ever 
striving  after  knowledge  and  never  resting  content.  But  in  this  obscure 
knowledge  of  God  acting  within  it,  the  soul  is  fixed  fast  and  keeps  on 
constantly  enquiring.  Hence  the  wise  man's  teaching  in  our  text,  that 
His  hidden  W^ord  was  uttered  amid  quiet  silence  of  all  things,  in  a  very 
secret  way,  stealing  into  my  soul  unawares.  But  you  may  ask  how  can 
this  be  a  hidden  Word,  since  the  very  nature  of  every  word  is  to  reveal 
something.  And  I  answer  that  this  Word,  as  it  flashes  forth  in  my  soul 
does,  indeed,  reveal  something,  for  it  is  a  witness  of  God,  and  only 
therefore  is  it  called  a  Word.  But  that  it  was  the  Divine  Word,  was  at 
first  hidden  from  me  by  reason  of  its  stealing  into  my  soul  in  secret 
and  in  stillness. 

And  the  benefit  of  this  is  that  it  makes  us  search  for  it,  since  it  is  hid- 
den and  yet  with  us,  appears  and  yet  is  concealed,  and  so  perforce  we 
must  yearn  and  sigh  after  it.  So  St.  Paul  urges  us  to  follow  after  it 
and  never  give  over  till  we  have  possessed  it ;  for  he  had  come  back  from 
the  third  heaven,  having  there  beheld  all  Divine  things;  yet  he  forgot 
them,  and  this  was  because  he  had  been  rapt  so  deep  into  God  that  his 
reason  could  not  act  there.    W^hen  he  would  seek  to  tell  of  what  hap- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  81 

pened,  he  found  it  concealed  from  him;  and  so  he  looked  for  it  within  his 
very  soul,  and  not  by  mental  exertion  toward  what  was  outward;  for 
such  things  are  within  and  not  without,  absolutely  within ;  and  because 
he  was  interiorly  sure  of  this  so  did  he  say :  "I  am  sure  that  neither 
death  nor  life  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God"  (Rom. 
viii,  38-39) ;  namely,  that  love  he  felt  the  Divine  Word  had  generated 
within  him. 

A  heathen  sage  said  this  beautiful  word :  "I  see  something  true  within 
me,  shining  before  my  spirit.  I  know  full  well  that  it  is  something  real, 
but  what  it  is  I  cannot  understand,  only  I  believe  that  if  I  could  but 
grasp  it  I  should  know  all  truth."  And  then  another  sage  answered 
him:  "Ah,  yes,  keep  up  thy  search  for  this  hidden  thing;  for  if  thou 
canst  but  grasp  it  thou  shalt  have  all  good,  thou  shalt  have  eternal  life." 

St.  Augustine  likewise  teaches :  "I  have  discovered  something  in  my 
soul  which  lights  it  up  and  which,  if  it  could  but  be  perfected  within  me, 
I  would  be  life  eternal.  It  is  hidden  and  yet  revealed,  coming  in 
secretly.  And  its  meaning  is  that  it  will  steal  all  things  away  from  the 
soul.  What  it  reveals  to  me  is  that  it  is  come  to  gain  entrance  to  my 
soul  and  lead  it  away,  and  cause  it  to  strip  itself  of  all  things."  In  the 
same  sense  the  prophet  prayed  that  the  Lord  might  take  from  him  his 
spirit  and  give  him  the  Divine  Spirit.  And  so  spoke  the  love-stricken 
soul  in  the  Canticle:  "My  soul  melted  when  He  [my  beloved]  spoke" 
(Cant,  v,  6) .  As  if  to  say,  when  He  entered  my  soul  I  fainted  away  with 
love.  And  such  is  Christ's  meaning  when  he  tells  us  that  whosoever 
leaveth  father  or  mother  for  His  sake  shall  receive  a  hundred-fold 
(Matt,  xix,  29).  And  in  St.  John's  Gospel  (xii,  26)  :  "He  that  would 
minister  to  Me,  let  him  follow  after  Me,"  and  not  after  his  senses. 

Perhaps  thou  wilt  say :  Oh,  Lord,  wilt  thou  reverse  the  soul's  natural 
life  and  work  against  its  nature?  For  by  our  senses  and  their  image- 
making  must  we  live.  Art  thou  going  to  turn  back  this  our  soul's  order 
of  life?  No;  by  no  means.  But  dost  thou  know  what  nobility  God  hath 
implanted  in  this  same  nature,  yet  all  unknown,  all  hidden?  Those 
who  have  written  about  the  soul's  nobility  have  never  come  nearer  to  it 
than  their  natural  reason  could  carry  them.  They  have  never  entered 
into  the  depths,  and  hence  much  has  been  hidden  from  them  and  remains 
unknown.  Hence  the  prophet  says:  "I  will  hear  what  the  Lord  will 
speak  in  me"  (Ps.  Ixxxiv,  9).  It  was  because  of  this  hidden  nobility 
of  the  soul  that  the  Word  came  down  in  the  darkness  of  night.  And 
St.  John  says:    "The  light  sh'ineth  in  darkness."     And  he  also  tells 


82  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

us  that  the  Word,  coming  among  His  own,  they  yet  received  Him  not, 
but  that  "as  many  as  received  Him,  to  them  He  gave  power  to  become 
the  sons  of  God"  (John  i,  12). 

Let  us  now  consider  our  third  point,  the  point  of  the  Heavenly  Word, 
and  of  the  darkness  which  is  His  peculiar  accompaniment.  In  brief, 
it  is  that  thou  shait  be  born  as  the  heavenly  Father's  child  and  nothing 
less,  for  herein  He  gives  thee  the  power  to  be  made  a  son  of  God. 

Mark  well  this  fruit.  For  all  the  truth  that  those  teachers  who  follow 
reason  alone  have  ever  taught,  all  that  such  will  ever  teach  till  the  last 
day,  is  nothing  in  comparison  to  the  wisdom  in  the  depths  of  this  soul. 
Although  this  interior  life  is  darkness  and  ignorance,  yet  it  has  more 
wisdom  than  all  external  knowledge  whatsoever.  It  strips  us  of  all 
knowledge  of  things  gained  by  reason ;  it  even  strips  us  of  self.  As 
Christ  says:  "If  any  man  cometh  to  me  and  hate  not  his  father,  and 
mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and  brethren,  and  sisters;  yea,  and  his 
own  life  also  [and  all  the  external  things  else], he  cannot  be  My  disciple" 
( Luke  xiv,  26) .  It  is  as  if  He  would  say,  whosoever  does  not  give  up  all 
that  is  outward  in  creatures  is  incapable  of  this  Divine  inward  genera- 
tion. If  thou  wilt  divest  thee  of  thy  own  very  self  and  of  all  that  is 
external  to  thee,  then  God  will  in  very  truth  give  thee  His  Divine  gen- 
eration. And  I  firmly  believe  that  the  man  who  thus  stands  inwardly 
upright  with  God,  would  rather  suffer  the  most  shameful  death  than 
commit  the  least  mortal  sin.  I  will  even  affirm  that  as  long  as  he  con- 
tinues thus  joined  to  God,  he  will  not  be  guilty  of  ordinary  daily  venial 
faults  against  himself  or  others,  as  far  as  these  are  wilful,  whether  by 
act  or  permission.  He  is  so  strongly  drawn  to  God  that  he  feels  as  if  he 
cannot  turn  away  from  Him,  and  always  sighs  and  yearns  after  Him. 

May  God  help  us  to  obtain  this  Divine  birth  within  us — God  who  is 
now  born  unto  us  a  Man — so  that  we  poor,  weak  men,  as  we  are,  may  be 
divinely  born  unto  Him.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  83 


5I?j0H0«0  for  tljr  5ff to  fear 

Synopsis — Causes  of  relapse  into  sin. — Lack  of  thoroughness,  and 
of  humility,  which  is  defined — Lack  of  the  interior  spirit,  and  of 
resolute  purpose — Examples  of  two  virgins — Lack  of  recollection, 
which  is  defined — Practical  suggestions. 


SEKMON  FOR  NEW-YEAR'S  DAY. 

On  this  happy  New-Year's  Day  should  every  pious  Christian  cut  him- 
self off  from  his  former  transgressions  and  his  evil  habits,  and  over  and 
over  again  renew  his  good  resolutions.  For  many  a  one,  warned  by 
God  or  his  own  friends,  begins  a  new  course ;  but  he  quickly  falls  away 
again  from  his  good  manner  of  life,  and  before  he  knows  how  or  where  it 
happened,  he  has  slipped  back,  and  this  comes  mainly  from  the  follow- 
ing causes : 

The  first  is  that  one  is  not  loosened  from  his  inclinations  and  tastes 
for  created  things.  It  may  be  love  of  thy  own  self  that  holds  thee  down, 
or  it  may  be  some  other  transitory  good.  Whatever  is  not  God,  whether 
small  or  great,  fetches  thee  down,  even  without  thy  knowing  it,  so  that 
thou  mayst  not  stay  in  the  right  way,  or  with  God. 

The  second  cause  is  that  one  is  not  rooted  in  humility.  Whoever  will 
have  his  tree  grow  must  sink  the  roots  deep  in  the  earth;  otherwise,  no 
matter  how  the  sun  shines  and  the  water  is  poured  upon  it,  it  all 
avails  nothing  to  make  it  grow  and  bear  fruit.  Once  it  is  well  planted, 
and  the  deeper  it  is  sunk  below,  the  higher  it  grows  up  above.  Just  so 
then,  supposing  the  soil  to  be  good,  it  grows  well  and  bears  much  fruit, 
with  thyself.  Are  thy  roots,  that  is  to  say,  thy  intentions,  not  planted 
in  the  good,  fertile  soil  that  God  alone  is,  in  real  and  submissive  humil- 
ity, and  that  without  any  doubt?  Then  all  light  and  teaching  and  all 
the  waters  of  devout  sentiments  help  thee  nothing.  Thou  must  even  be 
withered  and  dried  up  before  thou  canst  come  to  anything.  And  true 
humility  is  not  such  talk  as  this :  I  am  a  good-for-nothing  creature.  But 
rather  that  one  is  in  all  reality  totally  subjected  to  God,  not  in  outw-ard 
show,  but  in  his  deepest  heart,  in  the  renunciation  of  self  in  all  things 


84  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

and  separation  of  soul  from  all  creatures,  until  one  clings  to  nothing 
but  what  God  gives,  cleaving  to  Him  with  steadfast  earnestness,  in 
humble  fear,  ever  lying  prostrate  at  His  feet  in  constant  prayer.  True 
humility  is  to  wait  on  God's  blessed  will  in  joy  and  sorrow,  in  plenty  and 
want,  living  in  detachment  and  interior  conformity  to  God;  giving  up 
one's  own  will  to  the  eternal  will  of  God,  which  one  waits  on  with  patient 
trust,  accepting  everything  from  Him,  and  in  turn  offering  all  to  Him 
again,  with  a  willing  soul  stripped  all  naked  and  in  poverty;  appropriat- 
ing to  oneself  not  a  hair's  weight  of  all  the  gifts  God  grants  him ;  every- 
thing of  this  done  in  deepest  spiritual  silence,  the  innermost  soul  sunk 
in  humble  recollection,  without  the  least  self-consciousness,  without 
sitting  in  judgment  on  other  men. 

The  third  cause  of  failure  is  a  man  being  too  much  occupied  with  his 
outward  senses,  not  abstaining  enough  from  efforts  of  his  own,  acting 
as  if  God  could  do  nothing  without  his  help.  A  man  must  in  all  things 
turn  inward,  wait  inwardly,  watch  there  for  God,  let  God  act,  and  be  to 
God  nothing  but  an  instrument  in  His  hands.  Let  him  do  God's  will 
simply,  passively  and  not  actively,  acknowledging  as  God's  his  every 
effort,  act  and  word.  Surrender  thy  will  to  God  in  all  things,  and  live 
and  act  interiorly.  Draw  thyself  in  to  the  innermost  recesses  of  thy 
soul,  for  it  is  there  that  God  dwells;  gather  there  unto  Him  all  thy 
faculties  and  senses,  all  will  and  all  activity,  and  busy  thyself  only  with 
longing  for  the  all-lovely  will  of  God.  And  if  thou  hast  no  longing,  yet 
long  to  have  a  longing;  be  God's  bondsman,  not  in  name,  but  essentially, 
by  an  act  beyond  power  of  words  to  tell,  or  thought,  or  understanding, 
in  a  manner  all  passive,  mysteriously  sunk  down  in  the  darkness  of  thy 
inmost  being,  and  in  pure  faith.  Only  then  it  is  that  one  prays  most 
perfectly  in  the  spirit,  and  seeks  the  heavenly  Father  with  a  prayer  that 
is  always  heard  and  granted. 

Take  an  example.  There  were  two  virgins  in  a  convent,  one  versed 
in  high  learning  and  deep  questions ;  the  other  had  no  thought,  of  such 
things,  but  in  simplicity  of  soul  was  absorbed  in  God,  and  ever  gave  her- 
self up  to  Him.  This  latter  was  powerful  with  God,  who  at  once  granted 
her  all  she  asked.  And  whatever  others  asked  her  to  pray  for,  God  forth- 
with granted  it  to  them,  even  when  she  had  forgotten  to  pray  for  it. 
When  they  thanked  her  she  said  to  God :  Ah,  my  dear  Lord,  how  has  this 
happened,  for  I  forgot  to  offer  the  prayers  which  Thou  yet  hast  granted ! 
And  He  answered  her :  There  was  no  need  of  thou  thyself  begging  these 
favors ;  it  was  enough  for  Me  that  thou  wast  asked  to  do  so,  and  that  I 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  85 

knew  thy  good  purpose  to  pray.  I  must  always  make  it  good,  because 
thou  hast  given  over  to  Me  all  thy  will.  And  so  we  affirm  that  those 
who  are  entirely  abandoned  to  God  pray  better  without  words,  and,  as 
it  seems  to  them,  even  without  thoughts  or  desires,  than  others  do  with 
long  prayers  full  of  tears;  for  the  former  pray  in  God  and  with  God; 
all  their  conduct  and  their  life  is  purely  a  prayer. 

Any  man  who  gives  himself  to  God  essentially  determined  always  to 
remain  His  prisoner,  to  hira  will  God  in  turn  deliver  Himself  entirely, 
and,  as  it  were,  become  his  captive.  And  then  God  leads  him  ineffably 
above  all  captivity  into  Divine  freedom  in  His  own  self,  and  makes  him, 
in  a  certain  way,  rather  a  Divine  than  a  human  being.  They  who 
approach  such  a  man  come  near  to  God,  and  they  who  would  know  him 
well  must  know  him  in  God.  Herein  are  all  his  wounds  healed,  all  his 
debts  paid,  and  he  has  passed  out  of  creatures  into  God.  His  natural 
state  has  in  a  manner  been  changed  into  a  Divine  state.  This  blessed 
exchange  is  beyond  comprehension,  beyond  sensible  perception  and  feel- 
ing, for  it  is  beyond  natural  conditions.  Whosoever  have  found  this 
interior  way  have  found  the  shortest  and  happiest ;  and  the  most  perfect 
and  eternal  enjoyment  of  God  is  theirs.  We  had  better  be  silent  about 
this  than  discourse  of  it,  better  experience  it  than  comprehend  it. 

These  souls  are  ever  abandoned  to  God  in  their  will  and  in  all  things 
as  God  desires,  keeping  always  a  close  guard  over  themselves.  God  is 
constantly  present  to  them  in  their  perceptions  and  feelings;  at  no  time 
or  in  any  act  do  they  lose  touch  of  Him  or  He  of  them ;  they  always  mean 
God  and  seek  Him  in  what  they  do,  never  themselves.  And  if  it  ever 
happens  that  they  lose  the  sense  of  God's  nearness,  whether  in  their  souls 
or  in  outward  nature,  then  they  immediately  suffer.  Multiplicity, 
unrest,  darkness,  dissipation  of  mind,  afflict  them  and  cause  dissatisfac- 
tion in  their  labors.  This  is  the  test  as  to  whether  or  not  one  works 
for  God  alone.  Thus  easily  and  strongly  does  Nature  seek  herself  in 
all  things,  even,  alas,  in  the  things  of  God. 

O,  if  a  man  will  reach  the  possession  of  the  Supreme  Good,  he  must 
labor  as  hard  and  as  skilfully  as  one  who  would  master  a  difficult  art! 
Let  him  always  lie  prostrate  at  God's  feet  as  a  poor  little  worm,  as 
being  nothing  and  good  for  nothing,  actually  realizing  the  words  of 
the  prophet :  "I  have  become  as  a  beast  before  Thee,  and  I  am  always 
with  Thee"  (Ps.  Ixii,  23).  And  again  the  Holy  Spirit  says  to  the 
bride :  "If  thou  knowest  not  thyself,  O  fairest  among  women,  go  forth 
and  follow  after  the  steps  of  the  flocks!"  (Cant,  i,  7).    This  means: 


86  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Learn  a  lesson  from  the  patient  beast,  who  eats  nothing  and  does  noth- 
ing except  as  guided  by  his  owner  and  according  as  the  heavenly  bodies 
influence  him.  O,  if  any  one  will  but  give  himself  up  to  God  and  follow 
Him,  he  will  always  be  with  God  and  with  the  prophets,  and  will, 
indeed,  be  happy!  If  you  strike  an  ox,  he  does  not  resent  it;  if  you 
caress  him,  he  regards  it  not;  he  neither  rejoices  nor  mourns,  but  leaves 
all  things  to  themselves.  If  we  shall  ever  come  to  that  state  on  account 
of  absorption  in  God  we  shall,  indeed,  be  perfect  men.  Whosoever  is 
really  detached  from  himself  and  savors  God  alone,  to  him  God  makes 
a  plain  response  in  all  things,  in  pleasure  and  in  pain,  in  plenty  and  in 
want. 

If  one  will  arrive  at  this  state,  let  him  fly  away,  be  still,  wait  and 
repose.  Whosoever  has  gained  these  four  helps  easily  overcomes  any 
affliction.  He  who  thinks  always  of  his  last  end,  and  with  a  yearning 
heart  awaits  eternity,  easily  despises  all  earthly  things.  Thou  shalt 
never  taste  the  Divine  sweetness,  until  thou  dost  reject  earthly  sweetness 
as  if  it  were  the  taste  of  death.  Whosoever  will  be  saved  must  be  saved 
by  means  of  great  care  and  watchfulness.  If  thy  thoughts  shall  dwell 
in  Heaven,  Heaven  shall  be  granted  thee  on  earth.  Whatever  virtue  is 
thine  without  interior  silence  it  will  be  impossible  for  thee  to  keep. 
Know  thyself,  for  many  men  know  many  things  and  never  know  them- 
selves. He  who  has  mastered  his  thoughts,  and  keeps  them  hidden  from 
men  and  the  world,  is  secure  from  the  strokes  of  the  enemy.  He  who 
is  happy  when  all  alone,  is  secretly  visited  by  God,  and  the  enemy  dis- 
turbs him  not  in  his  inner  life,  while  his  outward  life  rests  in  much 
peace.  But  he  that  is  involved  in  multiplicity  must  suffer  many 
wounds.  Whatsoever  man  begins  to  disregard  the  little  things  in  the 
spiritual  life  and  to  heed  not  his  trifling  faults,  loses  courage  and  zeal 
little  by  little,  and  at  last  comes  to  nothing.  May  God  save  us  all 
from  this.     Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  87 


Synopsis — The  divine  generation  is  continuous  in  the  perfect  soul — 
Explanation  of  natural  spiritual  activity — Examples  drawn  from 
Christ's  dealing  with  His  Apostles — Interior  and  exterior  quiet 
necessary — Hoiv  compatihle  with  duty — Union  of  action  with  con- 
templation— Hoiv  contemplation  is  superior  to  action — How  the 
intelligence  acts  during  contemplation — Zeal,  when  inordinate — 
Voivs  and  other  obligations,  hoic  related  to  higher  states  of  prayer. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  SUNDAY  AFTER  NEW  YEAR'S. 

Did  you  not  know  that  I  must  be  about  My  Father's  business? — Luke  ii,  49. 

These  words  serve  our  purpose  well,  for  I  am  going  to  speak  of  the 
eternal  birth,  which  yet  happens  in  time  and  does  happen  every  day,  in 
the  innermost  depths  of  the  soul,  far  from  all  outward  things.  If  any- 
one will  receive  this  Divine  favor,  it  is  before  all  things  necessary  for 
him  to  be  about  the  Father's  business. 

What,  then,  is  peculiar  to  the  Father?  We  give  to  Him  among  the 
three  Divine  persons  the  attribute  of  power.  If,  therefore,  the  Divine 
generation  is  surely  felt,  it  must  be  with  great  power,  both  in  overcom- 
ing one's  outward  self  and  breaking  away  from  the  senses  in  all  things. 
It  takes  strong  force  to  throw  back  and  subdue  all  our  faculties,  sup- 
pressing their  activity.  Force  must  be  applied ;  only  by  force  can  this 
ever  succeed.  Christ  says :  "The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  suffereth  violence, 
and  the  violent  bear  it  away"  (Matt,  xi,  12). 

And  now  a  question  arises.  Does  this  Divine  generation  take  place 
continuously  in  the  soul,  or  only  at  intervals?  I  answer  that  that  is 
according  to  our  dispositions,  and  whether  or  not  one  applies  himself 
earnestly  to  God's  work,  for  that  end  striving  day  and  night  to  forget 
all  things.  And  now  we  must  make  a  distinction.  Man  is  endowed 
with  active  intelligence,  passive  intelligence,  and  that  which  is  only 
possible  intelligence.  The  first  is  always  at  work  upon  something 
present  to  it ;  the  second  works  by  accepting  the  action  of  another ;  the 
third  remains  in  readiness  to  act  and  holds  possession  of  what  it  may 
act  upon.     For  example,  what  things  one  spoke  ten  years  ago  he  now 


88  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

holds  in  memory,  and  although  he  does  not  at  present  speak  them,  yet 
are  they  as  close  to  him  as  what  he  now  does  actually  speak.  The  past 
things  (not  yet  recalled  to  mind)  he  holds  by  virtue  of  what  is  called 
habit ;  that  is  to  say,  a  power  seated  in  him  and  ready  to  act;  the  latter 
he  holds  under  actual  consideration.  It  is  thus  with  the  Divine  genera- 
tion. Our  Lord  said :  'Tet  a  little  while  and  you  shall  not  see  Me,  and 
again  a  little  while  and  you  shall  see  Me"  (John  xvi,  17).  And  so  it 
is  with  our  good  God ;  sometimes  He  reveals  Himself,  sometimes  He 
hides  Himself.  Our  Lord  took  the  three  apostles  with  Himself  into 
the  mountain  and  showed  them  the  bodily  glory  which  was  His  by  His 
union  with  the  Godhead  (and  which  shall  be  ours  after  the  resurrec- 
tion) ;  and  immediately  Peter  would  gladly  have  remained  there  forever. 
And,  in  truth,  when  a  man  finds  good  things  he  cannot  give  them  up,  in 
so  far  as  they  are  good.  And,  therefore,  when  the  intelligence  has  found 
good  things,  so  must  the  memory  afterwards  recall  them  with  love.  Nor 
can  our  love  be  withdrawn  from  anything  good  unless  we  feel  that  there 
is  some  evil  mixed  with  it.  Our  Lord,  knowing  all  this  full  well,  must 
sometimes  hide  Himself  away  from  us  or  we  should  lose  our  freedom  of 
accepting  or  rejecting  Him. 

Notice,  besides,  that  the  active  intelligence  is  always  busy  with  some 
object,  whether  it  be  God  or  creatures.  And  when  it  acts  reasonably 
upon  creatures,  that  is  to  say,  referring  them  by  well-ordered  reason  to 
their  first  cause,  namely,  to  God's  glory  and  praise,  then  all  is  well 
with  the  intelligence,  which  is  then  rightly  said  to  be  active.  But  when 
God  Himself  undertakes  to  act  within  it,  then  the  soul  must  hold  itself 
passive.  Meanwhile  the  possible  intelligence  co-operates  with  both  the 
active  and  passive,  so  that  while  God  acts  and  the  soul  receives  His 
action,  the  best  possible  effect  may  be  produced.  The  soul  is  active  when 
it  busies  itself  with  its  work;  it  must  be  passive  and  tranquil  when  God 
alone  works  within  it;  and  ere  this  is  begun  and  perfected  the  soul  looks 
to  God  and  to  itself  that  it  may  possess  a  perfected  work.  In  this 
position  the  intelligence  is  called  the  possible  reason;  and  this,  taken 
by  itself,  is  of  little  value  and  produces  no  fruit.  But  in  so  far  as  the 
soul  acts  up  to  its  possibilities  in  all  fidelity,  in  so  far  does  God's  Spirit 
rule  the  soul  and  its  activity;  then  does  it  see  the  power  of  God  and 
receive  His  Spirit.  But  since  the  sight  of  God  in  this  corporal  life  is 
oppressive,  therefore  at  intervals  He  withdraws  Himself.  Hence: 
"Yet  a  little  while  and  you  shall  not  see  Me,  and  again  a  little  and  you 
shall  see  Me,"  which  is  as  much  as  to  say  that  the  good  God  sometimes 
shows  and  sometimes  hides  Himself  to  our  understanding. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  89 

Call  to  mind  what  I  have  said  about  Peter  and  the  other  disciples  at 
the  Transfiguration,  and  how  we  cannot  give  up  any  good,  as  such, 
when  we  find  it.  Wherever  the  intelligence  perceives  good,  the  will 
and  memory  follow  after,  and  the  entire  soul  cleaves  to  it  until  it  finds 
in  it  something  evil.  Hence  if  our  Lord,  Who  is  the  Supreme  Good,  did 
not  at  times  hide  His  glory  from,  the  soul,  it  would  so  turn  inward  to 
Him  and  therein  fixedly  remain,  that  it  could  not  care  for  the  ,body,  of 
which  it  is  the  single  indispensable  form  and  the  actual  life.  Hence  St. 
Paul's  words  about  his  vision:  ''Whether  in  the  body  or  out  of  the 
body,  I  know  not"  (II  Cor.  xii,  2).  If  he  had  been  thus  rapt  away 
in  the  spirit  during  a  hundred  years,  contemplating  the  infinite  good, 
he  could  not  come  back  to  his  body,  and  he  would  be  meanwhile  totally 
forgetful  of  it.  That  this  Divine  influence  does  not  belong  to  this 
earthly  life  our  gracious  Father  knows  full  well,  and  hence  He  imparts 
it  to  us  only  at  intervals  and  in  a  way  most  fitting  our  weakness,  just  as 
a  good  physician  gives  a  sick  man  medicine.  It  is  all  God's  work,  not 
thine;  and  He  acts  or  He  acts  not  by  turns,  for  thy  best  interests.  His 
hand  is  ever  upon  thee  to  guide  thee  to  much  or  little  of  His  Divine 
influence,  holding  thee  away  from  Him  when  His  Divinity  becomes 
intolerable  to  thee.  He  is  no  destroyer  of  nature ;  rather  He  perfects  it ; 
but  only  according  as  thou  art  by  degrees  prepared  for  Him. 

And  now  here  is  a  diflBculty.  Since  one  must,  in  order  to  prepare 
for  God's  visit  to  his  soul,  be  quite  stripped  of  all  interior  images 
and  freed  from  all  activity  of  his  mental  faculties,  which  is  yet  ever 
man's  natural  condition,  what  shall  we  say  of  outward  works  of  broth- 
erly love?  Is  it  not  certain  that  these  must  sometimes  be  performed, 
such  as  instructing  the  ignorant  and  comforting  the  unfortunate?  Must 
all  these  be  quite  given  up,  the  very  works  that  the  Lord's  disciples  so 
often  gloried  in  doing?  A  father  of  the  church  says  that  St.  Paul  was 
so  filled  with  love  of  the  people  that  he  seemed  to  bear  the  whole  world 
of  humanity  in  his  heart.  Must  one  be  deprived  of  this  great  good  for 
the  sake  of  a  lesser  one?  In  answer  I  bid  you  to  observe  this :  The  one 
good  is  in  itself  the  nobler;  the  othei*  the  more  beneficial.  Mary  was 
praised  for  choosing  the  better  part,  and  yet  Martha's  part  was  in  a 
certain  sense  the  more  useful,  for  she  ministered  to  our  Lord  and  His 
disciples.  St.  Thomas  teaches  that  the  active  life  is  better  than  the 
contemplative,  as  long  as  one's  activity  springs  from  that  very  love 
which  one  has  gained  in  contemplation.  Thus  the  two  kinds  of  holiness 
are  one;  for  the  active  man  is  only  fruitful  when  he  holds  fast  to  the 


90  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

contemplative  state  as  to  the  root  of  his  activity.  Herein  is  placed  the 
fruitfulness  of  the  active  life,  namely,  that  it  fulfills  the  purposes  of 
the  soul's  contemplative  state.  One  kind  of  life  may  seem  wholly  active, 
and  yet  it  is  in  reality  of  a  piece  with  the  contemplative.  It  is  as  if  one 
entered  in  and  came  out  of  a  house  now  by  one  and  then  by  another 
door.  The  doors  are  different ;  the  house  is  one  and  the  same.  There- 
fore, in  active  holiness  one  has  nothing  that  is  preferable  to  contempla- 
tive holiness;  for  one  kind  reposes  in  and  is  founded  on  the  other  and 
carries  out  its  designs.  In  God's  sight  there  is  thus  perfect  unity 
between  the  two  states,  in  one  of  which  He  shows  the  principle  of  action 
and  in  the  other  shows  how  to  carry  it  out  in  the  same  spirit.  In  the 
one  thou  ministerest  good  to  thyself;  in  the  other  the  same  ministry  is 
extended  to  the  brethren.  This  manner  of  life  Christ  our  Lord  perfectly 
illustrated  in  His  own  career, and  He  enforces  it  upon  us  by  His  teaching 
and  example.  This  is  most  plainly  shown  in  His  whole  life,  as  well  as 
in  the  lives  of  all  His  disciples,  all  His  saints  whom  He  sent  forth  to 
serve  the  common  good  of  all. 

St.  Paul  writes  to  his  dear  son,  Timothy:  "Preach  the  Word"  (II 
Tim.  iv,  2).  Does  he  mean  the  outward  word  that  beats  the  air?  No, 
by  no  means;  but  rather  that  inwardly  given  word  which  lies  hidden  in 
the  depths  of  the  soul.  He  is  to  preach  it  in  such  wise  that  the  powers 
of  his  hearers'  souls  shall  receive  it  and  be  fed  with  it.  He  shall  possess 
it  so  that  he  may  be  enabled  to  announce  it  to  other  men  in  all  plainness. 
And  a  further  grace  is  added :  He  shall  so  live  outwardly  that  whatever 
his  neighbor  stands  in  need  of,  shall  be  found  revealed  in  his  outward 
conduct.  The  word  he  preaches  shall  thereby  light  up  men's  thoughts, 
reason,  will  and  senses.  According  to  our  Lord  :  "Let  your  light  so  shine 
before  men  that  they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father, 
Who  is  in  Heaven"  (Matt,  v,  16).  This  teaching  is  against  certain 
men  who  value  contemplation  and  at  the  same  time  do  not  value  active 
virtue.  They  say  we  have  no  need  of  the  practice  of  virtue,  we  have 
progressed  above  that.  Of  these  our  Lord  did  not  speak  when  He  said : 
"Some  fell  on  good  ground  and  brought  forth  fruit  a  hundred-fold" 
(Matt,  xiii,  8).  And  elsewhere  He  says:  "The  tree  that  bringeth  not 
forth  good  fruit  shall  be  cut  down"  (Matt,  iii,  10). 

Thou  mayst  ask :  What,  then,  becomes  of  the  hush  and  silence  of 
which  thou  hast  told  us  before?  For  to  the  active  life  belong  many 
images,  every  act  having  its  own,  either  within  or  without;  as,  for 
instance,  that  I  teach  this  or  do  that,  causes  figures  and  forms  in  my 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


91 


mind.  And  what,  then,  becomes  of  my  interior  quiet?  Whatever  the 
reason  knows  or  the  will  determines  or  the  memory  recalls— all  makes 
forms  and  images.  I  ansAver  thus :  Doctors,  as  I  have  already  stated, 
tell  us  of  a  working  or  active  intelligence,  and  of  a  receiving  or  passive 
intelligence.  The  active  intelligence  observes  the  forms  of  outward 
things  and  strips  them  of  what  is  material  and  accidental ;  these  images 
are  then  deposited  in  the  passive  intelligence  as  spiritual  images.  When 
the  passive  intelligence  has  thus  become  fertilized  and  impregnated,  it 
knows  outward  things  in  these  their  images;  but  after  this  has  hap- 
pened the  mind  can  only  recall  them  with  the  lurtlier  co-operatioQ  of  the 
active  intelligence,  shedding  new  light  upon  the  passive  intelligence. 
Now,  understand  that  all  this  work  done  by  the  active  intelligence  in  the 
natural  man,  God  Himself  exclusively  and  completely  does  in  a  man 
wholly  and  supernaturally  detached  from  all  things.  He  suspends  the 
active  intelligence  and  puts  Himself  in  its  place;  and  then  He  does 
directly  Himself  the  work  that  belongs  to  the  active  intelligence.  This 
man  has  subjugated  himself  and  reduced  his  active  intelligence  to  inac- 
tivity. Therefore,  God,  if  He  wills  him  to  work  actively,  must  Himself 
be  the  worker  and  act  directly  on  the  passive  intelligence. 

Bear  in  mind  that  the  active  intelligence  cannot  contain  two  images 
at  the  same  time;  one  must  be  before  or  after  the  other.  Two  colors 
may  be  in  different  quarters  of  the  heavens,  but  thou  canst  see  only  one 
at  a  time.  Now,  mark  well  that  this  is  not  so  when  God  Himself  directly 
impregnates  the  mind  in  the  stead  of  the  active  intelligence  doing  so,  for 
He  then  conveys  many  forms  and  images  to  the  passive  intelligence 
at  the  same  moment.  When  God  inspires  thee  to  one  good  work,  imme- 
diately all  good  works  are  before  thee;  thy  spirit  is  lifted  on  high  a 
thousand  times  more  swiftly  than  before,  and  is  directed  to  all  good. 
In  one  instant  all  the  good  thou  canst  do  is  displayed  before  thee;  and 
this  shows  that  the  work  is  not  of  thy  reason,  but  rather  of  Him  Who 
has  all  forms  and  images  in  Himself  at  one  and  the  same  moment. 
Hence,  says  St.  Paul :  ''I  can  do  all  things  in  Him  who  strengtheneth 
me"  (Phil,  iv,  13) ;  not  only  this  or  that  thing,  but  all  things  whatsoever. 
Learn  by  this  that,  when  thou  comest  to  this  high  state,  the  forms 
according  to  which  thy  work  is  done  are  not  thine  nor  nature's ;  they  are 
His,  Who  is  nature's  master;  He  it  is  Who  has  placed  the  forms  and 
done  the  work.  This  has  happened  to  thee  in  time,  but  it  is  generated 
and  done  by  God  in  eternity  and  in  a  manner  above  all  forms. 

Thou  mayst  ask :   Since  my  intelligence  is  herein  stripped  of  its  own 
natural  activity,  its  own  natural  works  and  images,  upon  what  support 


92  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

shall  it  then  rest?  for  some  support  it  must  have.  Can  one's  faculties 
now  have  any  basis  from  which  to  act,  either  of  memory,  reason  or  will? 
In  answer  I  say  that  the  soul  has  for  its  basis  of  action  not  the  acci- 
dentals of  being,  but  being  itself.  When  it  perceives  real  being  it  imme- 
diately is  drawn  to  it  and  rests  in  it,  and  therefrom  does  the  soul  reason- 
ably speak  its  word  or  do  its  act.  Until  it  finds  the  very  truth  of  being, 
and  touches  the  essence  of  what  it  knows,  and  can  say  it  is  precisely 
this  and  nothing  else,  it  refuses  to  rest,  but  ever  searches  further,  ever 
longing  and  seeking.  Thus  does  the  soul  labor  sometimes  a  whole  year 
in  the  study  of  even  some  natural  truth.  Yet  a  longer  time  will  the 
mind  work  at  separating  the  non-essential  from  the  essential,  resting  on 
no  basis  and  making  no  decision. 

This  is  true  of  the  soul's  relation  to  natural  truth.  As  to  knowing 
supernatural  truth,  that  is  to  say,  God,  never  in  this  life  can  the  soul  be 
without  longing  and  laboring,  always  remaining  in  greater  ig^norance 
than  knowledge  of  Him,  even  in  the  highest  spiritual  states;  for  He 
never  reveals  Himself  very  much  to  His  friends  here  below.  What  they 
are  given  to  know  of  Him  is  nothing  compared  to  what  He  really  is.  Yet 
it  is  really  God  in  His  very  essence  that  is  in  the  soul,  but  to  the  reason 
known  only  in  a  dark  and  hidden  manner.  And  the  soul  is,  therefore, 
ever  without  rest,  struggling  to  know  more,  searching  for  what  is  con- 
cealed and  yet  is  to  be  revealed  of  Him.  Thus  it  is  that  we  cannot  know 
what  God  is  in  Himself,  but  we  learn  more  of  Him  by  unceasingly 
abstracting  from  our  thoughts  of  Him  whatever  He  is  not,  always  seek- 
ing Him  as  matter  seeks  form.  Matter  never  rests  till  filled  with  all 
forms;  nor  does  reason,  until  it  has  possessed  that  truth  which  informs 
and  enfolds  all  things ;  and  that  it  must  have  in  its  essence.  God  with- 
holds this,  drawing  the  soul  on,  exciting  its  longing  and  its  endeavors 
in  search  of  greater  and  yet  greater  good.  And  the  soul  is  by  its  nature 
never  content  with  trifling  things,  but  ever  strives  after  the  highest. 

Thou  mayst  say :  Master,  thou  hast  told  us  before  that  all  our  powers 
must  be  still,  and  yet  now  Thou  hast  taught  us  that  in  this  stillness  there 
is  a  knowledge  of  and  longing  after  all  things  in  God.  Is  not  this  a 
loud  cry  and  an  eager  speech  after  what  one  does  not  possess,  an  expect- 
ing and  a  longing — not  stillness  and  rest?  Is  it  not  absence  of  real 
repose,  and  rather  studying  and  wishing,  seeking,  thanking  and  prais- 
ing, filling  the  mind  with  images?  I  answer  by  pointing  out  a  distinc- 
tion. If  a  man  is  stripped  naked  of  self  and  all  things  else  and  that 
in  his  every  faculty  and  in  every  way,  then  whatever  happens  in  his  soul 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


93 


is  no  longer  his,  but  it  is  God's,  to  whom  he  has  given  himself  up.    Let 
me  insist:   The  word  or  action  of  which  we  speak,  whose  word  is  it? 
Is  it  His  Who  speaks  or  his  who  hears?    Although  it  is  in  a  certain 
way  his  who  hears,  yet  it  is  essentially  the  Word  of  Him  Who  generates 
it  and  utters  it,  not  of  him  who  hears  it.    Take  an  example:     The 
sun  sheds  its  light  into  the  air,  which  receives  it  and  gives  it  to  us,  so 
that  we  can  distinguish  colors.     And  yet  the  light,  though  as  to  its  form 
it  be  in  the  air,  yet  in  its  essence  it  is  in  the  sun.     It  comes  from  the  sun 
and  not  from  the  air,  which  yet  receives  it  and  distributes  it  to  every- 
thing that  is  capable  of  it.     It  is  thus  with  God's  generation  of  His  grace 
in  the  soul.     Thy  soul  receives  it  in  its  powers  in  many  ways— in  aspira- 
tions, in  intentions,  in  newness  of  life,  in  thanksgiving.  Alihough  action 
thus  affects  thee,  it  is  all  God's  and  not  thy  own.  Take,  therefore,  all  that 
happens  within  thee  as  His  and  not  as  thy  own,  as  it  is  written :   ''The 
Holy  Spirit  breathes  very  softly  even  amid  the  tempest  (III  Kings  xix, 
12) .    He  does  not  pray  in  us,  but  we  pray  in  Him,  as  St.  Paul  savs :  "No 
man  can  say  the  Lord  Jesus  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost"  (I  Cor.  xii,  s) .    It  is 
thus  before  all  things  necesary  for  thee  not  to  cling  to  anvthing,  but  to 
surrender  thyself  totally  to  God,  that  He  may  act  within  thee  according 
to  His  will.     The  task  is  His ;  He  generates  His  Word  within  thee  and 
thereby  generates  all  thy  activity,  and,  indeed,  all  else  that  concerns 
thee.     If  thou  hast  yielded  thyself  with  all  thy  faculties  to  God,  offering 
up  all  thy  being  and  its  attributes,  then  must  God  enter  into  thy  being 
and  into  its  faculties,  because  thou  hast  renounced  all  self-ownership 
and  made  thy  soul  like  a  desert  waste  before  Him.     Then  happens  what 
is  written :  "The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness."     (Isaias  xl,  3.) 
Let  this  voice  resound  within  thee  just  as  loudly  as  may  be  pleasing  to 
God,  who  sounds  it,  and  for  thy  part  guard  thyself  with  all  carefuln'ess. 
Dost  thou  complain  and  ask  how  shall  a  man  behave  who  is  despoiled 
and  cut  loose  from  self  and  from  all  things  else?     Shall  he  stay  waiting 
perpetually  for  God's  action?     Or  shall  he  do  some  things  that  belong 
to  a  devout  lif^— pray,  fast,  watch  at  night,  read  pious  books— as  long 
as  he  takes  nothing  from  without,  but  all  from  God,  who  is  within  him? 
If  a  man  does  nothing,  is  he  not  a  sluggard?     Mark  my  answer:   He 
must  by  no  means  neglect  outward  works,  for  these  are  commanded  of 
him  for  the  sake  of  good  order;  they  lead  him  to  God  in  a  spiritual  life, 
and  they  are  for  praiseworthy  ends.     Good  works  hinder  his  slipping 
downward  into  an  irregular  way  of  living,  and,  as  they  become  habitual^ 
they  guard  him  from  straying  into  eccentricities.     By  such  means  does 


94  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

God  prepare  him  for  His  more  interior  life,  hindering  him  from  that 
grossness  of  life  which  He  cannot  tolerate. 

But  remember  that  thou  must  guard  against  the  inordinate  longings 
of  zeal;  for  the  greater  one's  longing  for  outward  things,  the  farther 
removed  is  one's  happiness.  Also,  the  greater  one's  love  of  God,  the 
more  bitter  is  one's  pain,  for  love  leads  to  detachment,  and  that  is  pain- 
ful. Be  assured  that  all  good  works  are  rightly  practiced  if  they  lead 
a  man  captive  to  God  and  preserve  him  from  strange,  foolish  and 
ungodly  conduct ;  and  this  applies  to  all  such  works  as  prayer,  reading 
good  books,  singing  God's  praises,  fasting  and  kneeling.  Hence,  if  one 
perceives  that  God  is  not  actively  working  His  will  within  him,  then 
he  can  do  nothing  better  than  practice  any  and. all  virtues,  choosing 
those  that  are  most  needful  for  his  soul,  never  seeking  any  advantage 
that  is  not  truly  spiritual.  Let  me  caution  such  a  one  against  all 
spiritual  rudeness,  for  he  must  do  nothing  but  what  unites  him  closer 
to  God.  And  then,  when  God  once  more  visits  him  in  high,  supernatural 
ways,  He  will  find  Himself  at  home  in  his  servant's  interior  life.  Well- 
grounded  interior  life  is  the  exclusion  of  outward  unrest.  Now,  it  maj 
happen  that  God  will  ravish  thy  soul  out  of  itself  into  a  state  of  ecstasy, 
and  then,  perforce,  thou  must  be  totally  passive.  As  to  such  pious 
practices  as  are  imposed  on  thee  by  thy  vows,  even  those  thou  shalt  be 
for  a  while  wholly  unable  to  observe ;  for  in  that  state  God  elevates  the 
soul  above  all  and  into  a  state  higher  than  all — into  Himself.  Consider 
an  illustration  :  Suppose  that  a  layman  has  vowed  i)rayers,  pilgrimages 
and  fasts ;  now,  as  soon  as  he  enter  a  religious  order  these  vows  are  dis- 
pensed ;  for  in  his  new  state  he  is  bound  to  all  virtues  and  to  God  by  a 
new  tie;  and  this  shows  what  I  mean  in  saying,  that  when  a  man  is  rapt 
in  God  rightly  and  truly,  he  is  released  from  all  such  obligations,  for  he 
cannot  fulfill  them,  because  he  is  absorbed  and  immersed  in  God  in 
ecstasy.  And  if  the  soul  thus  remains  wholly  inactive  a  week  or  a 
month  it  is  not  time  lost  as  God  sees  things,  for  the  soul  must  be  entirely 
faithful  to  Him. 

But  as  soon  as  a  man  returns  to  himself  from  his  rapture  he  must  at 
once  apply  himself  to  fulfill  all  obligations,  without  imagining,  however, 
that  what  has  been  omitted  of  rule  and  duty  should  be  now  made  good. 
God  is  responsible  for  all  that,  because  He  it  is  that  had  made  thee 
incapable  of  observing  it.  Nor  shouldst  thou  wish  that  He  would  have 
enabled  thee  to  perform  all  those  holy  duties,  for  the  very  least  thing 
that  God  does  is  greater  than  all  things  else.     And  now  be  it  well  under- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  95 

stood  that  all  this  teaching  refers  only  to  men  who  are  by  God  and  Holy 
Scripture  w  ell  instructed  and  fully  enlightened. 

But  what  shall  we  say  of  an  ordinary  layman  who  knows  nothing  of 
this  state,  and  is  instructed  only  in  external  observances  of  piety,  but 
who  has  made  a  vow  to  pray  or  to  fast?  If  in  an  enlightened  conscience 
he  is  convinced  that  the  fulfillment  of  his  vow  interferes  with  his  certain 
and  ordinary  duty  to  God,  then  he  is  dispensed  from  his  vow.  What- 
soever leads  thee  to  God  and  places  thee  closer  to  Him,  whether  it  be 
a  vow  or  anything  else,  follow  that  earnestly,  being  sure  that  it  is  best 
for  thy  interior  life.  According  to  St.  Paul :  "When  that  which  is  per- 
fect is  come,  that  which  is  in  i)art  shall  be  done  away"  (I  Cor.  xiii,  10) . 

Vows  differ  one  from  another.  Some  are  never  dispensed,  as  the 
marriage  vow,  which,  though  made  in  the  hands  of  the  priest,  is  yet  as 
sacred  as  if  vowed  to  God  in  His  open  Divine  presence.  As  to  other 
kinds  of  vows,  it  is  good  to  bind  oneself  to  God  to  accomplish  what  one 
believes  to  be  some  better  work.  But  if  later  on  one  finds  his  conscience 
oppressed,  as  often  enough  happens,  and  is  convinced  that  to  keep  his 
vow  would  be  injurious  to  God's  honor  and  his  soul's  welfare,  then  he 
should  release  himself  from  his  vow  and  find  a  surer  way  leading  to 
eternal  happiness.  Nor  is  this  a  hard  matter,  for  we  have  only  to 
regard  the  fruit  likely  to  result  and  the  intrinsic  truth  involved,  rather 
than  the  outward  work.  So  St.  Paul  says:  ''The  letter  killeth;"  that 
is  to  say,  the  external  observance  viewed  entirely  in  itself;  ''but  the 
Spirit  giveth  life"  (II  Cor.  iii,  6),  which  means  an  interior  perception  of 
the  actual  realities  of  the  case.  Be  earnestly  watchful  of  thyself ;  what- 
ever duty  lies  before  thee,  do  it  at  once  and  in  preference  to  everything 
else;  cultivate  an  ardent  and  elevated  spirit  within  thee  and  not  a  cow- 
ardly one,  and  all  this  in  a  state  of  interior  tranquillity.  Meanwhile 
take  counsel  with  thy  superior  or  some  other  enlightened  friend  of  God, 
so  as  to  avoid  vain  self-reliance.  If  thou  canst  not  find  such  a  one, 
consult  at  least  thy  father  confessor;  and  in  this  course  thou  shalt  be 
safe  and  secure.  Remember  that  God  guards  thee,  knowing  well  all  thy 
wants  before  thou  dost  tell  Him  them.  And,  therefore,  let  thy  prayers 
be  simple,  unlike  those  of  the  Pharisees,  of  whom  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
said  that  they  trusted  to  be  heard  by  reason  of  their  long  prayers, 
and  meanwhile  they  were  the  enemies  of  God  and  man  (Matt,  xxiii,  14) . 

May  the  Blessed  Trinity — God  the  Father,  and  God  the  Son,  and  God 
the  Holy  Ghost — bestow  upon  our  spirit  this  blissful  stillness,  in  which 
the  Eternal  Word  shall  be  generated  within  us.     Amen. 


The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Sly?  Ila^  of  T^ttttttxtin 

Synopsis — Be  not  hasty  or  premature  in  beginning — Overcome  world- 
liness — Bravely  repress  sensuality — Resist  all  envy  and  bitterness 
— Pray  for  divine  guidance  and  wait  for  it — The  part  that  pa- 
tience plays;  and  obedience  and  holy  fear — Finally  pattern  on 
Jesus  in  His  life  and  death. 


FIRST   SERMON  FOR   THE   VIGIL  OF  THE   EPIPHANY. 
Take  the  Child  and  His  mother,  and  go  into  the  land  of  Israel. — Matt,  ii,  20. 

If  one  reads  the  Holy  Gospels  a  thousand  times  and  preaches  and 
meditates  them  as  many,  he  will  ever  find  some  new  truth  unperceived 
before  by  any  man.  ''Take  the  Child  and  His  mother  and  go  into  the 
land  of  Israel,  for  they  are  dead  that  sought  the  Child's  life."  Dear 
children,  as  soon  as  some  men  are  conscious  of  an  inward  striving 
toward  a  new  life,  they  are  rash  and  over  eager.  The  newness  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  within  them  leads  them  to  a  sudden  resolve  to  do  great 
things  for  God.  Meanwhile  they  have  not  considered  whether  their 
nature  is  such,  or  the  store  of  grace  in  them  is  such  as  to  make  a  success 
of  what  they  are  undertaking.  Therefore,  let  every  one  look  to  the  end 
before  he  embarks  in  such  a  work,  considering  his  inner  state  and  his 
outer  surroundings  carefully.  Interiorly  he  should  at  once  place  him- 
self in  touch  with  God's  Spirit,  so  that  every  work  begun  may  in  Him 
and  by  Him  be  happily  ended.  Yet  some  start  away  instantly,  begin 
with  untried  methods,  venturing  this  or  that  scheme  blindly ;  and  hereby 
many  injure  themselves  in  soul  and  body.  They  build  upon  their  own 
foundation  both  in  things  natural  and  spiritual.  Often  one  thinks  he 
is  guided  by  God,  while  he  is  but  following  his  natural  bent. 

Our  dear  St.  Joseph,  abiding  in  his  exile  with  the  Child  and  His 
mother,  received  the  angel's  message  that  Herod  was  dead  and  that  they 
were  to  return  to  the  land  of  Israel ;  but  he  learned  by  human  means  that 
Herod's  son,  Archelaus,  reigned  in  his  father's  place,  and  he  feared  that 
the  beloved  little  Infant  would  be  killed  by  him. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  97 

Dear  children,  what  shall  we  understand  from  this?  Herod,  who  had 
hnnted  the  Child  and  would  have  killed  Him,  may  be  compared  to  the 
world,  which  would  kill  the  Divine  Infant  in  our  souls.  From  the  world 
we  must  flee  if  we  would  preserve  the  Child  alive  within  us.  Indeed,  our 
own  soul  is  the  Child.  And  when  one  has  fled  from  the  world  externally 
and  gone  into  a  convent  or  monastery,  presently  Archelaus  rises  up  and 
begins  to  rule  interiorly  in  the  soul.  It  may  be  that  this  Archelaus  can 
never  conquer  thee;  but  that  is  because  thou  shalt  by  the  strength  of 
God,  fortify  thyself  with  great  and  earnest  industry  in  devout  practices; 
for  I  assure  thee  that  thou  hast  many  fierce  enemies  arrayed  against 
thee  and  ready  to  assail  thee. 

The  first  enemy  is  the  world.  This  attacks  thee  with  spiritual  pride, 
leading  thee  to  walk  before  men's  eyes  and  be  esteemed  holy  by  them. 
Thou  shalt  be  tempted  to  please  others  by  thy  dress,  thy  manners,  lofty 
speech,  wisdom,  friends,  wealth,  honors ;  and  all  these  things  are  nothing 
else  than  the  devil's  uniform. 

Another  enemy  is  a  man's  own  flesh,  which  assails  him  with  bodily  and 
spiritual  temptations  to  impurity,  with  evil  suggestions  of  word  and 
deed.  In  these  ways  are  all  those  men  guilty  who  wilfully  indulge  sen- 
suality in  any  way  whatsoever.  Let  every  man  subject  to  these  attacks, 
guard  himself  most  carefully  in  all  his  senses,  and  in  all  those  irregular 
emotions  wherein  one  is  likely  to  suffer  uncleanness.  Any  man  whose 
mind  is  tenderly  inclined  toward  creatures,  whether  lay  people  or 
religious,  cherishing  tender  sentiments  about  them  in  his  heart  day  and 
night,  such  a  one  is  being  drawn  into  that  vice  whose  ugly  name  is 
impurity.  And  just  as  external  unchastity  deprives  the  body  of  its 
purity,  so  does  interior  unchastity  smirch  the  beautiful  purity  of  the 
soul.  And  as  the  soul  is  nobler  than  the  body,  in  the  same  degree  is 
interior  impurity  fouler  than  external. 

The  third  enemy  is  bitterness  of  heart,  that  evil  spirit  which  poisons 
thy  soul  with  bad  wishes,  judgments,  hatred,  revenge;  so  and  so  has 
done  thee  this  injury  and  has  said  such  and  such  things  to  thee;  these 
injuries  thou  wilt  by  no  means  tolerate  and  thou  givest  him  angry  looks, 
a  scornful  bearing,  bitter  and  violent  words.  Hence  come  dissensions, 
mutual  mistreatment,  and  other  vicious  things.  Children, this  is  without 
any  doubt  the  inspiration,  seed  sowing  and  actual  work  of  the  devil. 

Be  sure  that  if  thou  wilt  ever  be  blessed  thou  must  fly  from  all  this 
and  must,  for  God's  sake,  yield  thyself  up  to  suffer  all  things  kindly  and 
meekly,  whether  men  treat  thee  justly  or  unjustly.     Leave  thy  vindica- 


98  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

tion  to  God  and  the  truth  and  do  not  defend  thyself;  and  then  will  the 
peace  of  God  be  born  within  thee,  and  be  spread  around  thee  in  all 
patience  and  love.  But  if  thou  failest  to  do  this  with  zeal  and  earnest- 
ness, then  is  thy  Archelaus  present  and  he  will  surely  slay  the  Child, 
namely,  the  precious  grace  of  God,  within  thy  soul.  We  know  how  care- 
fully the  humble  Joseph  enquired,  in  order  to  discover  if  there  was  any 
one  near  who  sought  the  Child  Jesus  to  kill  Him. 

And  even  when  all  these  vices  are  overcome  there  yet  remain  a  thou- 
sand bands  to  be  broken  asunder,  and  these  no  one  knows  but  a  truly 
converted  man ;  for  Joseph's  example  teaches  us  an  earnest  perseverance 
in  a  godly  and  blessed  way  of  living,  together  with  an  ever-growing  love 
of  God's  will.  By  such  virtues  did  he  most  faithfully  guard  the  little 
Child  and  his  mother  from  those  who  would  have  killed  Him. 

Joseph  was  warned  by  God's  angel  and  led  back  by  him  into  the  land 
of  Israel.  Now,  Israel  means  the  land  of  vision.  And,  children,  you 
must  understand  that  many  men  are  ruined,  because  they  would  prema- 
turely break  through  the  numerous  cords  of  imperfections  which  bind 
them;  that  is  to  say,  before  God's  mercy  has  graciously  released  them, 
before  God's  angel  has  warned  them  and  led  them  forth.  They  fall 
into  the  grievous  error  of  trying  to  perfect  themselves  before  God  really 
wills  it.  They  think  to  succeed  by  their  intellectual  gifts  and  their 
eloquence  about  high  things,  and  because  they  can  meditate  deeply  and 
discourse  loftily  upon  the  Holy  Trinity.  It  is  a  great  misery  that  this 
delusion  has  now  become  so  prevalent  and  grows  worse  day  by  day. 
Such  men  will  not  patiently  endure  the  restrictions  of  God's  Providence 
and  the  darkness  of  Egypt,  for  Egypt  signifies  darkness;  for  it  must  be 
well  understood  that  no  creature  that  God  ever  made  can  be  released 
from  the  bonds  of  spiritual  imprisonment  by  its  own  strength;  the 
eternal  and  all-merciful  God,  and  none  other,  can  release  us.  Turn 
thee  this  way  or  that  way,  it  must  be  so  if  all  shall  be  well  with  thee. 
Run  through  the  whole  world,  seek  up  and  down  everywhere,  nowhere 
and  from  no  one  shalt  thou  find  this  release  but  from  God  alone.  An 
instrument  for  His  work  He  may  choose,  whether  it  be  angel  or  man, 
but,  none  the  less,  He  Himself  does  the  work,  and  none  other  can  do  it. 
Therefore,  search  inwardly  for  God  in  the  depths  of  thy  soul,  and  give 
over  outward  searching.  Suffer  willingly  for  God's  sake;  dwell  in  the 
darkness  of  Egypt  until  thou  art  plainly  invited  by  God's  angel  to  come 
forth. 

Joseph  was  warned  in  sleep.  He  that  sleeps  sins  not.  Thus  the 
devout  man  should  repose  in  peaceful  sleep,  indifferent  to  all  the  aflflic- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


99 


tions  and  oppositions  that  may  come  upon  him,  bowing  meekly  and  in 
all  patience  under  every  sorrow,  nor  adverting  to  them  unduly,  willingly 
resigning  himself  and  gladly  suffering  for  God's  sake.  Surely  in  no 
other  way  canst  thou  set  thyself  free  than  thus  to  remain,  as  it  were,  in 
this  sleep  of  patience  without  sin,  until,  like  Joseph,  thou  shalt  be 
rewarded  for  thy  humble  submission  by  the  heavenly  invitation  to  come 
forth. 

Understand,  too,  that  Joseph,  the  Child's  guardian,  represents  the 
rulers  of  holy  church,  parish  priests,  bishops,  abbots,  priors,  and  father 
confessors.  These  are  placed  for  ruling  men  and  for  directing  them  for 
God's  praise  and  according  to  His  will.  But  many  among  them  are, 
alas,  blind ;  and  the  blind  thus  leading  the  blind,  it  is  to  be  feared  that 
both  will  fall  into  the  pit  of  eternal  damnation.  Now,  each  of  us  has 
many  superiors.  Thus  I  have  over  me  a  subprior,  a  prior,  a  provincial, 
a  bishop  and  a  pope;  and  suppose  that  by  an  impossibility  each  and  all 
of  them  wished  to  do  me  evil,  were  all  turned  into  wolves  striving  to  bite 
me;  yet  I  ought,  none  the  less,  meekly  to  resign  myself  and  be  submissive 
under  them,  and  that  without  any  murmuring  or  contradiction.  If  it 
happens  that  they  do  me  good,  I  ought  to  receive  it  humbly,  as  from  God ; 
if  it  happens  that  they  do  me  evil  and  wrong  me,  I  ought  to  accept  it  in 
all  good  will  and  cheerfulness,  and  suffer  it  for  the  sake  and  love  of  God. 

Notice,  again,  dear  children,  that  Joseph  was  in  constant  fear  until 
God's  angel  announced  that  they  were  dead  who  sought  the  Child's  life; 
and  then  with  all  diligence  he  enquired  who  reigned  in  the  land  of 
Israel.  Children,  some  men  err  by  giving  up  all  fear,  for  you  must 
know  that  we  should  not  ever  be  without  fear  as  long  as  life  lasts ;  for 
thus  speaks  the  holy  prophet :  ''The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  holy,  enduring 
forever  and  ever"  (Ps.  xviii,  10).  So,  then,  even  when  the  angel  calls 
thee  forth,  thou  oughtest  still  to  fear  and  diligently  enquire  what  it  is 
that  reigns  within  thee,  and  whether  it  be  truly  God  or  only  thy  own 
nature. 

Then  holy  Joseph  took  the  Child  Jesus  and  His  ever-blessed  and 
humble  mother.  The  Child  Jesus  represents  a  pure,  clean  man.  A  man 
should  be  wholly  clean  and  pure,  quite  unsullied  by  taint  of  outward 
things.  And  he  should  also  be  lowly  minded,  subject  under  God  and 
under  all  creatures  for  God's  sake  in  deep  humility.  The  blessed  mother 
of  Christ  represents  to  us  godlike  love  in  all  sweetness  and  purity,  for 
such  love  is  the  unfeigned  humbling  of  a  man  in  his  own  esteem,  joined 
to  entire  subjection  to  God's  will  in  all  sincerity.     Children,  a  man  thus 


100  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

placed  is  a  little  child  and  ought  not  to  stray  away  foolishly  into  the 
land  of  vision.  Upon  occasions  he  may  enjoy  some  relaxation  there,  but 
only  on  condition  that  he  shall  betimes  come  back  again  into  the  land 
of  Egypt ;  and  this  continues  until  he  has  grown  up  to  perfect  manhood 
under  the  watch  and  ward  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 

He  it  is  who  truly  teaches  us  the  way  of  perfection  in  all  things,  giv- 
ing us  the  pattern  of  His  pure  and  guileless  life.  And  if  we  could  not 
so  much  as  have  God's  word,  yet  in  His  pure  and  holy  life  we  should 
find  all  that  is  necessary  to  possess  eternal  happiness.  He  went  to 
Jerusalem  when  He  was  twelve  years  old,  but  He  did  not  remain  there; 
He  came  away  again  because  He  had  not  jet  perfectly  arrived  at  man's 
estate.  He  stayed  away  till  that  time  had  come,  and  then  in  His  perfect 
manhood  He  was  daily  in  Jerusalem  teaching  the  Jews  the  way  of 
truth.  He  went  throughout  the  land  of  Galilee;  He  was  in  Capharnaum 
and  in  the  city  of  Nazareth;  He  was  everywhere  in  the  land  of  Juda 
as  a  mighty  teacher,  doing  signs  and  wonders.  And  thus  must  every 
devout  man  act.  He  must  not  dwell  in  the  holy  land  of  contemplation, 
but  only  go  there  from  time  to  time  and  quickly  withdraw,  again,  for  he 
is  not  perfectly  grown  up  to  manhood ;  he  is  a  young  and  unpracticed 
and  imperfect  spirit.  When  he  has  become  a  strong,  perfect  and  manly 
spirit,  then  let  him  enter  into  the  land  of  Juda — I  mean  the  perfect 
knowledge  of  God.  Then  let  him  in  all  freedom  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  the 
true  city  of  peace.  Thou  mayst  then,  at  last,  joyfully  and  plentifully 
teach  others  and  correct  them  and  journey  to  Galilee,  which  means  a 
passing  over. 

Children,  when  one  has  thus  gone  onward,  and  has  passed  over  all 
things  created,  he  finally  arrives  at  the  city  of  Nazareth,  the  sweet 
flower-garden  of  joy,  in  which  grow  the  beautiful  and  fragrant  blossoms 
of  eternal  life.  There  he  finds  unspeakable  peace,  solace,  and  comfort, 
tranquil  rest  in  God  alone,  all  beyond  the  power  of  human  tongue  to 
describe. 

Children,  into  this  depth  of  God's  being  all  those  men  are  absorbed, 
who  for  God's  sake  have  humbly  and  with  good  will  borne  the  assaults 
of  the  passions,  in  inward  and  outward  conflict.  They  have  meekly 
bowed  under  God's  yoke;  they  have  been  submissive  to  all  creatures,  and 
they  have  persevered  till  the  ever  good  God  has  Himself  released  them 
and  led  them  forth  by  His  grace  into  His  holy  peace.  Then  it  happens 
that  it  is  given  them  often  to  enjoy  for  a  brief  moment,  a  sweet  foretaste 
of  the  happiness  that  shall  be  theirs  in  God  for  all  eternity.  May  God 
grant  us  all  this  in  His  inflnite  bounty.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  101 


Bttkm^  tot  (Sob 

Synopsis — The  natural  yearning  for  God  and  its  defectiveness — By 
grace  one  is  drawn  to  God  in  the  depths  of  his  own  soul — Effect 
of  the  inner  finding  of  God  on  one's  mind  and  heart. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  VIGIL  OF  THE  EPIPHANY. 
Where  is  He  that  is  born  King  of  the  Jews? — Matt  ii,  2. 

The  soul  knows  that  God  exists,  and  that  even  by  the  light  of  natural 
reason ;  but  as  to  who  He  is  it  has  no  knowledge ;  this  is  hidden  from  it. 
Now,  there  arises  in  every  guileless  soul  a  sweet  yearning  for  more 
knowledge  of  its  God;  it  seeks  earnestly  and  enquires  anxiously  for 
Him ;  how  gladly  would  it  find  Him  Who  is  so  hidden  away  from  it.  In 
this  diligent  search  there  appears  to  the  soul  a  star,  which  is  a  gleam  of 
the  light  of  Divine  grace.  This  light  speaks  to  the  soul  and  says,  He  is 
born  today;  and  at  the  same  time  it  points  out  His  birthplace.  Now, 
this  cannot  be  any  natural  guidance,  for  all  who  follow  nature's  light  in 
seeking  God's  birthplace  will  but  go  astray.  God's  birth  would  not  be 
known  but  for  the  shining  of  a  Divine  light,  telling  us  what  that  birth  is, 
and  where  it  has  taken  place.  Foolish  men  cannot  wait  for  the  light  of 
grace  to  shine  and  guide  them  on  till  they  find  the  Divine  generation ; 
they  break  away  and  seek  for  it  by  the  natural  light  of  reason,  and  all  in 
vain ;  they  must  bide  their  time,  which  has  not  yet  come.  This  yearning 
for  God  works  strong  within  them ;  in  some  it  becomes  so  violent  as  to 
pierce  flesh  and  blood ;  yea,  to  penetrate  even  to  the  marrow  of  the  bones. 
It  is  true  that  our  natural  reason  has  a  part  to  play  and  must  use  all  its 
powers,  if  the  soul's  longing  for  God  shall  be  satisfied;  but  natural 
reason  does  not  know  God's  generation  in  us,  and  cannot,  therefore, 
reveal  it. 

Herein  are  three  things  to  be  considered.  One  is  the  yearning,  another 
is  the  seeking,  and  the  third  is  the  finding  out  of  the  Divine  birth.  Con- 
sider, too,  three  other  things  in  the  soul  of  man.  One  is  what  cleaves  to 
his  fleshly  nature,  his  bodily  senses  and  sensibility;  another  is  his 


102  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

reason ;  and  the  third  is  the  naked  and  essential  substance  of  the  soul. 
All  three  differ  one  from  another,  each  one  acting  unlike  the  other  and 
according  to  its  own  nature.  The  sun's  light  is  one  in  itself  and  simple ; 
but  when  shining  through  glass  it  is  various,  being  black,yellow  or  white, 
according  to  the  glass's  color.  Black  glass  may  stand  for  our  sensible 
life,  yellow  for  that  of  reason,  white  for  the  essential  spirit's  very  self. 
Now,  when  the  senses  enter  the  reason  and  the  reason  penetrates  the 
purely  essential  spirit,  then  the  black  has  become  yellow  and  the  yellow 
has  become  white.  Thus  a  purely  simple  state  of  light  results,  and  in 
that,  and  that  alone,  the  light  of  the  Divine  birth  shines  forth.  When 
rightly  received  all  images,  forms,  and  resemblances  vanish  away  from 
the  soul,  and  the  light  of  the  Divine  birth  alone  beams  in  very  truth 
within  it.  The  natural  light  of  day  may  be  obscured  by  darkness,  but 
when  the  sun  rises  in  all  his  splendor,  he  triumphs  over  darkness,  and 
all  lesser  luminaries  disappear  from  sight.  It  is  thus  that  the  clear 
beams  of  this  supernatural  light  shine  in  the  soul,  all  forms  and  images 
disappearing.  And  hence  wherever  it  shines  natural  lights  are  quenched, 
for  the  star  that  showed  the  three  kings  the  Divine  birthplace  was  not 
like  other  stars;  it  was  not  naturally  fixed  in  the  sky  like  them.  The 
senses  of  man  take  from  material  things  their  images,  and  these  are 
fairer  than  the  things  themselves.  Then  the  understanding  in  turn 
strips  these  images  of  their  sensible  grossness,  and  retains  only  the 
heavenly  forms  that  are  in  them  by  making  them  reason's  images — the 
yellow  glass  acting  upon  the  black.  And  finally  the  understanding 
itself  may  become  the  white  glass;  that  is  to  say,  if  it  will  cleanse  itself 
by  self-renunciation,  and  thereby  be  made  a  purely  spiritual  faculty. 
Into  this  soul  alone  does  the  star  of  the  Divine  birth  brightly  shine. 
Toward  this  happy  lot  does  all  human  life  constantly  tend. 

Now,  these  three  answers  that  I  have  given  to  the  three  questions,  may 
be  compared  to  the  three  gifts  of  the  three  kings ;  and  this  shall  be  the 
subject  of  tomorrow's  sermon. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  103 


^om  l&xtUt  M^vrl]  ta  Emmh  into  Bvont  Snttrnt 

Synopsis — Spirituality  is  a  hitter  task — Even  innocent  joys  must  "be 
chastened — The  hitterness  that  is  sent  specially  by  God — This 
leads  us  to  great  things,  the  chief  being  power  to  suffer  for  God's 
sake — Danger  of  seeking  pain  out  of  self-will — The  crowning  bit- 
terness is  inner  anguish  caused  by  God's  testing  the  soul's  fidelity 
— Patience  herein — The  joy  finally  resulting. 


FIRST   SERMON   FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  THE   EPIPHANY. 

And  opening  their  treasures,  they  offered  Him  gifts :  gold,  frankincense  and 
myrrh. — Matt,  ii,  11. 

Let  us  first  consider  the  myrrh.  This  means  the  bitterness  that  one 
must  taste  ere  he  finds  God ;  for  in  turning  to  God  one  must  turn  away 
from  the  world ;  and,  besides  that,  he  must  banish  away  all  pleasure  and 
concupiscence.  It  is  a  matter  of  necessity  that  whatever  a  man  holds 
dear  must  be  given  up,  and  that  is  a  task  bitter  in  the  extreme.  What- 
ever was  sweet  before  must  become  just  as  bitter  to  thee  now,  and  this 
calls  for  a  strong  and  diligent  efi'ort;  the  greater  the  pleasure  before, 
the  greater  the  bitterness  now. 

Thou  demandest  how  a  man  can  live  without  pleasure,  joy  or  desire. 
If  I  am  hungry,  I  eat ;  if  I  am  thirsty,  I  drink ;  if  I  am  drowsy,  I  sleep ;  if 
I  am  cold,  I  warm  myself.  All  this  is  nature's  law,  and  how  can  I 
change  it  as  long  as  nature  is  what  it  is?  How  can  what  is  sweet 
by  nature  be  turned  into  bitterness?  I  answer  that  these  joys, 
pleasures,  savors,  satisfactions,  complaisances,  when  they  are  not  sin- 
ful, may  not  be  totally  destroyed ;  but,  at  least,  they  ought  not  to  enter 
into  the  inner  depths  of  the  soul  nor  have  any  place  there.  These  feel- 
ings should  come  and  go  with  the  acts  which  caused  them,  and  leave 
behind  no  trace  of  their  existence.  Thou  shalt  take  no  pleasure  in  them, 
but  let  them  pass  off  and  away.  Whatever  of  the  world  and  of  created 
things  thou  findest  lingering  in  thy  soul,  thou  shouldst  not  consider  as 
thy  own  to  possess,  nor  permit  thyself  the  least  satisfaction  therein. 
Creatures  and  the  pleasure  arising  from  creatures,  must  be  to  thee  some- 


104  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

thing  thou  hast  overcome  and  put  to  death.  And  this  applies  even  to 
the  jojs  thou  findest  with  men  who  are  friends  of  God.  Whatsoever  of 
this  kind  of  joy  thou  findest  thyself  inclined  to  must  be  totally  overcome. 
Thy  soul  is  the  child,  and  until  Herod  and  all  his  court  who  seek  that 
child  are  really  dead  to  thee,  thou  deceivest  thyself  if  thou  imaginest 
that  thou  makest  any  progress.  Be  not  without  fear;  be  not  too  eager; 
see  how  things  stand  with  thee. 

There  is  yet  another  kind  of  myrrh,  whose  bitterness  goes  far  beyond 
the  first  kind.  That  is  the  myrrh  that  God  gives.  It  is  trouble  and 
suffering,  whether  interior  or  exterior,  sent  especially  by  God.  Oh,  if 
thou  canst  but  receive  that  myrrh  with  the  same  deep-hearted  love  with 
which  God  gives  it,  what  a  happy  state  shall  be  generated  within  thee — 
joy  and  peace  and  elevation  of  soul !  Yes,  whether  God  sends  thee  suf- 
fering little  or  great,  it  is  from  the  depths  of  His  unspeakable  love ;  and 
in  this  He  but  gives  thee  something  greater  and  more  useful  than  any 
gift;  namely,  His  very  love  itself.  If  God  has  numbered  the  hairs  of 
thy  head,  so  that  not  one  of  them  falls  to  the  ground  without  His  knowl- 
edge and  will,  much  rather  has  He  foreseen  from  all  eternity  the  least 
suffering  He  gives  thee  to  endure,  and  hast  loved  it ;  and  He  has  willed  it 
for  thy  advancement  in  perfection. 

Hence  if  thy  finger  pain  thee  or  thy  skin  is  hurt,  if  thy  feet  are  cold 
or  thou  art  hungry  and  thirsty,  if  someone  annoys  thee  by  word  or  deed, 
if  anything  whatever  distresses  thee  with  want  or  pain,  it  is  all  a  prepa- 
ration for  the  joyful  time  to  come.  It  was  all  foreseen  and  ordered  by 
God,  as  if  weighed  out  and  measured  and  numbered  by  Him  for  thy 
perfection.  That  my  eye  rests  sound  in  my  head,  God  has  eternally 
foreseen.  That  its  light  goes  out  and  I  become  blind,  or  that  I  become 
deaf,  the  heavenly  Father  has  foreseen  it  eternally,  decreed  it  in  His 
eternal  counsels.  And  shall  not  I,  though  blind  and  deaf  outwardly, 
lift  up  my  soul's  glances  and  thank  my  God  that  His  eternal  decree  has 
been  fulfilled  in  me?  Instead  of  my  misfortune  aflflicting  me,  it  should 
wonderfully  excite  me  to  thanksgiving.  It  is  the  same  with  the  loss  of 
friends,  goods,  honors,  the  comforts  of  life ;  such  calamities  are  given  by 
God  to  prepare  thee  for  the  truest  interior  peace  if  thou  but  knowest 
how  to  receive  them.  And  if  thou  sayst:  These  afflictions  have  come 
from  my  harboring  an  evil  thing  in  my  soul  and  I  have  deserved  them 
as  a  punishment,  then  I  answer:  Dear  child,  whether  these  painful 
things  are  deserved  or  undeserved,  they  equally  come  from  God.  In 
either  case  thank  Him  for  them,  suffer  them  and  be  resigned. 

All  the  myrrh  of  suffering  that  God  sends,  is  by  Him  intended  to  lead 
thee  to  great  things.     It  is  that  we  may  be  privileged  to  suffer,  that  God 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  105 

arrays  all  things  in  opposition  to  us.  It  were  as  easy  for  God  to  have 
bread  ready  baked  grow  in  the  field  as  raw  wheat;  but  in  this  and  all 
other  things  God  wills  that  man  must  be  tried.  Everything  that  hap- 
pens is  thus  foreseen  and  prearranged  by  Him.  We  know  how  carefully 
the  pain;ter  calculates  the  strokes  of  his  brush,  broad  or  narrow,  short 
or  long,  mingling  the  red  and  the  blue  with  all  foresight  to  produce  a 
masterpiece  of  his  art.  God  is  a  thousand  times  more  intent  than  this 
upon  making  a  man  the  masterpiece  of  His  Divine  art;  and  He  does  this 
by  His  strokes  of  suffering  and  His  colors  of  pain.  O  that  we  would 
accept  and  use  the  Divine  gift  of  myrrh  in  the  same  spirit  in  which  it  is 
given ! 

And  there  are  some  men  who  are  not  content  with  the  myrrh  that  God 
gives;  they  seek  and  find  other  pains  out  of  self-will,  injuring  their 
brains  and  breeding  illusions,  suffering  much  and  long  from  this  indis- 
creet mortification.  Little  grace  comes  to  them,  for  they  build  upon 
their  own  foundation,  whether  in  penances,  fastings,  praying  or  other 
devotional  practices.  In  such  cases  God  must  wait  till  their  meddle- 
some interference  is  over  and  done.  It  has  brought  them  no  good.  It  is 
God's  way  not  to  reward  any  works  other  than  His  own.  In  Heaven, 
He  will  bestow  on  thee  a  crown  for  His  works  and  not  for  thine.  What- 
soever work  of  thine  God  does  not  work  in  thee,  counts  for  nothing. 

The  third  kind  of  myrrh  is  very  bitter;  it  is  God's  gift  of  inward 
anguish  and  darkness,  aridity  and  distaste  for  spiritual  things.  Who- 
soever recognizes  God's  hand  in  this  and  resigns  himself  to  it,  will  find 
flesh  and  blood  and  human  nature  consumed  in  him ;  the  Divine  artist's 
inward  work  changes  the  colors  far  more  than  all  one's  own  outward 
practices.  God  tries  us  herein  with  dreadful  tests,  and  in  amazing  and 
strange  ways,  unknown  to  all  save  those  who  have  experienced  them. 
There  is  a  wonderful  store  of  the  myrrh  of  suffering  in  man's  nature, 
which,  if  it  were  set  loose,  we  could  scarcely  endure;  but  God  knows  how 
to  use  it  for  our  good.  If  one  does  not  understand  this,  then  when  the 
trial  comes  he  is  more  deeply  injured  than  can  be  imagined ;  for  no  heart 
can  measure  God's  love  for  us  in  giving  us  this  myrrh  of  inner  sorrow. 
Given  to  us  for  our  profit,  we  may  yet  get  no  good  from  it  by  bearing  it 
with  sleepy  indifference  or  with  murmuring  of  spirit.  And  if  thou  com- 
plainest :  O,  I  am  all  dry  and  dark  within  my  soul,  I  answer  thee :  Dear 
child,  bear  it  patiently,  and  thou  shalt  be  much  better  on  account  of 
it  than  if  thou  hadst  been  full  of  sensible  sweetness. 

Now,  the  bitterness  of  this  myrrh  is  felt  both  in  the  senses  and  in  the 
mind.    When  felt  in  our  sensible  and  external  life,  a  man  will  sometimes 


106  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conference^ 

venture  to  relieve  himself  of  it,  being  wise  in  his  own  conceit.  He 
attributes  his  misery  to  external  happenings,  and  seeks  to  avoid  pain  by 
remedying  adversities ;  and,  indeed,  he  may  succeed  in  doing  this ;  but  all 
the  time  he  is  thereby  setting  himself  up  as  wiser  than  God,  Whom  he 
would  presume  to  guide  and  correct,  being  quite  unwilling  to  accept  any- 
thing and  everything  from  His  Divine  hand.  In  the  end  these  suffer  the 
bitterest  woe. 

Others  would  manage  their  interior  distress  and  sweeten  their  myrrh's 
bitterness,  by  using  the  resources  of  natural  reason.  They  take  refuge 
from  their  inward  sorrow  in  the  occupations  and  images  of  their  intelli- 
gence. It,  therefore,  often  happens  that  uneducated  persons  are  sooner 
granted  a  solace  than  the  learned.  These  uneducated  souls  are  more 
single-minded  and  follow  God's  guidance  more  implicitly,  knowing  no 
other  method  than  that  of  perfect  trust  in  Him.  Would  that  the  more 
intellectual  would  do  the  same!  This  way  would  bring  them  to  an 
elevated  and  free  state  of  soul  even  sooner  than  it  does  the  others, 
because  they  would  be  aided  by  their  mental  endowments.  O  that  thou 
wouldst  give  thyself  thus  up  to  God,  not  a  drop  of  blood  in  thy  body  but 
would  help  thee  to  thy  perfection ! 

Out  of  this  soul  is  breathed  forth  the  frankincense  of  the  magi — a 
little  vapor  from  the  fragrant  grains  of  incense.  Incense  has  a  sweet 
odor.  When  the  fire  takes  hold  of  its  grains,  it  sucks  into  itself  the 
sweetness  concealed  in  them,  and  then  gives  it  forth  in  its  fragrant 
fumes.  By  the  fire  is  meant  nothing  else  than  the  burning  love  of  God 
which  blazes  up  in  prayer.  Prayer  is  the  smoke  of  incense,~arising  from 
our  souls  to  God  during  our  devout  exercises;  for  prayer  is  defined  as 
the  elevation  of  the  soul  to  God.  External  devotion,  however,  is  like 
straw;  its  whole  use  is  for  the  wheat,  and  after  the  grain  has  been 
thrashed  out  of  it,  it  is  good  for  nothing  better  than  to  make  a  bed,  or  for 
kindling  a  very  smoky  fire.  So  outward  devotional  exercises  are  of  no 
other  use  than  to  excite  interior  devotion,  which  is  the  sweet  perfume 
of  the  soul  before  God.  When  thou  feelest  thy  soul  rising  upward  in 
interior  aspiration,  then  cease  the  external  practice;  but  this  ought  not 
to  be  done  when  holy  Church  commands  us  to  observe  outward  devo- 
tional exercises,  or  when  our  father  confessor  imposes  them  by  way  of 
a  penance. 

May  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  King  of  Glory,  help  us  thus  to  benefit 
by  these  gifts  of  frankincense  and  myrrh,  and  may  He  draw  our  hearts' 
prayers  thus  upward  to  God.     Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  107 


Synopsis — Difference  between  God's  presence  in  the  natural  order  and 
in  the  supernatural — His  presence  hy  grace  is  a  divine  birth  in 
the  soul — How  this  is  hindered  by  sin — Rules  for  discovering 
God's  interior  guidance  in  ordinary  things — God's  deeper  visitor 
tion  baffles  the  soul's  faculties  and  makes  it  stupid,  alienates 
friends,  and  shrouds  it  in  darkness — In  due  time  this  state  of 
ignorance  and  misery  is  changed  for  one  of  God's  own  wisdom 
and  power. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  THE  EPIPHANY. 
Where  is  He  that  is  born  King  of  the  Jews?— Matt,  il,  2. 

Consider  this  birth  attentively  as  to  where  it  takes  place.  And  as  I 
have  many  times  told  you  before,  so  now  I  say  again :  This  eternal 
generation  is  in  our  souls,  and  that  in  no  other  way  than  it  takes  place 
in  eternity.  It  is  thus  in  the  essence  and  depth  of  our  souls.  And  this 
gives  rise  to  some  questions. 

The  first  point  is  this :  God  is  present  in  all  things,  and  that  more  inti- 
mately and  naturally  than  they  are  present  to  themselves.  Now,  wher- 
ever God  is.  He  must  act;  that  means  He  must  know  Himself  and 
thereby  utter  His  eternal  Word.  How,  then,  is  the  soul  of  man  to  be 
compared  with  other  created  things  in  reference  to  this  Divine  birth? 
In  this  way :  God  is  in  all  things  by  His  essence,  His  action  and  His 
power;  but  in  the  soul  alone  is  He  born.  We  find  a  trace  of  God 
and  His  footprints  in  all  creatures ;  but  the  soul  is  by  nature  made  after 
God's  likeness,  and  that  likeness  of  God  is  perfected  by  this  Divine  birth. 
No  other  earthly  creature  is  capable  of  experiencing  it.  Resemblance  to 
God  is  the  soul's  perfection,  whether  in  form  of  light,  or  grace,  or  happi- 
ness; and  this  is  bestowed  only  by  the  Divine  generation.  Await  this  in 
thy  interior  life,  and  thou  shalt  obtain  all  that  is  precious,  consoling  and 
joyful,  most  truly  and  most  essentially.  Neglect  it,  and  thou  neglectest 
everything  good,  and  everything  happy.  It  will  bring  thee  pure  and 
essential  blessedness.     Whatsoever  joy  thou  seekest  apart  from  it,  will 


108  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

min  everything,  no  matter  how  thou  shalt  manage  it.  This  birth  alone 
gives  essential  life;  the  other  way  destroys  it.  Herein  thou  art  made 
partaker  of  the  Divine  influence,  with  all  its  gifts.  No  creature  not 
made  in  God's  image  and  likeness  can  be  capable  of  receiving  it,  for  it  is 
that  Divine  likeness  in  the  soul,  that  has  reference  properly  and  pecu- 
liarly to  the  eternal  generation,  which,  at  the  entrance  of  the  heavenly 
Father  into  the  soul's  deepest  depths,  is  therein  accomplished,  no  other 
image  but  God's  ever  having  penetrated  there. 

The  second  question  is  this :  Inasmuch  as  the  Divine  birth  is  accom- 
plished in  the  soul's  depths,  why  shall  it  not  be  in  a  sinner's  as  well  as 
in  a  good  man's?  for  the  essential  nature  of  one  soul  is  the  same  as  that 
of  another.  Yea,  even  in  hell  a  man's  natural  nobility  of  soul  still  sub- 
sists. And  to  this  1  answer,  that  it  is  proper  to  the  Divine  birth  always 
to  shed  a  new  light  upon  the  soul,  pouring  forth  God's  own  self  in  that 
illumination — first  in  the  interior  and  essence,  and  then  overflowing  into 
all  the  faculties  of  the  spirit,  and  finally  into  a  man's  external  life.  It 
happened  thus  to  St.  Paul  at  Damascus,  when  God's  light  smote  him 
and  spoke  to  him.  A  reflection  of  that  light  shone  outwardly  round 
about  him  and  was  seen  by  his  companions.  It  is  ever  so  with  pious 
souls;  God's  light  tills  their  inner  depths,  and  then  its  overflow  is  seen 
in  their  bodily  existence,  which  is  thereby  made  lightsome.  Of  all  this 
the  sinner  is  wholly  incapable,  totally  unworthy,  for  he  is  filled  with 
sin  and  wickedness,  which  holds  his  spirit  in  darkness.  As  St.  John 
says :  The  darkness  did  not  comprehend  the  light.  This  is  because  the 
path  of  the  light  is  blocked  up  by  falsehood  and  darkness.  Light  and 
darkness  cannot  exist  together  in  the  soul.  Nor  can  God  and  the  crea- 
ture rule  there  together;  before  God  enters  in,  the  creature  must  be 
driven  out. 

How  does  a  man  first  perceive  this  light?  When  he  is  converted  to 
God  a  light  glimmers  and  shines  in  his  soul,  giving  him  to  understand 
what  he  ought  to  do  and  what  he  ought  not  to  do ;  many  a  plain  guidance 
shall  be  thine  which  thou  hadst  not  any  notion  of  before.  And  if  thou 
askest,  How  shall  I  know  it?  I  answer  that  thy  heart  shall  be  touched 
by  God  and  led  away  from  worldly  things.  How  can  this  be  done 
except  by  enlightening  thee?  And  it  will  be  so  gentle  and  so  sweet, 
that  everything  that  is  not  God  or  inclining  thee  to  God  shall  distress 
thee.  This  enlightenment  of  soul  will  enrapture  thee  with  God.  Thou 
shalt  become  conscious  of  many  good  admonitions  within  thee,  not 
knowing  from  whence  they  come  to  thee;  only  it  shall  be  plain  that  this 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  109 


interior  inclination  does  not  come  from  any  created  things;  it  is  plainly 
none  of  their  influence.  Whatever  a  creature  works  in  thee  comes 
always  from  without.  But  God's  light  touches  the  inner  depths  of  thy 
soul,  and  that  alone,  and  the  more  fully  thou  art  freed  from  creatures, 
the  more  distinctly  dost  thou  perceive,  that  it  is  the  light  and  truth  of 
God  that  reigns  within  thee.  Therefore,  one  never  goes  astray  if  he 
keeps  to  this  true  way.  But  he  does  wander  blindly  if  he  leaves  it  and 
trusts  for  guidance  to  outward  things.  Hence  St.  Augustine  teaches 
that  many,  indeed,  seek  the  light  and  the  truth,  but  only  toward  the 
exterior,  where  it  is  not,  and  they  often  go  to  such  a  length  as  never  to 
turn  their  eyes  into  their  own  souls  at  all.  They  have  not  found  the 
true  path,  because  the  guide  is  within  and  not  without.  Whosoever 
would  learn  how  to  find  and  to  recognize  the  true  light,  let  him  wait  and 
watch  for  the  Divine  birth  in  his  inmost  soul;  soon  all  his  spiritual 
powers  will  be  lighted  up,  and  also  his  outward  faculties.  For  as  soon 
as  God  touches  the  interior  with  His  truth,  all  of  a  man's  forces  are  filled 
with  light,  and  by  that  light  he  learns  more  than  anyone  can  teach  him. 
Hence  the  prophet  says :  *'I  have  understood  more  than  all  my  teachers" 
( Ps.  cxviii,  99) .  But  since  such  a  light  as  this  cannot  shine  in  a  sinful 
soul,  it  is  impossible  that  the  Divine  birth  can  be  accomplished  there. 
This  light  can  have  no  fellowship  with  the  darkness  of  sin,  for  it  acta 
not  in  the  faculties,  but  in  the  essence  of  the  soul. 

It  may  reasonably  be  asked  why  this  regeneration  does  not  take  place 
in  the  soul's  faculties.  Now,  consider  that  every  act  is  done  for  a 
certain  end,  which  has  first  place  in  intention  and  last  place  in  fulfill- 
ment; and  God  intends  a  most  blessed  end  in  all  His  works,  namely,  His 
own  very  self.  And  He  would  bring  the  soul,  with  all  its  powers,  to  that 
same  end— union  with  Himself.  With  this  end  in  view,  God  does  all  His 
works ;  and  He  generates  His  Son  in  the  soul  so  that  all  its  powers  may 
be  made  partakers  of  the  Divine  birth.  All  that  the  soul  has  and  is, 
God  gathers  up,  and  He  leads  it  all  to  this  Divine  entertainment.  If, 
meanwhile,  the  soul  turns  its  powers  into  the  outer  life,  the  eyes  dis- 
tracting it  with  their  gazing,  the  ears  with  hearing,  the  taste  with  eat- 
ing, and  the  like,  in  just  that  degree  is  it  incapable  of  acting  interiorly, 
for  every  mental  power  that  lacks  concentration  is  acting  imperfectly. 
If  the  soul  will  have  a  forceful  life  it  must  call  home  all  its  powers,  and 
all  the  bodily  senses,  and  concentrate  them  upon  an  interior  life.  St. 
Augustine  says :  "The  soul  is  more  really  present  with  what  it  loves  than 
with  its  own  body."     A  certain  heathen  master  was  absorbed  in  a  math- 


110  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

ematical  calculation  to  that  degree  that  he  forgot  to  eat  and  drink.  A 
soldier  rushed  into  his  room  and  brandished  a  sword  over  his  head, 
knowing  nothing  of  who  he  was.  "Tell  me  who  thou  art  or  I  will  kill 
thee !"  he  shouted.  But  the  mathematician  was  so  absorbed  in  his  prob- 
lem that  he  neither  saw  nor  heard  his  enemy,  nor  was  he  able  to  utter  a 
word.  The  soldier  called  and  threatened  loud  and  long  without  any 
response,  and  at  last  he  cut  off  the  master's  head.  And  this  absorption 
was  the  fascination  of  purely  natural  science.  How  much  rather  ought 
we  to  withdraw  ourselves  from  all  things,  and  assemble  all  our  mental 
forces  to  contemplate  and  to  know  the  eternal  and  immeasurable  truth 
that  is  God.  Gather,  therefore,  all  thy  reason,  faculties,  and  senses  into 
the  depths  of  thy  soul,  for  there  is  thy  hidden  treasure.  Freed  from  all 
action  and  holily  unknowing  of  all  things,  thou  shalt  surely  find  God. 

Thou  mightest  say :  Dear  brother,  would  it  not  be  better  that  each  of 
the  soul's  powers  should  maintain  its  own  peculiar  activity,  each  one 
not  interfering  with  the  others?  I  answer  that  I  can  in  no  wise  know 
created  things  without  suffering  some  hindrance  therefrom.  How,  then, 
does  God  know  all  things  without  hindrance,  and  His  blessed  saints 
also?  It  is  because  the  saints  behold  God  Himself;  and  in  Him  it  is 
that  they  behold  all  things  else,  even  in  one  single  image.  And  so  does 
God  behold  all  things  in  Himself,  having  no  need  to  turn  from  one  thing 
in  order  to  behold  another,  as  we  must  do.  If  in  this  life  we  could 
have  a  mirror,  in  which  with  one  glance  and  in  one  image  we  could  see 
and  know  all  things,  then  our  activity  and  our  knowledge  would  work 
no  hindrance  in  our  spiritual  life.  But  since  we  must  always  turn 
away  from  one  thing  if  we  would  know  another,  therefore  our  knowl- 
edge of  the  one  must  hinder  our  knowledge  of  the  other ;  for  the  soul  is  so 
bound  up  with  its  faculties  that,  withersoever  any  one  of  them  goes,  the 
soul  goes  forth  with  it.  It  is  present  with  every  faculty  in  all  its 
activity;  if  it  is  not  with  them  thinking,  then  they  cannot  be  acting. 
Hence  if  it  is  poured  out  with  them  in  the  care  of  external  things,  so 
much  the  weaker  must  it  become  for  the  care  of  interior  things.  And 
for  the  Divine  generation  God  will  and  must  have  a  soul  free  and  unen- 
cumbered, a  spirit  in  which  there  shall  be  naught  but  Himself  alone. 
He  demands  a  soul  which  waits  on  nothing  and  nobody  but  Himself 
alone ;  and  thus  did  Christ  teach :  "If  any  man  come  to  Me  and  hate 
not  his  father,  and  mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and  brethren,  and 
sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  My  disciple"  (Luke 
xiv,  26) .    He  came  upon  earth  not  to  send  peace,  but  the  sword"  (Matt. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  m 

X,  34),  cutting  ofif  from  thee  sisters,  brothers,  mother,  children  and 
friends.  Whatsoever  is  near  and  dear  to  thee  becomes  really  thy  enemy. 
If  thou  wilt  see  all  things  and  hear  all,  and  if  in  thy  heart  thou  wilt  con- 
sider all  things,  then  in  very  truth  thy  soul  shall  be  wasted  and  scat- 
tered among  them  all.  Hence  a  certain  master  says :  "If  a  man  would 
lead  an  interior  life,  let  him  draw  all  his  powers,  as  it  were,  into  a 
corner  of  his  soul  and  hide  himself  with  them  there,  far  from  all  forms 
and  images,  and  then  he  may  act."  Now,  that  man  must  forget  all 
things,  ignore  all  things,  and  rest  hushed  in  stillness,  in  order  that  the 
Divine  Word  may  be  born  within  him.  Let  him  know  that  he  can  now 
serve  God's  Word  in  no  other  way,  except  by  being  still  and  tranquil. 
He  hears  the  Word  speak  amid  his  own  silence;  he  sees  the  Divine  light 
amid  his  own  ignorance;  when  he  has  come  to  know  nothing,  then  does 
the  Word  reveal  itself  to  him. 

You  may  say :  Sir,  thou  placest  all  our  perfection  in  a  certain  kind  of 
ignorance,  and  ignorance  is  a  fault,  for  God  has  made  man  to  know,  and 
the  prophet  prayed  God  to  make  men  know.  Ignorance  is  the  cause  of 
sin  and  vanity;  an  ignorant  man  is  a  fool,  and  is  like  an  ape.  And  I 
answer  thus :  What  thou  sayest  is  all  true  if  a  man  continue  in  his  ignor- 
ance. But  mark  well  that  from  the  ignorance  I  speak  of,  a  man  emerges 
into  a  knowledge  high  above  all  forms  and  images.  Again,  this  ignorance 
is  not  the  continuance  of  a  previous  ignorance;  it  is  from  motives  of 
wisdom  that  a  man  herein  makes  himself  ignorant.  We  ought  to  make 
ourselves  ignorant  for  the  sake  of  having  Divine  wisdom ;  whereupon  our 
souls,  unknowing  and  empty,  are  presently  adorned  and  ennobled  with 
supernatural  knowledge.  In  this  process,  if  we  but  rest  passive,  we  are 
made  more  perfect  than  if  we  actively  worked.  Hence  the  saying  of  a 
certain  master :   "We  learn  more  wisdom  by  hearing  than  by  seeing." 

It  is  related  of  a  heathen  philosopher,  that  as  he  was  about  to  die  his 
disciples  told  him  of  a  great  discovery  in  science.  He  raised  his  head 
and  said :  "Let  me  know  about  this,  that  I  may  enjoy  it  in  eternity." 
Hearing  brings  things  into  us;  seeing  gives  us  out  to  things.  Hence^n 
eternal  life  we  shall  have  more  joy  in  the  faculty  of  hearing  than  in  that 
of  seeing,  for  my  act  of  hearing  the  Eternal  Word  is  all  within  me,  and 
that  of  seeing  goes  forth  out  of  me.  By  hearing  I  am  made  passive;  by 
seeing,  active;  and  our  happiness  does  not  consist  in  our  activity,  but  in 
what  we  passively  receive  from  God.  As  God  is  greater  than  all  crea- 
tures, so  is  his  action  greater  than  mine.  And  it  is  by  His  infinite  love 
that  He  has  made  our  blessedness  depend  on  His  action  and  not  on  our 


112  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

own.  For  our  capacity  to  receive  is  greater  than  our  capacity  to  give 
forth,  and  every  gift  we  receive  increases  our  capacity  for  the  reception 
of  other  gifts,  deepening  our  longing  for  yet  greater  things.  And  hence 
certain  teachers  say :  "In  this  is  the  soul  like  unto  God,  that  as  He  is 
boundless  in  giving,  so  is  the  soul  boundless  in  receiving;  and  as  God 
is  all-powerful  in  action,  so  is  the  soul  all-capable  in  its  passiveness;  and 
thus  is  it  transformed  with  God  and  in  God.  Let  God  work,  let  the 
soul  suffer  His  working."  Then  it  shall  know  itself  with  His  knowledge, 
love  with  His  love,  ever  be  happier  with  His  blessedness  than  with  its 
own.  And  hence  the  soul's  happiness  is  placed  not  in  its  own  activity, 
but  in  God's.  St.  Dionysius  was  once  asked  whv  his  disciple  Timothy 
surpassed  all  his  other  disciples  in  perfection  of  virtue.  He  answered : 
"Timothy  is  more  perfect  than  all  other  men,  because  he  is  a  man  who  is 
passive  under  God's  action." 

All  this  explains  how  this  kind  of  ignorance  is  not  a  defect,  but  a  per- 
fection ;  and  how  thy  not  doing  is  thy  highest  work  and  far  above  thy 
doing.  Cease  from  all  activity,  be  silent  in  every  one  of  thy  powers 
and  faculties,  and  thou  shalt  in  very  truth  experience  the  birth  of  the 
Divine  Word  within  thee,  and  find  thy  new-born  King  within  thy  souL 
Whatever  else  besides  Him  thou  now  findest  there,  thou  must  give  up 
and  cast  away  from  thee.  All  whatsoever  that  is  not  pleasing  to  Him 
may  He  help  us  totally  to  reject — He  Who  was  born  a  Child  unto  us  that 
we  might  be  made  children  of  God.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  113 


Synopsis — Hoiv  men  mistake  the  light  of  human  reason  for  the  light 
of  grace — Shown  hy  persistence  in  sinfulness — The  right  way  is 
the  preparation  of  self-denial — The  darkness  of  suffering  goes 
before  the  dawn  of  God's  light — Outward  activity,  how  regulated 
in  view  of  God's  inner  activity  and  the  coming  of  His  light. 


THIRD  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  THE  EPIPHANY. 

Arise  and  be  enlightened,  O  Jerusalem. — Isaias  Ix,  1. 

God  desires  nothing  upon  earth  but  one  thing,  and  that  He  has  set  Hig 
heart  upon — that  He  may  find  the  deep  abyss  that  He  has  created  in 
man's  spirit  empty  and  ready  for  the  perfect  work  He  will  do  there.  In 
all  earth  and  Heaven  He  has  full  power;  one  thing  alone  is  lacking  Him, 
the  accomplishment  of  His  all  holy  will  in  man's  soul.  And  what  is 
man's  part,  that  God  may  light  up  and  take  possession  of  his  inmost 
soul?  He  should  arise,  says  Holy  Writ :  Arise,  O  Jerusalem !  This  is 
as  much  as  to  say,  that  a  man  has  his  own  part  to  play  in  the  Divine 
w^ork,  and  that  it  is  to  arise  from  all  things  whatsoever  that  are  not 
God — from  all  creatures,  including  himself.  It  is  in  this  rising  up  that 
the  soul's  depths  are  quickly  stirred  with  longing  for  God.  The  more 
all  inordinate  desires  are  shaken  off,  the  stronger  and  stronger  grows 
the  yearning  for  God,  until  it  seems  to  pierce  flesh  and  blood  and  bones 
and  marrow,  and  enter  into  the  soul's  very  essence. 

This  movement  toward  God  is  managed  in  two  different  ways.  One 
class  of  men  work  with  their  natural  activity  of  mind,  using  the  images 
and  high  thoughts  of  reason,  with  the  result  that  they  confuse  the  soul's 
inner  life  and  stifle  its  yearnings,  substituting  their  own  efforts  at  under- 
standing things  for  the  longing  after  God.  They  imagine  that  by 
reason's  activity  they  have  made  their  souls  God's  city  of  peace.  Others, 
men  of  the  same  class,  think  that  they  can  prepare  their  souls  by 
arrangements  and  methods  of  their  own  selection  in  prayers  and  medi- 
tations and  the  like,  and  thereby  secure  tranquillity.     That  this  is  a 


114  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

false  peace  is  proved  by  their  continuing  in  their  defects,  their  pride, 
their  sensuality  and  self-indulgence,  in  suspicions  and  rash  judgments; 
they  are  irritated  by  reproof;  easily  moved  to  excuses,  to  hatred  and  to 
other  wilful  faults.  From  all  this  it  is  plain,  that  in  taking  in  hand 
their  own  preparation  for  God's  work  they  have  hindered  Him  from 
doing  it;  that  they  have  not  arisen  to  be  enlightened  in  the  right  way. 
Let  them  not  fancy  that  their  soul  has  been  made  God's  holy  city  of 
Jerusalem,  the  abode  of  peace.  They  should  rather  resolve  to  overcome 
their  vices,  follow  our  Lord's  pattern  in  their  daily  lives,  do  humble 
works  of  holy  charity,  die  to  themselves  in  all  things;  that  is  their  way 
to  learn  how  to  arise  and  be  enlightened. 

But  the  others,  they  who  in  very  truth  arise  and  are  enlightened,  yield 
to  God  the  task  of  preparing  their  souls'  depths.  These  renounce  them- 
selves in  everything.  They  are  attached  to  neither  words,  methods  or 
acts,  totally  content  in  joy  or  in  sorrow.  To  them  all  things  are 
acceptable  as  coming  from  God,  and  are  received  in  humble  fear.  They 
stand  before  Him  in  entire  self-abandonment,  bowed  down  in  willing 
submission.  Whatever  may  be  God's  good  pleasure  is  welcome.  Be  it 
peaceful  or  the  reverse,  it  is  all  one  to  them,  for  all  things  are  from  God. 
To  them  may  be  applied  our  Lord's  words  to  His  disciples  when  they 
asked  Him  to  go  to  Jerusalem  to  the  festival  day :  "My  time  is  not  yet 
come,  but  your  time  is  always  ready"  (John  vii,  6).  These  men's 
time  is  all  the  time,  for  waiting  and  sufifering  is  always  ready  for  them ; 
but  God's  time  is  not  yet.  When  and  how  He  will  act  and  enlighten 
them  they  leave  wholly  to  Him,  in  entire  self-renunciation  and  the  spirit 
of  long  suffering.  It  is  thus  peculiar  to  these  men  that  to  God  is  given 
over  the  preparation  of  their  souls,  and  by  no  means  do  they  assume  the 
task  themselves.  Doubtless  they  occasionally  feel  the  first  movements 
of  vice  within  them,  from  which,  indeed,  no  one  is  exempt.  But  at  the 
first  evil  suggestion,  whether  of  pride  or  lust,  or  worldliness,  anger  or 
hatred,  they  immediately  and  most  humbly  turn  to  God,  and  give  them- 
selves up  to  Him  for  protection.  Such  souls  do  most  certainly  arise, 
passing  upward  above  all  things,  including  self;  they  are,  indeed,  a  city 
of  peace,  a  real  Jerusalem,  enjoying  tranquillity  in  the  midst  of  unrest, 
and  happiness  in  the  midst  of  pain,  having  relish  only  for  God's  will  in 
all  happenings.  The  whole  world  is  powerless  to  deprive  them  of  their 
peace,  nor  could  all  men  and  devils  together  disturb  it.  They  are 
assuredly  enlightened  by  God,  who  shines  in  their  souls  brightly  and 
powerfully,  even  more  brightly  and  powerfully  amid  seeming  darkness. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 

. 115 

wilftl?^'!  ^Th'"  ^"u'  ^»P^™^t"''''"y  glided  bj  God,  without  Whose 
wm  they  do  nothing  whatsoever.    And,  if  we  dared  say  so,  they  are  in  a 
Lmd  0,  a  way  nothmg  of  themselves,  but  God  is  all  in  all  within  them 
O,  It  IS  these  beautiful  souls  who  are  the  pillars  of  the  world !    Blessed 
IS  he  who  IS  so  fortunate  as  to  be  one  of  them. 
These,  then,  are  the  two  different  classes.    One  class  presumes  to  set 

^ZrZTj  "  «»?f/'"^-  «-  ^^-^^  -ther  than  His,  with  t'h 
result  that  they  remain  fettered  by  their  sins,  powerless  to  free  them- 
selves; or  they  sink  into  self^ontent  and  self-will.    The  other  class  a"e 
b  essed  souls  full  of  utter  self-detachment,  elevated  in  spiri  ,  watchS 

JL"""^!"  *f  "'^   ^'""'  """  *"'"''  ■»<'°  ^"o-"  Gol  i«  thus  preparing 

the  command  is:  Arise,  O  Jerusalem!  and  to  arise  is  itself  to  do  some- 
thing. I  answer:  Yes;  one  work  is  theirs  to  do,  and  that  they  ought  to 
be  engaged  m  as  long  as  life  lasts,  if  they  would  cUe  to  perfecWon  They 
must  rise  up  constantly;  they  must  be  constantly  lifting  up  th^;  souls 
m  God  and  in  a  spirit  of  entire  detachment,  asking,  in  holy  fear  mere 

do  to  ptea"e  H  m  °^'^'''\'°''^''?'  <"•  ^--^^^'  and  what  they  should 
rest  stm  doe?H;  h^  *H  k  '''""'  "'''"  *"  "^  '"'^''^  P''^^"'^.  tbev 
thfn,  ;";  ,  .  ^  *'"'"  ^^  ^''""''  *^<'y  ^«t  to  work;  does  He  Want 
them  contemplation,  they  enjoy  its  privileges.    Their  own  inmostlou 

luTfZ  r  T'.^'  "'"^  *''^°'  *°  ^'>'  '»  His  light  is  shirng  here 
and  that  is  God's  chosen  abode,  which  He  will  not  share  with  any  crea 
ture  And  of  those  other  men,  those  overactive  and  self-guided  sprts 
of  whom  we  have  before  spoken,  it  must  be  said  that  God  works  'w thin 
hem  also,  but  not  directly  and  without  means  and  images,  as  He  does  n 
he  nob  er  and  really  detached  spirits.  In  these  last  Sod's  influence  is 
felt  without  figures  and  images,  and,  as  far  as  they  can  perceive  imme 
diately  upon  the  essence  of  their  souls.  And  it  is  not  possibrto 
describe  or  explain  His  work  in  them,  nor  does  anyone  unders, Id  it 

tMrGoTL^t".'"  ''"""  ^^^^™°^^''  '*' '''«'  -^-^  -  one  can  0    ;l 
that  God  has  taken  possession  of  the  center  of  his  spirit.     He  soon  finds 

himself  freed  from  being  absorbed  by  extern..!  activity,  and  at  the  fame 

finally,  by  his  own  great  earnestness  and  God's  blessed  graces   he  has 
attained  to  the  highest  perfection,  his  self-renunciatiof  is  complete 


116  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

according  to  our  blessed  Lord's  words :  "When  you  shall  have  done  all 
these  things  that  are  commanded  of  you,  say:  We  are  unprofitable 
servants"  (Luke  xvii,  10).  This  shows  that,  however  perfect  a  man 
becomes,  he  should,  nevertheless,  stand  in  humble  awe  and  fear  of  God. 
Yea,  if  he  reaches  the  very  highest  point  of  holiness,  he  should  say  to 
God  with  deepest  sincerity:  "Thy  will  be  done!"  (Matt,  vi,  10 j.  He 
ought  to  maintain  a  sleepless  watch  over  himself,  examining  whether 
he  clings  to  even  one  single  earthly  thing,  whether  God  finds  in  the 
interior  of  His  soul,  even  the  very  least  hindrance  to  His  immediate 
influence  upon  his  spiritual  life. 

May  God  help  us  all  thus  to  arise  and  be  enlightened  and  to  experi- 
ence His  Divine  action  within  us.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  117 


(Boh  XB  (^uimh  b^  iflarljm^ttl  from  (UrttdnrtB 

Synopsis — Human  activity  must  yield  to  divine — The  passive  state  is 
receptive  of  God — The  pain  of  the  soul's  solitude  and  silence  pre- 
cedes the  joy  of  God's  coming — The  soul  must  be  empty  of  crea- 
tures before  being  filled  with  God — The  good  use  of  penances  in 
this  regard. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER  THE  EPIPHANY. 

And  when  He  was  twelve  years  old. — Luke  ii,  42. 

We  read  in  the  Holy  Gospel  that  when  our  Lord  was  twelve  years  old 
He  went  with  His  parents  to  the  temple,  and  that  when  they  started 
homeward  He  remained  there  and  they  knew  it  not.  Then  when  they 
missed  Him  on  the  journey  and  could  not  find  Him  among  their  kins- 
folk and  acquaintance,  they  must  go  back  to  the  temple  seeking  Him. 
And  so  they  found  Him. 

We  may  use  this  event  to  show  thee,  that  if  thou  wouldst  find  the 
Divine  generation  thou  must  quit  all  men,  and  go  back  to  the  source 
from  which  thou  hast  sprung.  All  the  powers  of  the  soul,  intelligence 
and  understanding,  memory  and  will,  lead  thee  into  multiplicity.  There 
fore,  thou  must  give  them  all  up  in  so  far  as  they  lead  thee  into  the 
life  of  the  senses  and  of  images  in  which  thou  seekest  and  findest  thy- 
self; then  and  not  otherwise  shalt  thou  find  the  Divine  generation.  It 
is  not  to  be  found  among  kinsfolk  and  acquaintance,  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, the  search  for  it  among  them  only  leads  thee  astray. 

And  now  it  may  be  asked:  Shall  a  man  find  this  birth  in  certain 
works  which  are  in  themselves  Divine,  but  which  give  us  representations 
of  God  contributed  by  our  senses,  showing  God's  goodness,  wisdom  and 
mercy — framed  by  our  own  reason  and  yet  Godlike  in  very  truth?  I 
answer  no.  Although  these  are  good  and  Godlike,  yet  they  come  from 
our  outward  life  of  the  human  senses,  and  the  Divine  generation  must 
come  from  within  us  and  direct  from  God.  When  this  Divine  illumina- 
tion shines  within  thee  in  actual  reality,  then  thy  activity  must  all 
cease  and  thy  soul's  powers  must  minister  to  God's  and  not  to  thy  own 


118  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

activity;  or,  rather,  God  must  alone  be  active  and  thou  must  rest  pas- 
sive. When  thou  hast  given  up  thy  own  willing  and  knowing,  then  does 
God  enter  in,  and  He  then  lights  up  thy  soul  brilliantly  with  His  pres- 
ence. Wherever  God  would  know  Himself,  there  must  thy  power  of 
knowing  thyself  cease  to  act.  Do  not  imagine  that  thy  reason  may  ever 
be  so  highly  developed  as  to  be  able  to  know  God  by  its  native  power 
in  this  Divine  generation.  If  this  light  shines  within  thee,  it  borrows  no 
rays  from  thy  natural  knowledge,  but  rather  both  thy  reason  and  thy- 
self must  be  brought  to  nothing  before  God,  and  His  light  shall  possess 
thee.  And  when  He  thus  comes  to  thee.  He  will  bring  with  Him  every- 
thing that  thou  hast  renounced  for  His  sake  increased  a  thousand- 
fold, to  be  known  and  enjoyed  by  thee  in  a  new  and  all-embracing  form. 
An  example  of  this  is  given  us  in  the  Gospel,  where  our  Lord  conversed 
with  the  Samaritan  woman  at  the  well,  and  she  left  her  pitcher  and  ran 
into  the  city  and  announced  to  the  people  that  the  Messias  had  come, 
and  they  believed  her.  But  when  they  hastened  out  to  the  well  and  saw 
our  Lord  Himself,  then  they  said  to  her :  "We  now  believe,  not  for  thy 
saying,  for  we  ourselves  have  heard  Him  and  know  that  this,  indeed,  is 
the  Saviour  of  the  World"  (John  iv,  42).  And  so  in  very  truth,  all 
created  things  and  all  sciences,  added  to  thy  own  wisdom,  cannot  give 
thee  the  knowledge  of  God  as  God  is  divinely  known.  Wilt  thou  gain 
this  knowledge?  Then  thou  must  give  up  all  knowledge  and  become 
oblivious  to  all  created  things,  even  to  thyself. 

Alas,  then,  thou  mayst  complain,  what  will  become  of  my  poor  mind, 
standing  thus  vacant  and  inert?  Can  such  a  way  be  right,  since  it 
directs  my  thoughts  to  an  unknown  knowledge?  And  how  can  this 
really  be,  for  I  cannot  know  at  all  without  knowing  something?  If  I 
know  anything  I  am  not,  according  to  thy  teaching,  rightly  prepared  for 
God.  Must  I  actually  be  in  utter  darkness?  Yes,  I  answer,  undoubt- 
edly ;  thou  art  never  better  off  than  when  thou  art  sunk  in  the  darkness 
of  unknowing.  And  if  thou  askest :  Is  this  to  be  my  final  state,  from 
which  I  shall  never  return?  I  answer:  Yes;  certainly  yes.  Again,  if 
thou  wouldst  know  what  this  darkness  is,  what  name  it  has,  I  answer 
that  it  is  thy  soul  reduced  to  a  state  of  pure  and  simple  receptivity, 
which  alone  can  fit  thee  to  attain  to  perfection.  Out  of  this  thou  art 
not  to  come  forth,  except  it  be  by  a  way  that  is  not  the  way  of  truth. 
Thou  mayst,  indeed,  do  so,  but  it  must  be  by  the  way  either  of  the 
senses,  the  world  or  the  devil.  And  that  path  will  lead  thee  necessarily 
into  transgressions;  perhaps  it  may  lead  thee  so  far  from  God  as  to 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  '  119 

cause  thy  eternal  downfall.  Let  there  be  no  going  backwards,  therefore; 
thou  art  to  press  ever  forward  with  thy  longing  for  God,  until  all  thy 
capacity  for  Him  has  been  filled  by  His  blessed  presence ;  thy  soul's  long- 
ing will  never  cease  until  it  is  entirely  filled  with  God.  Unformed 
matter  never  rests  till  its  form  is  granted  it  to  the  extent  of  its  capacity ; 
nor  does  the  soul  of  man  ever  find  repose  till  it  possesses  God  according 
to  the  fullness  of  its  capacity. 

A  heathen  philosopher  has  said :  "In  all  nature  nothing  is  so  swift 
as  the  flight  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  and  yet  the  mind  of  man  overtakes 
and  passes  beyond  them."  If  our  spirit  were  only  true  to  its  original 
power  and  unfettered  by  lower  and  degenerate  influences,  it  would 
transcend  the  highest  heavens,  and  would  never  be  content  till  it  had 
touched  the  remotest  goal,  and  fed  upon  the  most  perfect  food.  Such 
was  its  original  capacity,  which  it  should  long  to  restore.  This  it  will 
do  by  entering  upon  a  state  of  entire  abandonment  to  its  nobler 
impulses,  in  a  state  of  entire  self-renunciation,  and  never  returning  from 
this  salutary  darkness.  In  this  way  it  will  finally  win  possession  of 
Him  Who  is  all  in  all,  and  its  progress  toward  this  end  is  in  proportion 
to  its  emptiness  and  to  its  obliviousness  to  all  created  things.  Hence 
God  speaks  of  the  human  soul  by  the  prophet  Osee :  ''I  will  allure  and 
will  lead  her  into  the  wilderness  and  will  speak  to  her  heart"  (Osee  ii, 
14) .  The  true  and  eternal  Word  is  spoken  only  in  that  solitude  of  heart, 
in  which  a  man  has  laid  waste  his  affections  for  creatures  and  for  his 
very  self,  being  quite  alienated  from  self-love  and  all  multiplicity.  This 
solitude  and  self-alienation  is  spoken  of  by  the  prophet  David :  "Who 
will  give  me  wings  like  a  dove,  and  1  will  fly  and  be  at  rest?"  (Ps.  liv, 
7).  Where  shall  we  find  rest?  Assuredly  in  the  rejection  and  aliena- 
tion of  all  created  things.  Hence  David  says  again :  "I  have  chosen  to 
be  an  abject  in  the  house  my  God,  rather  than  to  dwell  in  the  taber- 
nacles of  sinners"  (Ps.  Ixxxiii,  11). 

And  now  thou  mayst  ask:  Must  one  of  necessity  be  spoiled  of  all 
things  and  alienated  from  them  inwardly  and  outwardly,  including  his 
own  natural  faculties  and  their  operation?  It  is  a  grievous  thing  that 
God  should  thus  leave  a  man  wholly  without  support;  as  the  prophet 
says:  "Woe  is  me,  that  my  sojourning  is  prolonged!"  (Ps.  cxix,  5.) 
When  God  prolongs  my  waiting  in  a  state  of  self-spoliation,  not  light- 
ing up  my  soul,  nor  speaking  His  Word,  nor  being  anywise  active 
within  me,  as  thou  hast  here  been  teaching  me ;  when,  in  a  word,  a  man 
is  sunk  in  absolute  nothingness,  is  it  not  better  that  he  should  do  some- 


120  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

thing  to  relieve  the  gloom  and  desolation  of  his  spirit?  Should  he  not 
say  prayers,  read  good  books,  hear  sermons,  or  resort  for  help  to  other 
pious  means  of  relief?  And  to  all  this  I  answer  no.  These  are  all  good 
in  their  place  and  time,  but  now  God  ofifers  thee  what  is  better.  Be 
assured  that  to  endure  to  the  uttermost  in  thy  patient  silence,  is  in 
every  way  the  best  for  thee.  Out  of  that  state  thou  canst  not  withdraw 
thyself  without  injury,  no  matter  to  what  solace  thou  mayst  resort. 
Thou  art  being  made  ready  for  God's  coming,  and  thou  wishest  to  have 
thy  own  share  of  this  work  of  preparation,  which  cannot  be ;  it  belongs 
all  to  Him.  Thou  hast  not,  seemingly,  so  much  as  the  power  to  think 
it  or  desire  it.  God  alone  must  prepare  thy  soul.  If,  by  an  impossi- 
bility, thou  couldst  have  for  thy  part  the  preparation  and  He  have  for 
His  part  the  entering  in  and  possessing  of  thy  soul,  yet  be  assured  that 
when  thy  part  were  done  and  thy  soul  prepared,  God  must  at  that 
moment  enter  in  and  possess  thee.  But  all  this  is  impossible.  Do  not 
dream  that  God  acts  upon  thy  soul  as  a  carpenter  does  his  task,  now 
working  and  again  leaving  off,  all  just  as  He  pleases.  No,  but  on  the 
contrary,  the  moment  God  finds  thy  soul  prepared.  He  enters  in  and 
dwells  there.  It  is  like  the  shining  of  the  sun — shine  it  must  if  the  air 
is  clear.  It  would  be  attributing  a  grave  fault  to  God  to  suppose  that 
He  would  not  do  His  great  work  in  thee,  as  soon  as  He  finds  thee  capable 
of  receiving  it ;  that  is  to  say,  wholly  resigned  and  detached. 

Learned  men  tell  us,  that  the  instant  a  human  body  is  materially 
formed  in  the  maternal  womb,  God  imparts  to  it  the  spiritual  soul,  which 
is  that  body's  living  form;  the  readiness  of  the  flesh  and  the  pouring 
in  of  the  spirit  being  simultaneous  in  this  case,  as  in  every  other.  When 
nature  has  been  brought  to  its  highest  point  of  perfection,  then  and  in 
the  same  instant  God  grants  His  grace.  As  soon  as  thy  spirit  is  pre- 
pared for  Him,  God  enters  in  without  a  moment's  delay.  In  the  Apoc- 
alypse we  read  our  Lord's  words:  "Behold,  I  stand  at  the  gate,  and 
knock !  If  any  man  shall  hear  My  voice  and  open  to  Me  the  door,  I  will 
come  in  to  him  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  Me"  (Apoc.  iii,  20). 
Search  not  here  nor  there  for  Him;  He  is  not  far  from  thee;  He  is  even 
at  the  door.  There  He  stands  and  waits.  Whomsoever  He  finds  ready, 
He  inspires  to  open  the  door  and  bring  Him  in.  Thou  needst  not  call 
loudly  for  Him,  as  if  He  were  far  oft',  for  He  is  at  hand  and  eager  to 
have  thee  ready  for  His  coming — a  thousand  times  more  so  than  thou  art 
thyself.  The  very  instant  thy  soul's  door  is  opened  to  Him,  He  is  within 
thee. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  121 

If  thou  objectest  that  thou  dost  not  feel  His  presence,  I  answer  that 
thy  feelings  are  not  thine,  but  His,  to  control  as  He  sees  best.  When 
He  is  with  thee,  He  may  show  Himself  or  conceal  Himself,  as  best  suits 
His  purpose.  Accordingly  our  Lord  said  to  Nicodemus:  "The  spirit 
breatheth  where  He  will,  and  thou  hearest  His  voice,  but  thou  knowest 
not  whence  He  cometh  and  whither  He  goeth"  (John  iii,  8).  He  has 
often  spoken  to  thee,  and  thou  hast  heard  Him  and  yet  hast  not  under- 
stood Him.  But  God,  whether  as  master  of  nature,  or  of  grace,  will  not 
permit  a  vacuum.  And  when  thou  thinkest  that  thy  soul  is  empty, 
having  no  feeling  of  God's  presence,  in  truth  it  is  not  empty;  God  is 
there.  Emptyness  of  soul  cannot  continue ;  it  must  be  filled  by  heaven 
coming  down  into  it,  or  by  its  own  self  returning  to  its  earthly  fullness. 
God  never  permits  a  vacuum.  Therefore,  stand  thy  ground  in  all  tran- 
-quillity;  suffer  thy  soul  to  be  emptied;  for  if  thou  departest  from  this 
detachment  thou  canst  not  again  easily  recover  it. 

And  now  thou  mayst  ask  an  explanation  about  the  Divine  generation 
of  the  Son  of  God,  of  which  we  have  been  treating.  May  I,  thou  wilt 
ask,  have  a  sign  given  by  which  I  shall  know  it  has  happened?  Yes, 
certainly ;  and  the  sign  is  threefold.  Men  often  ask  me,  if  one  may  ever 
attain  to  such  a  spiritual  state  that  nothing  hinders  his  perfection — 
neither  the  lapse  of  time,  nor  the  oppressive  weight  of  material  exist- 
ence, nor  the  distractions  of  the  multitudes  about  him.  And  in  very 
truth  a  man  has  reached  that  freedom,  when  this  Divine  generation  has 
come  to  him ;  all  created  things  after  that  are  instinctively  referred  to 
God,  and  to  His  birth  within  the  soul.  Take  an  example  from  a  stroke 
of  lightning.  Whatever  object  is  struck  it  is  instantly  turned  toward 
the  lightning.  A  man  may  turn  his  back  away  from  it,  but  when  struck 
he  is  quickly  swung  around  again;  the  tree's  leaves  are  all  drawn 
toward  the  lightning  that  strikes  it.  So  when  this  Divine  birth  strikes 
the  soul  it  is  instantly  turned  toward  it,  carrying  with  it  all  the  condi- 
tions and  circumstances  of  its  existence,  even  the  most  unfavorable 
ones  being  transformed  into  benefits,  by  the  soul's  new  relationship  to 
God.  No  matter  what  thou  seest  or  hearest,  it  all  comes  to  thee  sancti- 
fied by  the  Divine  generation  in  thy  soul.  Everything  becomes,  as  it 
were,  God  to  thee,  for  thou  knowest  and  lovest  naught  but  God.  It  is 
like  a  man  who  has  been  gazing  straight  at  the  sun  in  the  sky;  when  he 
turns  to  look  at  other  objects  he  sees  the  sun's  disc  shining  in  them. 
And  if  thou  shouldst  fail  in  this,  and  dost  not  seek  and  love  God  alone 
in  everything,  even  the  least,  then  instantly  know  that  this  Divine 
birth  hath  failed  within  thee. 


122  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Thou  mightest  ask :  Ought  not  a  man  to  continue  to  practice  penance? 
Is  he  not  to  blame  if,  on  account  of  this  Divine  state,  he  ceases  his  peni- 
tential exercises?  I  answer  that  all  such  practices,  including  vigils, 
fasts,  tears,  sorrowful  prayer,  disciplines  and  hair  shirts,  are  good, 
because  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit  and  the  body  is  grown  too 
strong  for  the  soul,  producing  an  unceasing  conflict.  Here  in  this  life 
the  flesh  is  bold  and  strong,  for  this  earth  is  its  native  home,  and  the 
world  around  us  is  allied  with  this  fleshly  uprising.  Food  and  drink 
and  all  the  comforts  of  life  are  injurious  to  the  spirit,  which  is  in  exile 
in  this  mortal  existence.  But  in  Heaven  everything  favors  the  spirit. 
There  is  its  fatherland  and  its  home,  and  Heaven's  freedom  from  fleshly 
hindrance  is  granted  the  soul,  if  it  would  but  direct  its  thoughts  and 
its  love  to  Heaven's  inhabitants,  who  are  its  real  friends  and  kindred. 
Here  below  in  our  exile  we  must  weaken  the  fleshly  instincts  and  appe- 
tites, lest  they  overpower  the  spirit.  This  we  succeed  in  doing  by  pain- 
ful penances,  putting  a  curb  on  the  body's  ease  and  comfort.  Thereby 
the  soul  holds  its  own  against  the  uprising  of  fleshly  passions,  and  finally 
reduces  them  to  captivity.  Only  lay  on  the  appetites  the  curb  and  the 
fetter  of  heavenly  love,  and  thou  shalt  m6st  quickly  and  most  over- 
whelmingly subjugate  them.  Hence  about  nothing  does  God  complain 
so  severely  as  about  our  want  of  love.  Love  is  like  the  hook  on  a  fisher- 
man's line ;  the  fish  must  take  the  hook  or  the  fisherman  can  never  catch 
him.  After  the  hook  is  once  in  his  mouth,  the  fish  may  swim  about  and 
even  swim  away  from  the  shore,  but  the  fisherman  is  sure  to  finally 
land  him.  And  this  I  compare  with  love.  Whoever  is  caught  by  love 
is  held  perfectly  fast,  and  yet  in  a  sweet  captivity.  Whoever  has  received 
the  gift  of  Divine  love,  obtains  from  it  more  freedom  from  base  natural 
tendencies  than  by  practicing  all  possible  penances  and  austerities.  He 
it  is  that  can  most  sweetly  endure  all  misfortunes  that  happen  to  him  or 
threaten  to  overwhelm  him ;  he  is  the  one  who  most  readily  forgives  all 
the  injuries  that  can  be  inflicted  on  him.  Nothing  brings  thee  nearer  to 
God ;  nothing  makes  God  so  much  thy  own,  as  the  sweet  bond  of  love. 
Whosoever  has  found  this  way  never  seeks  any  other.  Whosoever  is 
caught  by  this  hook  is  so  entirely  captive,  that  feet,  hands,  mouth,  eyes 
and  heart — everything  that  is  himself — becomes  God's  own.  Therefore, 
if  thou  wouldst  conquer  these  enemies,  namely,  corrupt  natural  tenden- 
cies, and  render  them  harmless,  love  is  thy  best  weapon.  Therefore,  it 
is  written:  ''Love  is  strong  as  death,  [its]  jealousy  hard  as  hell"  (Cant. 
viii,  6).     Death  cuts  the  soul  from  the  body,  but  love  cuts  all  things 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  123 

from  the  soul.  When  the  soul  loves,  then  whatsoever  is  not  God  or  God- 
like, it  suffers  not  to  rest  with  it  for  an  instant.  Whosoever  is  enlisted 
in  this  warfare  and  treads  this  path,  what  he  does  or  what  he  does  not 
in  active  good  works,  or  what  he  is  not  able  to  do,  makes  no  ditference— 
whether  something  or  nothing,  all  is  for  love.  The  work  of  perfect  love 
is  more  fruitful  to  a  man's  own  soul  and  to  the  souls  of  all  other  men 
with  whom  he  deals,  and  it  brings  more  glorj  to  God,  than  all  other 
works,  even  if  these  be  free  from  mortal  sin,  but  are  done  in  a  state  of 
weaker  love.  The  mere  quiet  repose  of  a  soul  with  perfect  love,  is  of 
more  worth  to  God  and  man  than  the  active  labors  of  another  soul. 
Therefore,  do  thou  but  cleave  fast  and  firm  to  this  hook  of  Divine  love 
and  thou  shalt  be  God's  happy  captive,  and  the  more  entirely  captive, 
the  more  perfectly  free  shalt  thou  be.  That  this  captivity  and  liberty 
may  be  vouchsafed  us,  we  pray  God  the  Father,  and  God  the  Son,  and 
God  the  Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 


124  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — Beginnei'S  long  for  God  amid  trials  and  temptations — They 
gain  Him  hy  meditation  on  Christ's  passion — Proficients  seek  for 
Him  in  correcting  the  least  defects — This  is  folloiced  hy  the  joy 
of  jubilee  with  God — Perfect  souls  now  experience  a  torment  of 
thirst,  for  God  seems  lost  and  gone  from  them  forever — These  find 
God  again  hy  groping  through  darkness  into  their  deeper  spirit. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  SECOND  SUNDAY  AFTER  THE  EPIPHANY. 

And  on  the  last  and  gi'eat  day  of  tbe  festivity,  Jesus  stood  and  cried:  If  any 
man  tliirst,  let  him  come  to  Me  and  drink. — John  vii,  37. 

What  is  the  thirst  of  which  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  here  speaks? 
Nothing  else  but  this :  When  the  Holy  Ghost  enters  a  soul,  that  soul  feels 
a  fire  of  love;  indeed,  a  very  conflagration  of  love  burns  in  that  soul, 
causing  a  fiery  thirst  after  God;  that  is  to  say,  an  interior  longing  to 
possess  Him.  And  it  often  happens  that  such  a  soul  is  mj'stified  and 
cannot  account  for  its  condition,  knowing  only  that  it  suffers  interior 
emptiness  and  anguish,  and  that  it  loathes  all  created  things. 

Three  kinds  of  men  experience  this  thirst,  and  each  kind  differently, 
one  kind  being  beginners,  the  second  those  who  are  making  some  prog- 
ress, and  the  third  are  perfect,  as  far  as  may  be  in  this  life.  King  David 
says:  *'As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  fountains  of  water,  so  my  soul 
panteth  after  Thee,  O  God!"  (Ps.  xli,  1).  When  the  hart  is  driven 
by  the  hounds  through  forests  and  over  mountains,  he  is  burnt  with  a 
consuming  thirst  and  longs  for  water  more  than  any  other  kind  of 
animal.  Now,  beginners  in  the  spiritual  life,  much  more  than  any  other 
class,  are  pursued  by  heavy  trials  and  temptations,  and  they  are  like 
the  hart  hunted  by  hounds.  Wheu  a  man  first  turns  away  from  the 
world  and  repents  of  his  gross  sinfulness,  then  the  seven  deadly  sins 
assail  him  like  so  many  horrible  dogs,  tormenting  him  more  now,  per- 
haps, than  while  he  was  yet  a  worldling;  he  was  then  tempted,  indeed, 
but  now  he  is  fairly  hunted  by  his  vicious  tendencies.    Therefore,  Solo- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  125 

men  teaches:  "Son,  when  thou  comest  to  the  service  of  God,  stand  in 
justice  and  fear,  and  prepare  thy  soul  for  temptation"  (Ecclus.  ii,  1). 
But  remember  that,  according  to  the  violence  of  thy  temptations,  so 
should  be  the  fire  of  thy  thirst  for  God. 

Now,  it  often  happens  that  the  hounds  overtake  the  hart,  spring  on  his 
flanks  and  fasten  their  teeth  in  him,  and  he  cannot  shake  them  off;  and 
then  he  runs  under  the  outspreading  branches  of  a  tree,  which  strikes 
them  and  breaks  their  heads,  and  thus  he  is  released  from  then).  This 
shows  what  a  devout  man  may  do  against  his  temptations.  When  they 
fasten  on  him,  let  him  run  with  all  his  might  under  the  tree  of  the 
cross,  meditating  piously  on  the  passion  and  death  of  our  dear  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  This  it  is  that  breaks  the  heads  of  his  enemies;  that 
is  to  say,  enables  him  to  overcome  all  temptations.  And,  again,  it  may 
hapjien  that  when  the  big  hounds  are  shaken  off,  then  the  hart  is 
attacked  by  little  ones,  which  snap  off  little  pieces  of  flesh;  and  if  their 
attacks  are  neglected  they  may  cause  serious  hurt;  that  is  to  say,  a 
spiritual  beginner,  having  overcome  heavy  and  grievous  temptations, 
must  be  watchful  against  trifling  faults,  for  venial  sins  can  mislead 
him  to  this  side  or  that,  distract  his  heart  from  God,  hinder  his  devoted- 
ness  to  the  interior  life.  These  hindrances  are  such  things  as  idle  recre- 
ations, vain  companionship,  vanity  in  dress,  human  solace  and  comfort. 
Unless  he  carefully  abstain  from  them,  soon  his  devout  way  of  living 
grows  less  earnest,  and  he  loses  grace  and  the  spirit  of  recollection.  It 
often  happens  that  this  petty  warfare  injures  a  soul,  as  far  as  perfection 
goes,  more  than  did  the  heavier  conflict ;  in  the  latter  he  was  energetic 
in  his  resistance,  for  he  knew  that  his  enemies  directly  sought  his  life; 
whereas  now  he  fancies  he  may  disregard  his  lesser  foes,  because  they 
allure  him  only  to  venial  faults.  Under  cover  of  this  delusion  they 
assail  him  unawares,  and  we  know  that  a  disguised  enemy  is  more  dan- 
gerous than  an  open  one,  though  the  former  be  much  weaker  than  the 
latter.  So,  therefore,  let  a  man  resist  all  kinds  of  temptations  with 
equal  courage  and  vigilence.  And  as  the  hart,  the  more  he  is  hunted, 
the  hotter  grows  his  thirst,  so  the  fiercer  a  man's  temptations  are,  the 
more  do  all  and  each  of  them  consume  his  heart  with  a  burning  thirst 
after  the  love  of  our  Lord,  in  Whom  he  shall  at  last  find  all  trath,  all 
joy,  all  comfort  and  all  righteousness. 

When  the  hunters  perceive  that  the  hart  is  worn  out,  then  the  hunt 
grows  tiresome  to  them,  and  they  call  off  the  hounds  and  feed  and  rest 
them,  letting  the  hart  roam  at  will  till  his  strength  is  restored  and  he 


126  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

can  afford  them  better  sport.  And  thus  does  our  blesed  Lord  deal  with 
men  during  this  period  of  trial;  when  He  perceives  that  it  is  too  much 
for  them,  He  calls  off  the  temptation,  He  gives  the  wearied  soul  a 
refreshing  draught  from  His  sacred  heart,  a  taste  of  the  sweetness  of 
Divine  things.  All  that  is  not  God  now  seems  very  bitter  to  the  soul, 
which  imagines  that  the  victory  is  finally  and  forever  won.  But  it  is 
not  so ;  this  is  nothing  else  than  an  interval  of  refreshment,  granted  in 
preparation  for  further  temptations,  all  unexpectedly  assailing  a  man, 
like  hounds  springing  suddenly  upon  the  neck  of  a  hunted  beast. 

But  if  the  trials  are  now  more  severe  than  ever  before,  so  is  the  soul 
stronger  to  resist  them  than  in  previous  conflicts.  Now,  dear  children, 
it  is  only  because  of  God's  faithful  and  unbounded  love  for  us,  that  He 
allows  this  terrible  ordeal;  for  it  is  plain  that  by  so  fearful  a  conflict  a 
man  is  made  glad  to  run  to  God,  as  the  hunted  beast  runs  to  a  fountain 
of  water.  A  man's  heart,  by  constantly  struggling  against  his  enemies, 
becomes  tormented  with  yearnings  to  possess  God's  joy  and  grace  in 
perfect  truth  and  entire  security.  And  all  the  thirstier  he  is,  all  the 
sweeter  shall  the  waters  of  life  be  to  him,  even  here  below;  and  then 
also  hereafter,  as  he  drinks  his  fill  at  the  fountain  head  of  all  joy  in  the 
heart  of  his  heavenly  Father.  Hence  all  his  sufferings  seem  trifling,  in 
comparison  with  the  comfort  he  feels  in  bearing  them  for  God's  sake. 

And  now  that  the  hart  has  shaken  off  and  distanced  all  the  hounds,  he 
comes  to  a  clear  stream  of  water;  he  joyfully  plunges  down  into  it  and 
drinks  all  he  wants  and  is  fully  refreshed.  So  it  is  with  the  soul  at  the 
waters  of  Divine  consolation.  When,  without  Lord's  help,  he  has  driven 
off  his  temptations  and  at  last  comes  to  God  with  all  confidence,  what 
shall  he  do  but  drink  deep  of  God's  love  and  joy?  And  then  he  is  so 
filled  with  God,  that  in  his  happiness  and  peace  he  forgets  himself  and 
thinks  that  he  can  work  great  miracles;  he  is  ready  joyously  to  go 
through  fire  and  water  for  God,  and  to  face  a  thousand  drawn  swords ; 
he  fears  neither  life  nor  death,  neither  pleasure  nor  pain.  And  so  it 
would  seem  that  he  is  intoxicated  with  God's  love. 

This  is  the  joy  of  jubilee.  Sometimes  such  a  one  weeps  for  joy ;  some- 
times he  laughs,  and  again  he  sings.  Men  about  him,  whose  only  guide 
is  natural'  reason,  cannot  understand  all  this,  knowing  nothing  of  the 
wonderful  ways  of  the  Holy  Spirit  with  elect  souls.  Look  at  this 
strange  conduct,  they  exclaim ;  and  they  at  once  sit  in  judgment  upon 
these  chosen  spirits  and  harshly  condemn  them.  But  meantime  these 
enjoy  unspeakable  happiness;  happiness  comes  to  them  from  everything 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  127 

that  occurs.  Do  what  you  please  to  them,  visit  them  with  good  or  evil, 
it  is  all  one.  They  rest  wholly  unconcerned,  free  and  contented.  What- 
ever happens  without,  the  joy  of  God  glows  bright  within  them,  a  deli- 
cious thirst  for  God  rules  their  souls  without  intermission,  and  is  as 
constantly  gratified.  Some  of  them  die  of  jubilation,  their  hearts  quite 
overcome  with  love  for  our  Lord.  For,  dear  children,  it  is  a  mark  of 
God's  greatest  work  in  their  souls,  that  they  can  no  longer  endure  its 
bliss  and  live  in  the  body.  Many  a  one  of  these  favored  men  has  yielded 
up  with  such  entire  abandonment  to  this  wonderful  visitation  of  God, 
that  poor,  weak  human  nature  has  given  way  and  death  has  followed. 

Dear  children,  when  our  Lord  sees  men  thus  intoxicated  with  His 
spiritual  gifts,  He  acts  like  a  prudent  father  of  a  family,  whose  children, 
taking  advantage  of  their  father's  being  in  bed  asleep,  go  down  into  his 
cellar  and  drink  to  excess  the  good  wine  he  has  stored  there.  When  the 
father  wakes  up  and  sees  what  has  happened,  he  goes  out  and  cut  a  good, 
strong  switch,  and  he  comes  and  gives  his  children  a  severe  whipping, 
and  afterwards  he  gives  them  nothing  but  water  to  drink  till  they  are 
perfectly  sobered  again.  So  does  God  deal  with  His  chosen  ones.  While 
they  drink  to  excess  the  delights  of  His  love.  He  is,  as  it  were,  asleep. 
But  presently  he  punishes  them  by  withdrawing  the  strong,  sweet  wine 
of  His  joy,  for  their  want  of  moderation  has  hindered  its  benefiting  them. 
And  now  comfort  and  peace,  and  the  sweetest  sense  of  God's  presence  are 
gone,  and  they  are  as  sad  as  if  they  never  had  been  joyous ;  they  are  now 
as  sadly  sober  as  before  they  were  wildly  intoxicated.  And  when  this 
state  begins  to  darken  upon  them,  they  yearn  mightily  after  our  Lord; 
but  by  this  deprivation  He  leads  them  once  more  out  of  themselves,  and 
frees  them  more  than  ever  before  from  all  captivity  to  created  things. 
They  are  restored  to  their  sober  senses  and  reason ;  they  are  moderated 
and  brought  down  to  their  own  proper  level ;  they  learn  just  what  they 
are  and  what  they  can  do  when  left  to  themselves.  A  while  ago  and  they 
were  ready  to  suffer  such  things  for  God  as  anyone  might  name  and 
away  beyond  that;  and  now  they  cannot  undertake  the  least  little  thing 
for  God  without  the  greatest  diflQculty,  and  if  you  say  a  cross  word  to 
them  they  can  scarcely  bear  it,  even  for  God's  sake.  In  this  state  of 
spiritual  collapse,  they  see  with  perfect  clearness  just  what  little  good 
they  are  capable  of,  while  acting  with  their  own  forces  and  following 
their  own  lights.  Another  effect  is  this :  The  abstractioj  of  God's 
sensible  graces  makes  them  so  humble,  and  so  takes  away  their  self-con- 
ceit, that  they  grow  amazingly  kind  and  well-disposed  toward  all  men. 


128  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

and  in  their  outard  activity  they  become  very  unassuming,  all  of  which 
is  quite  peculiar  to  souls  who  have  been  chastised  by  God. 

And  yet  you  must  know  that  all  that  God  has  thus  far  accomplished 
in  such  souls,  causing  these  stormy  times  there,  has  happened  among  the 
lowest  spiritual  powers.  My  dear  children,  God's  chosen  dwelling  is 
not  there,  nor  will  He  there  tarry  long,  for  it  is  all  too  narrow  a  place  for 
Him  if  He  would  do  a  perfect  work.  His  proper  place  is  only  in  the 
superior  part  of  the  soul,  both  to  dwell  and  to  work.  There  alone  does 
He  find  His  image  and  likeness.  See  Him  there  and  nowhere  else,  if  thou 
wouldst  surely  find  Him. 

And  there  it  is  that  in  all  truth,  and  very  quickly,  too,  an  earnest 
soul  finds  what  it  has  been  seeking  with  so  much  unrest.  There,  in  a 
sort  of  rapturous  ecstasy,  the  soul's  very  self  is  lifted  above  all  its 
powers  into  a  spiritual  wilderness  quite  impossible  to  describe,  in  whose 
hidden  obscurity  it  discovers  the  unspeakable  Good,  and  is  absorbed  in 
the  Divine  unity,  so  completely  as  to  lose  all  sense  of  diversity;  multi- 
plicity is  lost  in  unity.  Children,  when  these  men  return  to  themselves, 
they  find  that  God  has  granted  them  a  most  joyous  knowledge  of  diver- 
sity, a  wisdom  otherwise  unknown  in  this  life,  and  born  only  in  souls  who 
have  been  thus  absorbed  in  the  Divine  unity.  All  of  the  articles  of  holy 
faith  now  shine  clear  and  distinct  one  from  another.  Bright  light  beams 
into  the  soul  about  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  one 
true  and  eternal  God.  No  one  knows  the  Divine  Trinity  better  than 
these  souls,  taught  by  God's  Divine  unity.  Such  is  this  indescribable 
darkness,  which  is  yet  God's  essential  light;  such  is  this  desert  waste 
wherein  no  man  finds  road  or  path,  for  it  is  traversed  in  a  Divinely 
supernatural  manner. 

This  obscurity  is,  therefore,  in  reality  a  light ;  but  because  it  is  essen- 
tially superior  to  the  nature  of  the  human  intelligence  it  is  darkness  to 
it.  It  is  a  desert  because  it  is  naturally  inaccessible  to  us,  and  its  paths 
are  ways  unknown  to  our  nature.  Into  the  midst  of  this  state  is  the 
spirit  of  a  man  led  by  God,  in  a  manner  wholly  incapable  of  his  compre- 
hension. There  he  drinks  deep  of  the  waters  of  life  flowing  from  the 
well-spring  of  the  very  Deity.  Heretofore  the  waters  were  bitter  and 
tepid,  for  they  were  in  the  common,  open  stream;  now,  like  the  waters 
of  any  bubbling  spring,  they  are  sweet  and  cold.  O  how  sweet  are  the 
waters  drunk  from  the  fountainhead  of  God!  Into  those  waters  the 
soul  longs  to  cast  itself,  to  be  wholly  filled  with  them  and  to  be  immersed 
in  them.     But  it  finds  that  this  is  a  boon  not  to  be  granted  in  this  life. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  120 

Meanwhile  the  soul  is  absorbed  in  God,  as  a  summer  shower  sinks  into 
the  bosom  of  the  earth. 

Now,  dear  children,  suppose  a  man  arrived  at  this  state;  in  case  he 
allows  his  lower  spiritual  faculties  to  be  idle  and  useless,  then  the 
higher  life  will  profit  him  nothing.  He  must  use  his  ordinary  faculties 
according  to  their  nature;  otherwise  the  Spirit  of  God  will  depart  from 
him,  resulting  in  the  return  of  the  reign  of  pride^  ill-regulated  liberty, 
and  intellectual  self-conceit.  Let  such  a  man  continually  humble  him- 
self in  subjection  to  the  will  of  God,  practice  entire  detachment  from 
created  things,  hush  all  sounds  of  earth  from  within  and  without,  and, 
in  fact,  abound  in  all  the  virtues  of  the  ordinary  Christian.  Then  will 
God  continue  His  intimate  union  with  him  and  transform  him  more  and 
more  into  a  Godlike  man. 

Children,  behold  in  what  marvelous  ways  God  leads  souls,  and  how 
strange  a  play  he  makes  with  them !  IMrst,  He  introduces  Himself  into 
their  inner  powers,  so  that  He  gradually  absorbs  them  and  they  Him, 
and  then  they  cannot  restrain  themselves  and  fall  into  singular  and 
foolish  ways.  After  that  He  draws  them  deeper  into  Himself  and 
imparts  His  very  Deity,  quite  differently  from  His  former  way,  and  this 
sets  them  rightly  ordered  in  all  things.  And  now  the  soul  may  truly 
say,  in  the  words  of  the  Canticle:  "He  brought  me  into  the  cellar  of 
wine,  He  set  in  order  charity  in  me"  (Cant,  ii,  4).  He  hath  ordered 
all  things  well  in  the  soul's  life,  leading  it  across  a  wonderful  desert 
deep  into  its  own  self,  showing  it  there  what  surpasses  all  sense  and  all 
reason,  and  what  is  quite  above  human  experience,  because  it  is  a  ver- 
itable foretaste  of  life  eternal.  Behold,  dear  children,  how  the  gentle, 
kindly  goodness  of  God  is  able  so  to  hide  His  dealings  with  His  chosen 
ones  that,  as  He  makes  them  perfect.  He  performs  a  most  marvelous 
work.  His  aim  is  always  to  draw  us  to  union  with  Himself  in  a  holy  and 
happy  life.  He  would  have  us  all  athirst  after  His  everlasting  peace 
and  love,  calling  to  us  with  a  loud,  resounding  voice:  "If  any  man 
thirst,  let  him  come  to  Me  and  drink"  living  water.  He  Himself,  as  it 
were,  thirsts  to  find  a  true  thirst  in  our  souls,  which  He  quenches  by 
filling  us  with  such  sweet  and  heavenly  fullness,  that  out  of  us  "shall 
flow  rivers  of  living  water"  (John  vii,  37)  unto  life  eternal.  It  is  as 
when  we  are  nourished  with  bodily  food ;  it  passes  from  the  stomach  into 
every  member  of  the  body,  giving  strength  to  all.  So  does  the  soul  drink 
a  Divine  nourishment  in  this  interior  communication  with  God,  which 
spreads  Divine  love  everywhere  throughout  our  faculties,  making  our 


130  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

works,  our  life  and  our  very  existence,  rightly  ordered  in  God  and  all 
devoted  to  the  welfare  of  our  fellow-men.  In  such  wise  it  is,  that  from 
the  interior  operation  of  God  our  outward  life  is  well  ordered.  Thus 
our  labors  blossom  and  bear  great  fruit  in  God's  own  way,  making  for 
eternal  happiness.  To  attain  to  this  blessed  end  may  God  mercifully 
grant  us  His  help.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  131 


®ljf  3^to  P0rrl|fa  of  tiit  Pool  of  ll^altng 

Synopsis — The  first  is  humility — The  second  is  recollection  of  spirit, 
especially  needful  for  active  spirits — The  third  is  repentance  deep 
and  true — The  fourth  is  joyous  voluntary  poverty,  forming  a 
nohle  and  elevated  character — Tfie  fifth  is  referring  all  gifts  of 
God  hack  to  the  giver,  being  opposed  to  spiritual  gluttony — The 
waters  of  the  pool  of  healing  are  the  most  Precious  Blood  of 
Christ. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER  THE  EPIPHANY. 

After  these  things  there  was  a  festival  day  of  the  Jews,  and  Jesus  went  up  to 
Jerusalem. — John  v,  1. 

This  part  of  the  Holy  Gospel  tells  us  that  Jesus  went  to  a  festival  at 
Jerusalem,  and  that  He  visited  a  pool  of  healing  there  enclosed  by  five 
porches.  "In  these  lay  a  great  multitude  of  sick,  of  blind,  of  lame, 
of  withered,  waiting  for  the  moving  of  the  water.  And  an  angel  of  the 
Lord  descended  at  certain  times  into  the  pond,  and  the  water  was  moved. 
And  he  that  went  down  first  into  the  pond  after  the  motion  of  the  water, 
was  made  whole,  of  whatsoever  infirmity  he  lay  under."  Our  Redeemer 
there  saw  a  man  lying  on  a  mattress  who  had  been  sick  for  thirty -eight 
years.  Moved  with  pity.  He  said  to  him :  "Wilt  thou  be  made  whole?" 
The  infirm  man  answered :  "Sir,  I  have  no  man,  when  the  water  is 
troubled,  to  put  me  into  the  pond;  for,  whilst  I  am  coming,  another 
goeth  down  before  me."  Then  said  our  dear  Lord  to  him :  "Arise,  take 
up  thy  bed,  and  walk !"  And  immediately  the  man  was  made  whole,  and 
he  took  up  his  bed  and  walked,  not  knowing  who  it  was  that  had  healed 
him.  But  "Afterwards  Jesus  findeth  him  in  the  temple,  and  saith  to 
him  :  Behold,  thou  art  made  whole !  Sin  no  more,  lest  some  worse  thing 
happen  to  thee." 

The  pool  of  healing,  what  is  it  but  the  sweet  and  noble  person  of  our 
beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ  Himself?  And  the  health-giving  water,  is  the 
adorable  and  most  precious  blood  of  the  eternal  Son  of  God,  true  God 
and  true  Man,  Who  has  washed  and  cleansed  us  in  that  bath  of  love, 


132  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

and  Who,  out  of  His  own  tender  love,  will  thus  wash  and  cleanse  all  men 
who  come  to  Him  with  real  sorrow  for  their  sinful  lives,  together  with 
a  sincere  resolve  to  be  better  for  the  future.  The  sick  who  lay  around 
this  healing  pool  in  such  great  numbers,  waiting  for  the  angel  to  come 
down  and  stir  the  waters,  may  be  called  the  whole  human  race,  who, 
before  our  Lord's  coming,  lay  in  captivity  under  the  law  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament while  they  lived,  and  after  death  waited  in  limbo  for  the  moving 
of  the  waters;  that  is,  till  our  Lord's  precious  blood  was  poured  out  at 
His  blessed  and  bitter  death,  giving  them  eternal  health  and  salvation. 
And  so  also  in  these  last  days,  which  are  the  time  of  salvation,  no  man 
can  ever  be  healed  and  saved  except  by  the  adorable  and  precious  blood 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

And  you  should  know,  too,  that  all  sick  souls  that  will  not  pass 
through  our  Lord's  pool  of  healing  will,  without  doubt,  perish  everlast- 
ingly. But  there  are  jet  other  souls  who  feel  the  stirring  of  these  waters 
only  outwardly;  they  are  influenced  by  the  admonitions  of  their  fellow- 
men,  threatening  them  with  the  punishments  of  hell,  or  painful  visita- 
tions of  Providence  afflicting  soul  or  body ;  or.  again,  they  are  moved  by 
the  Word  of  God  preached  to  them.  All  such  come,  indeed,  into  these 
healing  waters,  but  only  half-heartedly.  And  these  are  much  to  be 
pitied ;  for,  although  they  are  made  whole  of  their  sinfulness,  yet  thej 
hold  off  as  much  as  they  dare  from  true  and  entire  conversion  to  God. 
Let  us  pity  them,  I  say,  for  they  live  and  die  but  half-cleansed,  and  are 
finally  cast  into  the  bitter  pains  of  purgatory,  there  to  remain  till  they 
are  entirely  purified. 

The  pool  of  healing  had  five  porches,  before  which  lay  a  great  number 
of  infirm  persons,  each  and  all  waiting  to  be  first  in  the  waters  as  the 
angel  stirred  them,  and  thereby  to  be  healed.  This  means  the  proud,  the 
wrathful,  the  vengeful,  the  covetous  and  the  unchaste — all  these,  let  us 
well  remember  it — are  washed  in  the  blood  of  Jesus  and  are  made  whole 
if  they  will  but  accept  the  cleansing. 

We  may  also  consider  the  five  porches  as  representing  our  Lord's  five 
holy  wounds,  by  the  overflow  of  Whose  precious  blood,  we  are  healed 
and  saved  from  the  mortal  sickness  of  sin.  Yet  another  meaning  may 
be  given,  for  the  five  porches  are  like  the  five  virtues  of  very  great 
prominence  in  the  Christian's  life,  all  needed  for  every  soul,  but  this  one 
or  that  especially  necessary  to  each,  according  to  his  peculiar  spiritual 
sickness. 

Humility  is  the  first — humility,  deep  and  unfeigned.  By  this  a  man 
rates  himself  as  worthless ;  bows  himself  down  beneath  the  hand  of  God 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  133 

and  of  every  creature;  meekly  accepts  all  adversity  and  prosperity,  sor- 
row and  joy,  no  matter  from  what  source  it  comes,  as  allotted  him  by 
God  alone;  is  ever  in  fear  and  shame  before  the  face  of  God;  never 
repining. 

The  second  portico  of  the  pool  of  healing,  is  diligent  attention  to  the 
interior  life — recollection  of  spirit.  O,  how  necessary  is  this  virtue  to 
many  simple,  well-meaning  men!  They  do  not  wait  for  God's  signal, 
but,  wholly  self-guided,  they  rush  outwards  to  the  showiest  kind  of  teach- 
ing, preaching  and  the  like,  little  realizing  that  they  are  influenced  only 
by  the  human  motive  of  sensible  and  natural  satisfaction.  St.  Augus- 
tine tells  us,  that  it  sometimes  happens  that  men  who  thus  abandon  a 
recollected  life  and  unguardingly  mingle  with  the  joys  of  creatures, 
never  more  return.  Be  assured,  dear  children,  that  whoever  would 
engage  in  external  works  should  keep  a  careful  watih  over  his  interior, 
earnestly  inspecting  his  motives.  Laboring  externally  with  this  safe- 
guard, he  ever  preserves  peace  and  security  both  within  and  without. 
Imprudent  activity  breeds  unrest,  the  soul  being  guided  by  the  attrac- 
tions of  sensible  joy  and  the  casual  happenings  of  life,  instead  of  God's 
interior  leadings  and  admonitions. 

The  third  portico  is  repentence  for  sin,  deep  and  true.  It  is  turning 
away  in  all  sincerity  from  everything  that  is  not  God,  or  that  does  not 
come  from  God.  The  very  marrow  of  true  contrition  consists  in  this — 
that  a  sinner  returns  absolutely  to  God  with  all  that  he  is  inwardly 
and  outwardly.  That  a  man  is  wholly  absorbed  in  trustfulness  of  God's 
goodness,  that  he  ardently  longs  to  possess  Him  and  Him  only,  that  he 
is  resolutely  determined  to  cleave  to  Him  forever  in  all  love,  that  he  has 
the  purpose  clear  and  distinct  to  do  God's  will  alone  to  the  utmost  of 
his  power :  My  dear  children, this  is  what  repentance  essentially  is.  Who- 
soever has  it  in  that  spirit,  his  sins  are  without  any  doubt  forgiven  him 
wholly,  and  the  deeper  the  intensity  of  his  earnestness,  so  much  the 
more  perfectly  is  he  cleansed. 

The  fourth  portico  is  a  joyous  voluntary  poverty.  You  know,  chil- 
dren, that  there  is  a  poverty  arising  from  outward  conditions,  and  an 
interior,  that  is  to  say,  a  real  and  true  poverty.  To  outward  poverty 
all  men  are  not  called;  but  to  interior  poverty  all  are  called  who  would 
be  true  friends  of  God.  By  this  virtue  God  alone  is  our  riches ;  in  our 
inmost  heart  we  value  Him  and  Him  only.  Whatever  else  we  may  have, 
is  possessed  only  because  we  are  sure  He  wills  us  to  have  it,  and  it  is  held 
in  sincere  poverty  of  spirit.     St.  Paul  tells  us  of  this  poverty :  "As  hav- 


134  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

ing  nothing  and  possessing  all  things"  (II  Cor.  vi,  10).  And  we  must 
understand  this  to  mean,  that  we  do  not  wish  to  possess  anything  in  this 
life  that  God  would  have  us  be  without ;  that  we  yield  up  to  Him  quickly 
and  gladly  our  goods  and  our  friends  and  our  honor,  our  very  body  and 
soul,  if  He  so  wills  it,  for  His  love  and  glory.  This  should  be  our  mind 
every  hour  of  our  lives,  even  though  we  have  to  overcome  the  resistance 
of  mean,  cowardly  human  nature;  for  this  is  essentially  the  poverty 
required  of  all  good  men.  And  this  forms  a  noble  character — one  set  at 
liberty  from  all  attachment  to  creatures,  and  elevated  in  spirit  above  the 
vicissitudes  of  life,  whether  of  joy  or  sorrow,  ever  ready  to  give  up  all 
earthly  things  as  God  wills  it.  If  such  a  one  were  monarch  of  a  king- 
dom, he  would  in  spirit  be  no  different  from  a  literally  poverty-stricken 
man,  nor  would  his  royal  riches  in  the  least  degree  hinder  his  soul  from 
profiting  fully  by  any  of  God's  graces.  Being  incapable  of  resting  for 
peace  and  joy  upon  perishable  things,  he  constantly  stands  in  spirit 
before  God  like  a  beggar  asking  for  an  alms  from  a  kind,  loving  Father ; 
and  that  alms,  the  only  gift  that  can  ever  satisfy  him,  is  nothing  less 
and  nothing  else  than  God  Himself.  It  is  true  that  when  some  temporal 
gain  or  loss  happens,  such  men  are  momentarily  glad  or  sorrowful;  but 
this  is  only  felt  in  the  lower  part  of  the  soul,  is  not  yielded  to,  and  is 
followed  instantly  by  an  elevation  of  the  spirit  to  God. 

The  fifth  portico  is  giving  back  to  God  the  glory  of  all  His  gifts,  a 
steadfast  reference  of  all  graces  and  favors  to  the  Divine  origin  from 
which  they  have  flowed  forth.  Many  men,  when  God  bestows  special 
spiritual  favors  on  them,  regenerating  them  into  His  wonderful  light, 
begin  to  felicitate  themselves.  They  riot  in  spiritual  gluttony;  they 
never  think  of  humbly  attributing  their  good  fortune  to  its  only  origin, 
but  appropriate  God's  graces  to  themselves  in  a  feeling  of  personal 
ownership.  And  this  is  very  perilous  to  their  souls.  We  should  so 
steadfastly  look  to  God  alone  in  all  happenings,  that  we  shall  scarcely 
perceive  the  gifts  which  he  is  showering  upon  us.  Consider  a  man  gaz- 
ing at  something  through  a  narrow  opening  in  a  wall;  if  he  fixes  his 
attention  wholly  upon  the  object  he  is  inspecting,  the  wall  serves  him 
well;  but  if  he  begins  to  examine  the  wall  itself,  asking  how  thick  or 
thin  it  may  be,  then  the  wall  is  a  hindrance  to  him.  It  is  thus  with 
the  soul  and  God's  gifts,  little  or  great.  Rest  thy  mind  on  them,  study 
how  noble  and  beautiful  they  are,  indulge  recklessly  in  all  their  joys, 
and  then  art  thou  hindered  from  possessing  God,  Who  alone  is  to  be 
praised  and  glorified  in  His  graces.     Thou  oughtest  instantly  to  refer 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


135 


back  to  God  all  the  favors  He  bestows  on  thee,  sinking  thyself  deep  into 
the  glorious  depths  of  Divine  love,  from  which  they  all  have  come  forth. 
Children,  many  infirm  men  lay  in  the  porticos  enclosing  the  pool  of 
healing,  and  whichever  one  of  them  first  entered  the  waters  after  the 
angel  stirred  them,  was  made  whole.    And  what  meaning  has  this  stir- 
ring of  the  waters?     Nothing  less  than  the  descent  of  the  Holv  Spirit 
into  a  man's  soul,  stirring  up  with  a  powerful  movement  of  grace  his 
whole  interior  life.     Thereby  is  he  so  totally  transformed,  that  things 
which  once  he  loved  have  now  become  absolutely  tasteless  to  him.    Once 
he  fairly  dreaded  and  strenuously  avoided  what  now  he  covets  with  all 
his  heart-to  be  stripped  of  all  things  and  to  live  like  a  banished  man; 
to  retire  into  inner  silence;  to  be  humiliated  and  to  be  cast  off  by  all 
men.     Such  things  become  sweetest  joys  to  him,  when  God's  Spirit  stirs 
the  deep  waters  of  his  soul.     All  this  happens  to  the  sick  man ;  that  is  to 
say,  the  man  whose  spiritual  powers  have  been  absorbed  in  the  outward 
things  of  life;  these  faculties  of  his  soul  are  now  washed  and  completely 
cleansed  in  the  adorable  and  precious  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.     Onlv  by 
this  deep  searching  and  cleansing  process  can  he  be  cured  of  all  his  soul's 
ailments,  as  it  is  written :  "As  many  as  touched  Him  were  made  whole" 
(Mark  vi,  56). 

And  now, dear  children, sometimes  when  our  beloved  Saviour  has  cured 
a  sick  soul  it  does  not  know  it,  and  it  may  even  go  on  during  its  whole 
life  hardly  aware  of  it.     But  this  is  permitted  all  for  the  best;  for  our 
Lord  knows  full  well,  that  if  that  soul  thought  itself  all  cured  and  safe 
and  sound,  it  would  quickly  yield  to  self-complacencv.     It  is  therefore 
only  out  of  special  affection  that  He  allows  it  to  remain  in  i^orance  of 
Its  happy  condition,  being  all  its  days  securely  fixed  in  holv  fear  and 
anguish  of  spirit,  and  quite  humiliated  in  God's  sight.     Such  a  soul  is 
perfectly  safeguarded  against  offending  God,  even  if  the  whole  world 
were  offered  it,  and  this  is  a  high  degree  of  holiness.    Rather  than  arouse 
the  wrath  of  God  by  sinning,  such  a  soul  would  gladly  and  joyfully  be 
put  to  death.     And,  indeed,  it  dies  daily  for  God's  sake  within  its  inmost 
self  being  entirely  self-abandoned  to  His  blessed  will,  and  that  in  the 
darkness  of  a  holy  ignorance  of  what  may  be  its  standing  with  Him 
One  only  purpose  actuates  such  a  soul:   To  be  bound  captive  to  God's 
and  in  their  outward  activity  they  become  very  unassuming,  all  of  which 
^ill  in  time  and  in  eternity,  and  without  the  least  shadow  of  contradic- 
tion on  its  part. 

And  what  is  the  termination  of  this  devout  resignation  to  a  state  of 
Ignorance  of  God's  love  or  hatred?     It  is  this :  When,  at  last,  the  heav- 


136  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

enly  Father  comes  to  lead  that  sonl  to  its  eternal  home,  He  dispels  all 
ignorance  and  darkness  and  gives  it  a  foretaste  of  the  everlasting  joys 
of  Paradise.  And  such  a  well-tried  soul  dies  full  of  joy  and  confidence; 
and,  having  been  so  loyal  to  God  during  the  long  years  of  darkness  and 
desolation  of  spirit,  it  is  led  instantly  and  without  any  interval  of 
purgatory  into  His  Divine  embrace.  This  is  what  is  meant  by  the 
words  of  Scripture:  "And  I  heard  another  voice  from  Heaven,  saying 
to  me  write :  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord"  ( Apoc.  xiv,  13) . 
It  is  related  in  the  Gospel  that  our  Lord  found  a  man  at  the  pool  of 
healing  who  had  been  sick  thirty-eight  years.  Mark  well  that  this 
sickness,  however  long  continued,  was  not  unto  death,  but  that  the  glory 
of  God  might  be  manifested.  O,  dear  children,  may  God  grant  us  to 
learn  this  lesson  well — the  example  of  a  man  who,  because  for  thirty- 
eight  years  he  so  patiently  waited  on  God,  was  at  last  rewarded.  God 
Himself  came  to  him,  made  him  sound  and  well,  bade  him  take  up  his 
bed  and  walk.  This  teaching,  dear  children,  is  a  sharp  admonition  to 
many  spiritual  men  of  our  day.  I  refer  to  those  who  have,  indeed, 
repented  of  their  sins  and  entered  on  a  pious  life,  but  who  say  that  all 
is  lost  if  it  happens  that  our  Lord  gives  them  no  extraordinary  graces; 
they  act  as  if  they  thought  God  had  treated  them  unjustly.  They  are 
bj  no  means  content  humbly  to  retire  into  themselves  and  patiently  to 
wait  on  the  Divine  will.  O,  how  few  there  are  who  possess  that  beau- 
tiful virtue!  How  few  who  sweetly  and  in  perfect  good-will  give  them- 
selves up  entirely  to  God's  blessed  guidance.  Such  souls  little  know 
how  pleasing  they  are  in  His  sight,  and  therein  they  are  very  fortunate. 
May  God  teach  us  how  noble  and  profitable  a  thing  it  is  to  surrender 
oneself  captive  to  His  will,  never  for  a  moment  wishing  to  be  released 
from  His  blessed  bonds  of  ignorance  and  darkness,  until  His  own 
appointed  time.  May  God  grant  us  this  grace,  giving  us  steadfast  confi- 
dence and  courageous  long-suffering  under  His  guidance,  even  amid  mis- 
givings and  anguish  of  heart.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  I37 


fllarkfl  0f  u  SIrulg  (HonmtUh  g»o«l 

Synopsis— As  Israel  of  old  fell  away  from  God,  so  do  many  Christians 
now — This  often  happens  from  imperfect  conversion  to  a  devout 
life— First  mark  of  a  true  conversion,  low  opinion  of  self;  second, 
brotherly  love;  third,  bearing  wrongs  patiently;  fourth,  compas- 
sionate kindness;  fifth,  humble  subjection  to  others;  sixth,  alac- 
rity and  exactness  in  well  doing;  seventh,  strict  abstemiousness; 
eighth,  rigid  observance  of  the  rules  of  chastity. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FOURTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  THE  EPIPHANY. 

Return,  O  Israel,  to  the  Lord  thy  God. — Osee  xiv,  2. 

We  read  in  this  day's  Gospel,  that  Jesus  went  up  into  a  ship,  and  that 
His  disciples  followed  Him.  So  should  all  Christians  do;  repenting  of 
their  sins,  they  should  follow  Christ,  according  to  the  teaching  of  the 
prophet :  ''Return,  O  Israel,  to  the  Lord  thy  God  V 

Out  of  all  the  races  of  the  world  our  Lord  chose  one,  upon  which  He 
bestowed  many  favors,  covenanting  to  give  them  yet  more,  if  they 
would  turn  to  Him  and  would  not  follow  the  ways  of  other  people  who, 
in  willful  blindness  of  heart,  lived  only  to  gratify  their  sensual  passions, 
led  astray  by  their  love  of  the  vanities  of  the  world,  and  by  the  deceits  of 
the  evil  one.  God  visibly  guided  His  own  people  by  His  servants  and 
prophets,  giving  them  His  holy  commandments.  He  showed  forth  His 
Infinite  power  by  fighting  for  them  against  their  enemies.  He  lavished 
His  loving  kindness  upon  them,  by  bestowing  innumerable  benefits  on 
them,  and  promised  to  continue  to  favor  them,  if  they  would  but  turn  to 
Him  and  love  Him  and  keep  His  commandments.  He  bade  them  never 
forget  the  day  on  which  He  had  delivered  them  from  bondage  and  toil, 
and  that  they  should  set  themselves  with  all  diligence  and  earnestness 
to  observe  His  law.  But  this  people  were  stiffnecked,  shortsighted  and 
ungrateful.  They  would  not  obey  the  precepts  God  gave  them  by  His 
servants,  but,  on  the  contrary,  showed  themselves  self-willed,  rebellious 
and  light-minded.    Therefore,  our  Lord  punished  them ;  many  of  them 


138  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

He  caused  to  be  put  to  death,  and  He  permitted  all  of  them  to  die  in  the 
wilderness.  To  their  children  He  continued  to  send  His  messengers, 
saying:  0,  my  chosen  people,  return  to  Me  and  be  converted  with  all 
your  heart ;  wander  not  ofif  in  the  devious  ways  of  sin,  but  follow  after 
Me,  returning  from  the  paths  of  Egyptian  darkness  and  of  wickedness 
and  of  damnation,  and  I  will  bring  you  into  the  land  of  promise  and  will 
give  you  all  good  things  there. 

These  events  happened  under  the  Old  Testament  and  in  very  ancient 
times  and  amid  many  wonders.  But  therein  are  to  be  found  various 
signs  of  what  was  to  happen  after  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God, 
and  even  in  our  own  days;  for  God  uses  the  self-same  words  to  cause 
us  to  turn  to  Him  and  to  do  so  with  all  earnestness,  giving  us  many 
reasons,  warnings,  instructions  and  inducements;  leading  us,  if  we  will 
but  follow,  with  signs  and  wonders  and  mighty  power,  exhorting  us  to 
depart  out  of  the  Egypt  of  this  world  and  out  of  the  bondage  of  Pharaoh, 
its  king.  All  this  does  God  do,  both  secretly  in  our  souls  and  openly 
before  our  eyes,  in  order  to  work  our  conversion  to  Him.  Would  that 
we  received  it  with  thankfulness  and  were  sincerely  c^nrerted.  But  it 
is  with  us  as  it  was  of  old  with  the  people  of  Israel.  '^We  follow  God  in 
body  and  we  remain  in  Egypt  in  our  heart's  desires.  We  all  march  after 
the  pillar  of  cloud  and  the  pillar  of  fire,  but  our  joy  is  in  the  comforts  of 
the  world  and  the  pleasures  of  the  flesh.  We  are  very  earnest  about 
external  religious  practices,  about  how  to  be  religiously  dressed,  when  to 
sing  and  when  to  be  silent,  when  to  bow  down  and  to  genuflect ;  if  all 
this  be  exactly  observed  we  are  sure  that  we  are  delivered  out  of  Egypt. 
Not  so,  my  dear  children,  not  so;  this  is  only  the  pillar  of  cloud  and  of 
fire;  these  observances,  if  they  lack  this  interior  meaning,  are  but  the 
leaves  of  the  fig  tree,  and  not  the  fruit  that  can  nourish  our  souls  and 
make  them  a  fit  ofifering  to  God.  A  man  who  thus  acts  is  like  the  tree 
that  God  cursed  and  condemned  to  eternal  barrenness.  O,  how  often 
have  you  been  taught  that  you  must  not  trust  to  the  appearances  and 
shadows  of  religion !  These  things  are  good,  and  even  punctilious  prac- 
tice of  them  is  necessary  for  beginners  in  the  spiritual  life;  but,  consid- 
ered apart  from  the  essence  and  truth  of  holiness,  for  the  sake  of  which 
they  are  instituted,  they  avail  nothing.  Unless  a  man  is  on  his  guard  he 
will  stick  fast  in  these  purely  external  practices,  and  in  his  heart  will 
remain  as  wicked  and  corrupt  as  those  who  have  not  even  this  appear- 
ance of  virtue ;  and,  finally,  he  will  fall  into  yet  worse  vices,  sinking  back 
into  the  Egypt  of  this  world.    Indeed,  it  would  have  been  better  to  have 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  I39 


remained  in  undisguised  worldliness  and  sin,  for  the  final  condemnation 
of  these  external  Christians  will  be  all  the  greater,  because  their  sins 
have  the  added  guilt  of  being  done  under  the  garb  of  holiness,  and  in  the 
outward  profession  of  a  sacred  state  of  life. 

Children,  I  know  of  nothing  more  necessary  than  that  beginners, 
while  taking  their  first  steps  in  the  spiritual  life,  should  be  carefully 
instructed  in  what  is  most  essentially  required;  namely,  that,  being 
practiced  in  sound  and  useful  external  devotions,  they  should  by  no 
means  stop  at  these,  which,  if  emptied  of  their  true  meaning,  are  of 
little  help,  and  are  at  best  only  given  us  as  a  good  preparation  for  a 
perfect  life.     If  this  wisdom  is  implanted  in  youthful  souls,  quick  and 
ardent  for  perfection,  many  of  them  will  doubtless  earnestly  resolve  to 
go  forward  to  better  things.     But,  alas  and  alas !    How  sad  it  is  to  see 
those  who  began  with  such  fervor  of  spirit  that  they  were  once  very 
guarded  in  their  choice  of  company,  finally  absorbed"  in  the  society  of 
worldlings!     At  first  they  could  hardly  bear  to  listen  to  a  frivolous 
word,  and  now  they  are  never  done  with  conversation  about  profane 
things,  early  and  late  engaged  in  silly  speech  and  foolish  disputes.    Once 
they  longed  for  quiet  retirement  and  were  glad  to  follow  their  pious 
exercises  undisturbed,  and  now  the  more  distracting  occupations  they 
can  have  the  better  they  are  pleased.     O,  this  and  the  like  of  this  is  all 
a  plain  sign,  that  such  souls  are  held  in  captivity  by  their  fleshly  pas- 
sions, and,  as  far  as  their  hearts'  desires  are  concerned,  are  wandering 
backward  into  Egyptian  darkness.     Children,  for  the  love  of  Christ,  let 
each  one  of  you  be  on  his  guard.     Once  you  have  begun  a  good  course',  do 
not  stop  short;  all  may  be  lost  again  if  you  are  not  extremely  vigilant; 
our  inconstancy  is  beyond  belief. 

Consider  how  some  fall  away  from  a  state  so  perfect  that  at  first  they 
are  scandalized  by  an  idle  word;  yet  no  long  time  afterwards  they  feel 
not  a  qualm  of  conscience  for  much  flippant  and  even  malicious  speech, 
greatly  to  the  injury  of  others,  making  nothing  of  the  guilt  of  such 
conduct.  We  meet  with  men  who  in  the  beginning  patiently  endured 
opposition  and  contradiction,  prepared,  if  need  be  and  in  spite  of  the 
very  devil,  to  suffer  martyrdom  itself.  And  behold  them  now,  after 
living  for  a  while  with  even  very  pious  people !  You  never  saw  or  heard 
of  men  so  perverse,  self-willed  and  obstinate. 

Others,  again,  in  their  first  fervor  are  hot  and  eager  for  austerities; 
all  the  hard  mortifications  they  see  around  them  are  little  and  trifling 
to  them.     But  wait  a  while,  and  you  find  that  they  cannot  bring  them- 


140  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

selves  to  perform  such  moderate  acts  of  self-denial  as  are  common  to  all 
Christians.  And  they  incessantly  complain,  if  their  demands  for  ease 
and  comfort  are  not  instantly  complied  with,  making  themselves  in  every 
way  burdensome  to  others,  no  matter  how  much  is  done  for  them. 

Very  different  are  those  devout,  interior  men,  who,  though  they  must 
struggle  hard  to  make  a  beginning,  and  can  only  move  forward  slowly 
and  step  by  step,  yet  resolutely  keep  on  until  they  become  an  edifying 
example  to  all  others,  while  the  overeager  spirits,  who  at  first  promised 
so  much,  have  finally  come  to  nothing.  Let  us  be  very  regardful  of  our 
want  of  steadfastness,  for  we  know  not  what  the  future  has  in  store 
for  us. 

And  now,  dear  children,  I  will  tell  you  how  one  may  know  whether 
or  not  he  has  been  truly  converted  to  God,  and  has  really  renounced  the 
evil  one  and  all  his  works  and  pomps.  When  we  were  baptized  we  made 
our  vows  to  God  and  holy  Church  never  to  commit  sin,  and  to  practice  all 
Christian  virtue.  But  we  were  afterwards  led  astray  by  the  evil  spirit 
and  fell  into  sin,  losing  thereby  the  grace  of  God  conferred  on  us  in  bap- 
tism. And  then  God,  in  His  unspeakable  mercy,  called  us  back  to  His 
friendship,  and  on  our  repentance  He  restored  all  His  favors.  But  now 
many  allow  themselves  to  be  again  deceived  by  the  evil  one,  for  he  cun- 
ningly endeavors  to  make  the  soul's  contrition  for  all  past  sins  more 
apparent  than  real.  Let  us  consider  this  matter  attentively,  so  that  we 
may  the  better  avoid  such  a  misfortune. 

A  truly  converted  Christian  stands  humbly  persuaded  of  his  own 
nothingness,  and  to  be  so  regarded  by  everyone  is  his  only  desire.  He 
would  by  no  means  hold  authority  over  anybody,  but  in  all  lowliness  of 
heart  he  is  pleased  to  be  subjected  to  others,  and  glad  to  do  their  will, 
whosoever  they  may  be.  He  despises  himself,  regards  himself  as  a 
thief,  chooses  the  least  and  lowest  of  everything,  is  readily  guided  by 
others,  and  makes  the  best  of  whatever  happens  to  him.  Thus,  standing 
toward  men  in  all  gentleness  and  toward  God  in  all  fearfulness,  he 
accepts  with  thanksgiving  all  that  is  commanded  him  or  advised  him,  or 
even  wished.  The  contrary  is  the  case  with  those  who  are  but  superfi- 
cially converted.  They  stand  high  in  their  own  opinion,  and  they  set  a 
high  value  on  their  words  and  works.  To  be  subjected  to  others  is  to 
them  a  disgraceful  thing,  and  they  will  not  suffer  the  rule  of  a  superior. 
They  volunteer  instructing  others  with  a  flood  of  talk,  discoursing  boast- 
fully of  high  spirituality.  And  all  this  they  do  with  a  show  of  holy 
humility,  lest  their  real  condition  should  be  suspected.     If  you  pay  them 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  141 

no  regard  they  are  immediately  up  in  arms  against  you,  and  if  you  differ 
with  them  they  defend  themselves  vigorously.  They  are  rash,  boastful 
and  quarrelsome.     All  these  are  under  the  hand  of  the  enemy  of  souls. 

How  different  are  the  truly  converted,  who  are  ever  affectionate  to 
their  neighbors,  praising  them  with  all  brotherly  love  as  far  as  truth  will 
allow,  rejoicing  in  their  prosperity,  aiding  them  in  adversity,  and  over- 
flowing with  pity  for  all  in  distress— quite  unlike  the  falsely  converted, 
who  are  offensive  to  others,  envious  of  their  welfare  and  even  of  their 
piety,  given  to  railing  and  contention,  vindictive,  contemptuous,  self- 
assertive. 

^  Rightly  converted  men  patiently  bear  oppression  and  injustice,  as 
trials  permitted  by  God  for  their  spiritual  benefit.  With  peaceful  hearts 
they  suffer  on,  always  gentle  in  speech,  gladly  and  easily  reconciled  to 
those  who  have  done  them  injury.  Half-converted  souls,  on  the  con- 
trary, blaze  up  quickly  with  anger,  are  sorry  at  the  good  fortune  of 
others,  are  backbiters,  double-dealers  and  gossipers;  they  murmur 
against  their  superiors;  they  complain  about  their  inferiors. 

The  truly  converted  are  ever  kind  and  compassionate,  ready-handed  to 
give  and  to  help ;  for  they  make  little  of  earthly  goods,  even  rejoicing 
in  poverty  and  humiliations,  for  which  they  return  unfeigned  thanks  to 
God,  to  Whom  alone  they  look  for  their  daily  support.  Their  aim  is  to 
be  delivered  from  temporal  things  and  the  care  of  them,  so  they  may  be 
wholly  absorbed  in  eternal  things.  The  falsely  converted  are  afire  with 
love  for  the  good  things  of  this  life,  ever  seeking  after  personal  con- 
venience and  pleasure.  They  misuse  their  time,  deceiving  their  supe- 
riors if  they  can,  and  if  that  be  not  possible,  then  acting  in  defiance  of 
them.  They  must  be  well  praised  for  all  they  do  and  amply  rewarded; 
for  if  they  are  made  little  of  they  are  like  men  possessed,  and  secretly 
or  openly  they  set  about  doing  all  the  harm  they  can.  For  every  work 
of  religion  they  expect  temporal  gain.  They  often  practice  gross  deceit 
to  procure  worldly  honors. 

Men  who  are  right-hearted,  diligently  devote  all  their  time  to  doing 
good  to  their  neighbor  or  advancing  God's  honor,  finding  much  spiritual 
joy  in  such  a  life.  They  are  very  careful  to  do  everything  exactly  right, 
trusting  with  all  their  hearts  for  God's  blessing  on  their  labors.  And 
the  wrong-hearted  are  ever  slothful  to  do  good  and  inclined  to  evil, 
bitter-minded  in  dealing  with  others,  petty,  deceitful — as  becomes  bar- 
ren-hearted men. 

H  The  right-hearted  are  ever  temperate  and  self -restrained  in  minister- 
ing to  their  natural  wants,  and  much  averse  to  all  superfluity.     If  they 


142  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

experience  excessive  craving  for  anything,  it  is  precisely  that  thing  that 
they  deny  themselves.  They  keep  themselves  in  good  discipline  by  meager 
diet,  and  with  all  precaution  they  guard  against  excess  in  drink.  On 
the  contrary,  the  evil-inclined  are  given  to  excess  in  eating  and  drinking, 
are  overindulgent  to  themselves  and  thankless  to  God.  Severe  sickness 
often  results  from  their  shameless  conduct  in  this  respect.  After  their 
banquets  they  give  themselves  up  to  silly  talk  and  mirth,  jokes  and  idle 
stories;  or  they  are  inclined  to  quarrel;  they  are  easily  enraged,  and 
when  angered  they  shout  and  roar  like  jackasses;  or,  again,  they  are 
totally  stupefied  and  can  only  lie  down  and  sleep,  not  able  to  say  so  much 
as  a  Pater  Noster.  All  this  comes  from  heavy  drinking  and  glutton- 
ous feeding.  Hence  the  extreme  care  taken  by  all  holy  men  against  over- 
eating and  drinking,  in  order  to  safeguard  themselves  and  their  disciples 
against  such  wickedness.  But,  alas,  it  has  now  come  to  such  a  pass  that 
even  some  clergymen — and  this  is  most  of  all  to  be  regretted — cannot 
and  will  not  be  content  with  what  suflSces  even  rich  worldlings.  The 
men  who  thus  behave  are  spiritually  blinded  and  are  seldom  able  to 
resist  the  temptations  of  the  devil,  who  leads  them,  before  they  are  aware 
of  it,  into  foul  impurity,  smirching  their  souls  with  unclean  thoughts  and 
desires.  Finally,  they  fall  into  detestible  sins,  calling  down  on  their 
heads  God's  maledictions  beyond  anything  they  can  appreciate.  These 
wilful  impurities  unfit  them  for  any  good  and  useful  works,  and  make 
them  offensive  to  all  devout  people.  And  now,  blinded  by  their  passion- 
ate desires,  they  rush  into  low  company  and  give  themselves  up  to  vice 
and  the  pleasures  of  the  table.  Their  language  is  flippant,  their  minds 
totally  averted  from  any  pious  practice ;  they  no  sooner  begin  any  exer- 
cise of  devotion  than  they  are  filled  with  the  evil  memories  of  their  sins, 
the  devil  playing  the  ape  in  their  thoughts  and  acting  over  again  the 
orgies  of  their  bad  companionship,  causing  them  to  laugh  aloud  when 
they  should  be  absorbed  in  penitential  thoughts. 

How  different  are  men  who  have  been  truly  converted !  They  stand 
before  God  and  His  angels  so  chaste  and  so  timid  and  cautious,  that  they 
had  rather  suffer  death  itself  than  wilfully  harbor  a  single  unchaste 
thought.  They  keep  so  close  a  watch  over  their  hearts,  senses  and  mem- 
bers, that  they  hardly  presume  to  look  even  upon  themselves,  being 
greatly  distrustful  of  their  own  virtue.  They  chastise  their  bodies  with 
fasts  and  vigils  and  hard  labors ;  they  constantly  lift  their  souls  to  God, 
placing  their  confidence  in  Him  alone — all  to  safeguard  holy  chastity. 
Those,  on  the  contrary,  who  are  only  seemingly  converted,  care  little 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  143 

whether  or  not  they  are  thinking  of  impure  things.  So,  then,  it  happens 
often  enough  that  gross,  sensual  emotions  of  mind  and  body  run  riot  in 
them.  They  are  brought  to  the  very  gate  of  hell ;  nay,  they  overstep  the 
limits  of  mere  temptation  and  would  fall  heart  and  soul  and  body  into 
open  carnal  wickedness,  if  they  had  but  the  means  of  doing  so.  Such  is 
the  end  of  their  self-love;  such  the  end  of  their  tendency  to  gratify  their 
love  of  bodily  ease.  Some  of  these  men  fall  into  such  a  besotted  state 
of  mind,  that  they  are  ready  even  to  hate  God  because  He  has  forbidden 
them  the  lusts  of  the  flesh.  They  are  so  blinded  by  their  vicious  habits, 
that  they  would  be  glad  if  He  had  no  knowledge  of  their  sins  and  no 
power  to  punish  them,  which  is  equivalent  to  wishing  that  God  did  not 
exist. 

O,  dear  children,  consider  earnestly  how  you  stand;  bear  in  mind 
what  dangers  surround  us  all.  Let  none  of  you  be  self-trustful ;  let  each 
and  all  stand  in  holy  fear.  No  matter  how  good  you  may  now  seem  to 
be,  by  no  means  rely  on  that.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  no  matter  how 
sadly  you  may  before  this  have  fallen  and  gone  astray  from  virtue,  take 
courage  and  come  back  to  God,  this  time  by  a  true  conversion.  As  long 
as  God  spares  your  life  His  favor  is  always  ready  to  be  bestowed.  God 
help  us  all  to  that  happiness !    Amen. 


W4  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Wlft  ^okt  of  (!Ujr!0t  ta  %  BmVn  Sljouslft  of  (gob 

Synopsis — TTie  inner  man  is  the  yoke  upon  the  outer  man — The  soul 
is  driven  inward  by  all  of  God's  creatures — Yet  any  of  them  m^y 
he  made  a  hindrance — At  least  once  a  day  we  should  seek  Ood's 
light  yoke  by  holy  thoughts — Example  of  an  ancient  hermit — 
Christ's  burden  is  the  misery  of  this  life — Sorrow  is  turned  into 
joy  by  suimissiveness  to  Ood's  will. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FIFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  THE  EPIPHANY. 
My  yoke  is  sweet  and  My  burden  Is  light — Matt  xi,  30. 

It  is  eternal  truth  itself — our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ — who 
utters  these  words.  And  yet  men  contradict  Him,  men  who  live  accord- 
ing to  mere  matter;  these  by  act  and  word  affirm  that  God's  yoke  is 
bitter  and  his  burden  is  heavy.    But  the  right  is  with  God. 

Anything  that  crushes  a  man  and  drags  him  down  is  a  burden.  Now, 
we  understand  by  the  word  yoke,  as  here  used,  the  inner  man ;  and  by 
the  word  burden,  the  outer  man.  The  inner  man  has  come  from  God, 
and  he  is  a  noble  being,  made  after  God's  image  and  likeness.  And  as 
he  comes  from  God,  so  is  he  invited  and  urgently  called  back  to  God,  so 
that,  being  drawn  into  the  Divine  life,  he  may  become  partaker  of  all 
good.  The  blessedness  that  belongs  to  God  by  nature  the  soul  may 
hereby  obtain  by  grace.  Now,  dear  children,  the  treasures  that  God  has 
hidden  in  the  depths  of  our  souls,  whosoever  discovers  them  and  contem- 
plates them  becomes,  indeed,  a  happy  man.  And,  although  a  man  may 
allow  his  spiritual  insight  to  be  for  a  time  diverted  from  Divine  things, 
yet  he  is  incessantly  drawn  again  to  consider  God's  interior  presence ;  he 
can  never  otherwise  be  at  rest.  The  whole  universe  is  not  enough  to 
content  him.  All  outward  things  only  turn  him  back  into  his  inner 
life,  whether  he  perceives  it  or  not ;  for  there  is  God,  his  final  end  and 
the  only  purpose  of  his  existence.  As  all  material  things  rest  on  their 
proper  basis,  as  a  stone  on  the  earth ;  or  as  they  rise  upward  into  their 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  145 

proper  element,  as  fire  into  the  air ;  so  does  a  devout  soul  rest  upon  God 
and  rise  into  God  as  its  only  salvation. 

Now,  to  what  men  is  this  yoke  sweet  and  light,  as  they  accept  it  and 
bear  it  along?  Surely  only  to  those  whose  thoughts  are  turned  inward 
in  search  of  God,  and  quite  turned  away  from  all  created  things.  Chil- 
dren, our  souls  ever  stand  on  the  boundary  line  between  time  and 
eternity.  If  we  turn  toward  time,  we  shall  without  doubt  forget  eternity ,^ 
and  soon  be  led  far  away  from  the  things  of  God.  Whatever  we  see  from 
a  distance  looks  small ;  whatever  we  see  close  at  hand  looks  large,  for 
there  is  but  little  intervening  space.  Thus  the  sun  is  many  times  larger 
than  the  earth,  but  if  reflected  in  a  cup  of  clear  water  on  a  summer's: 
midday  it  seems  no  bigger  than  a  little  bean,  and  any  little  object  that 
should  come  between  the  sun  and  that  mirror,  would  be  large  enough  to 
entirely  take  away  the  image  of  the  great  luminary.  So  it  is  with  a 
man's  soul.  No  matter  how  trifling  may  be  the  earthly  image  he  places 
in  the  depths  of  his  soul,  it  is  enough  to  interfere  with  God's  light  shin- 
ing there;  the  infinite  good  that  God  is  may  easily  be  hindered  from 
entering  and  possessing  the  soul  of  man.  And  this  is  equally  true  when 
it  happens  that  the  image  in  the  soul  is  not  an  evil  and  a  little  thing, 
but  a  great  and  really  good  thing;  it  may  hinder  the  entrance  of  God, 
Who  is  without  any  image  or  intermediary  whatsoever.  Know,  there- 
fore, for  a  certainty,  that  in  whatever  soul  the  infinitely  good  God  shall 
be  mirrored,  it  must  be  totally  freed  and  emptied  of  all  images ;  if  thesoul 
reflects  a  single  created  thing,  that  is  enough  to  exclude  the  reflection  of 
God.  All  souls  who  have  not  established  in  their  very  depths  this  free- 
dom from  creatures,  who  have  not  uncovered  and  laid  bare  before  God 
their  innermost  recesses,  are  as  yet  only  scullions  in  the  Divine  service, 
and  to  them  God's  yoke  is  bitter.  And,  says  Origen,  the  man  who  has 
not  looked  into  the  deeper  depths  of  his  being  has  a  plain  sign,  that  as 
yet  he  has  not  tasted  of  the  eternal  sweetness  of  God. 

Let  it  be  well  understood,  therefore,  my  dear  children,  that  at  least 
once  in  the  day  we  should  turn  inwards  with  all  possible  recollected- 
ness;  for  if  we  do  not  even  that  much  for  the  interior  life,  we  are 
without  doubt  unworthy  the  name  of  Christians.  And  all  who  cleanse 
the  mirror  of  their  souls  perfectly  clear  of  the  images  of  created  things, 
so  that  God  may  pour  in  the  sunlight  of  His  divinity  quite  unobstructed, 
to  them  His  yoke  is  sweet  beyond  all  other  possible  sweetness.  To  such 
souls  whatsoever  is  not  God  is  tasteless ;  yea,  it  is  bitter  and  loathsome 
to  the  taste,  whether  it  be  within  them  or  come  from  without,  and  the 


146  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

very  remembrance  of  the  sweetness  of  creatures  is  bitter  as  gall.  The 
sweetness  of  God  enters  so  deep,  that  it  seems  to  have  become  the  marrow 
in  the  bones  and  the  blood  in  the  veins  of  the  truly  converted  man. 
God's  eternal  image  expels  completely  from  the  soul  every  other  image 
whatsoever. 

But  let  us  ask,  children,  why  it  is  that  the  things  amid  which  we  live 
here  below  hinder  us  spiritually?  It  is  because  thou  clothest  thyself 
with  them  as  if  with  thy  own  proper  personal  qualities ;  for  if  thy  mind 
were  in  very  truth  unencumbered  with  their  images,  thou  mightest  be 
master  of  a  kingdom  and  suffer  no  spiritual  harm.  Be  but  free  from  all 
images,  and  all  sense  of  ownership  of  creatures,  and  all  is  well  with  thee. 
What  thou  needest,  thou  mayst  in  humility  and  in  fear  of  God  without 
doubt  possess  and  use,  and  God  is  thereby  pleased.  If  thou  fallest  short 
of  thy  needful  substance,  trust  God  confidently,  for  He  will  provide  for 
thee,  even,  if  necessary,  by  means  of  His  dumb  creatures ;  He  no  more 
forsakes  His  children  than  He  gives  up  His  own  eternal  life. 

There  was  once  an  ancient  hermit,  whose  soul  was  so  free  that  no 
created  thing  encumbered  his  thoughts.  Now,  it  happened  that  a  cer- 
tain man  knocked  at  the  door  of  his  cell,  and  when  the  hermit  opened  it 
and  went  out  to  him,  the  man  asked  him  to  give  him  a  certain  object  in- 
side the  cell,  and  the  hermit  turned  and  entered  to  do  so.  But  when  he 
would  seek  for  it  he  found  he  had,  meantime,  forgotten  what  it  was. 
After  a  while  the  man  knocked  at  the  door  again,  and  then  the  holy 
hermit  came  out,  and  bade  him  go  inside  himself  and  take  what  he 
wanted :  "For,"  said  he,  "my  dear  son,  I  cannot  retain  in  my  mind  what 
it  is  thou  dost  want  me  to  give  thee,  for  I  am  entirely  stripped  of  all 
thoughts  of  created  things." 

Children,  in  such  imageless  souls,  the  light  of  God  shines  without  hin- 
drance. They  are  elevated  in  spirit  and  set  at  liberty  from  creatures, 
even  detached  from  their  own  selves,  and  their  wills  in  all  joy  and  sor- 
row, in  all  work  and  rest,  are  entirely  united  to  God.  They  are  most 
joyfully  enveloped  by  God's  will,  as  if  they  were  caught  in  a  net.  To 
them  pain  and  pleasure  are  all  one,  or  rather  are  instantly  forgotten,  for 
God's  yoke  is  sweet  to  their  souls.  All  creatures,  considered  in  them- 
selves, look  far  off  and  seem  petty  and  contemptible,  for  they  behold 
them  from  the  Divine  bosom,  into  which  they  have  sunken  away ;  and 
eternal  things  are  close  at  hand  and  most  wonderfully  grand,  for  them 
they  behold  in  their  own  souls  with  God.  If  men  hate  them  or  love 
them  their  peace  is  equally  untroubled,  for  the  sweetness  of  Divine  love 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  14T 

imparts  a  calm  that  can  be  disturbed  by  neither  friend  nor  foe.  The 
sweetness  of  our  Saviour's  yoke  safeguards  them  from  all  bitterness  of 
creatures. 

Now,  we  are  to  consider  that  other  Word  of  Christ :  "My  burden  is 
light."  This  refers  to  the  many  sorrows  we  suffer  in  our  external  life. 
O,  good  and  merciful  God,  who  are  those  that  nowadays  find  Thy  burden 
light?  For,  alas,  men  no  longer  want  to  bear  the  burdens  of  life,  even 
those  that  are  unavoidably  necessary  for  our  welfare.  And  yet  which- 
ever way  thou  turnest  thou  must  bear  burdens,  in  spite  of  thyself.  Fly 
from  the  heat  and  thou  shalt  fall  into  the  deep  cold  snow.  O,  give  thy- 
self up  willingly  and  joyfully  to  suffer,  commending  thyself  piously  to 
God's  protection  in  whatever  may  happen  to  thee.  Consider  how  bit- 
terly our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  suffered,  and  how  it  was  by  suffering  that 
He  entered  into  His  glory  and  into  the  bosom  of  His  heavenly  Father. 

And  what,  dear  children,  shall  a  servant  of  God  suffer?  Thou  must 
suffer  all  the  visitations  of  God's  providence,  and  that  in  entire  submis- 
siveness,  without  arguing  about  their  justice  or  injustice,  whether  they 
are  allowed  to  come  to  thee  from  men  or  come  direct  from  God — the 
death  of  thy  friends,  the  loss  of  thy  property  or  of  thy  good  name,  the 
privation  of  consolations,  whether  exterior  or  interior,  from  God  or  from 
creatures.  My  dear  child,  these  burdens  must  thou  take  up  cheerfully 
and  bear  joyously.  And,  besides  these,  thou  must  bear  with  thy  own 
defects,  however  painful  they  may  be  to  thee,  and  however  miserably 
thou  hast  failed  to  overcome  them.  Put  thy  shoulder  meekly  under  thy 
burdens,  and  trust  to  God  for  strength  to  suffer;  let  God's  blessed  love 
be  thy  guide  for  time  and  eternity.  Take  an  example  from  horses  in  the 
stable.  Their  manure  is  filthy  and  it  is  offensive  to  the  smell.  But  the 
same  horse  that  makes  it,  draws  it  with  great  labor  into  the  fields  and 
there  it  makes  fine  wheat  and  rich  wine — all  the  better  wheat  and  wine 
for  the  filthiness  of  the  manure.  Thus  mayst  thou  use  those  disgusting 
faults  of  thine  which  thou  canst  not  quite  overcome.  Scatter  them  upon 
the  field  of  God's  holy  will,  and  abandon  thyself  very  humbly  to  His  lov- 
ing care;  rich  fruit  of  virtue  thou  shalt  without  doubt  gather  to  the 
honor  of  God  and  the  edification  of  His  servants. 

Whatsoever  man  bows  his  back  humbly  under  God's  dispensations, 
and  yields  himself  joyfully  to  His  holy  will  in  weal  and  woe;  whatsoever 
man  looks  to  God  for  everything  in  steadfast  hope,  receiving  all  from 
Him  and  returning  all  to  Him  in  sincere  detachment  of  spirit;  whatso- 
ever man  sinks  himself  deep  down  into  his  own  soul,  seeking  only  for 


148  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

God's  will  in  entire  renunciation  of  self  and  of  all  creatures;  whatso- 
ever man,  I  say,  does  all  this  with  a  true  heart  and  perseveres  stead- 
fastly in  it,  to  him  will  God's  burden  in  very  truth  be  made  light.  Yes, 
children,  so  light  that  if  it  were  possible  to  lay  on  that  man  alone  all 
the  burdens  of  the  world,  they  would  seem  so  light  to  him  that  it  would 
be  a  joy  to  carry  them — a  joy  that  would  seem  like  that  of  Heaven.  For 
you  must  understand,  that  it  is  God  Himself  who  bears  such  a  man's 
burden ;  God  has  entered  into  him  and  taken  charge  of  all  that  he  does 
and  all  that  he  endures.  May  the  eternal  God  do  the  like  in  us.  May 
He  thus  make  His  yoke  sweet  and  His  burden  light  to  us,  God  the 
Father,  and  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  149 


ftignii  of  a  Slruf  *rI|olar  of  CCIjrifit 

Synopsis — That  one  is  a  diligent  pupil  of  Christ  is  shown  hy  not  fear- 
ing or  avoiding  disgrace;  by  readily  blaming  himself;  hy  esteemr 
ing  all  men  his  superiors;  by  holding  rich  friends  in  no  higher 
favor  than  poor  strangers;  by  readily  seeing  God's  will  in  all 
circumstances  of  life,  and  finally  by  patient  endurance  of  suf- 
fering. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  SIXTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  THE  EPIPHANY. 
Learn  of  Me,  because  I  am  meek  and  humble  of  heart. — Matt,  xi,  29. 

Christ,  our  beloved  Lord,  true  master  of  all  wisdom  and  virtue, 
example  of  all  perfection,  came  down  from  Heaven  that  He  might  teach 
us  poor,  ignorant  men.  And  in  doing  so  He  did  not  use  great  subtility, 
nor  did  He  address  us  in  mysterious  ways.  No ;  He  taught  us  our  les- 
son in  short  sentences,  and  very  plain  words,  at  the  same  time  giving 
us  in  His  own  blessed  humanity  a  pattern  to  go  by.  He  is  Himself  our 
book — open,  easy  to  read  and  written  with  plainest  letters.  And  His 
lesson — it  reads  thus :  "Learn  of  Me,  because  I  am  meek  and  humble  of 
heart." 

What  lesson  could  be  more  easily  taught;  what  lesson  more  easily 
understood  and  learned  than  this?  So,  let  us  study  it  diligently,  reading 
it  over  and  over  again,  putting  it  in  practice  in  our  daily  lives,  keeping 
ever  before  our  eyes  as  our  model  the  life  of  Christ,  so  rich  in  the  virtues 
He  would  teach  us.  His  whole  life  was  kindly  and  gently  humble,  and 
all  His  words  ever  taught  this  same  holy  lesson.  It  was  for  the  sake 
of  this  virtue  that  he  chose  for  His  disciples  and  pupils  men  in  a  lowly 
state  of  life,  apt  to  learn  meekness  and  humility.  Especially  to  elevate 
this  lesson  to  the  highest  place,  did  He  choose  for  His  beloved  mother  one 
who,  as  she  conceived  Him  in  her  womb,  could  say :  "He  hath  regarded 
the  humility  of  His  handmaid."  (Luke  i,  48.)  And  in  today's  Gospel, 
He  thanks  His  Father  for  this  same  virtue:  "I  confess  to  Thee,  O 
Father,  Lord  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  because  Thou  hast  hid  these  things 
from  the  wise  and  prudent  and  hast  revealed  them  to  little  ones"  (Matt. 


150  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

xi,  25)  ;  that  is  to  say,  to  the  humble.  From  all  this  we  conclude,  that 
to  the  humble-hearted  alone  is  the  hidden  wisdom  of  God  revealed. 
Therefore,  dear  children,  that  we  may  the  better  learn  our  Lord's  lesson 
and  acquire  this  beautiful  virtue  of  His,  let  us  consider  certain  signs 
of  real  humility,  bearing  in  mind  that  gentle  kindness  is  ever  its  close 
companion. 

The  first  sign  is  this :  A  truly  humble  man  never  is  ashamed  to  do 
any  outward  act  because  worldlings  will  think  that  it  disgraces  him,  for 
it  is  a  true  sign  of  conversion  from  a  sinful  life,  and  of  real  pain  of 
heart  for  past  bad  conduct,  if  a  man  is  ready  and  willing  to  be  thrust 
backward  to  the  lowest  place,  so  that  this  may  help  him  to  be  advanced 
to  true  humility  of  heart  and  interior  subjection  of  soul.  Whosoever 
would  make  progress  in  God's  happy  way  of  perfection,  must  keep  a 
close  watch  on  himself  and  avail  himself  of  such  opportunities,  and  for 
this  God  will  give  him  such  graces  as  he  never  had  before. 

The  second  sign  of  real  humility,  is  that  one  is  ready  to  blame  himself 
to  others,  to  look  on  all  men  as  his  superiors  in  virtue;  one  efifect  of 
which  is  to  draw  men's  hearts  to  him,  enabling  him  to  lead  them  onward 
in  the  practice  of  humility.  And  if  it  sometimes  happens  that  a  man  is 
accused  of  what  he  is  not  guilty  of,  still  let  him  bear  himself  meekly, 
and  confess  that  if  he  happen  to  be  guiltless,  it  is  God  alone  that  has 
saved  him  from  this  sin,  as  He  had  forgiven  him  other  sins — the  same 
grace  both  in  pardoning  and  preventing. 

The  third  work  is  this:  The  truly  humble  soul  loves  all  men  alike, 
showing  no  partiality  for  near  friends  or  relatives  over  poor  strangers. 
All  men  he  loves  in  God ;  all  are  given  him  by  God  as  his  neighbors,  and, 
according  to  their  needs,  he  loves  them  all,  whether  good  or  bad,  not  from 
natural  inclination,  but  rather  from  Christian  principle. 

In  the  fourth  place,  a  truly  humble  man  contents  himself  with  a  free 
and  detached  spirit;  he  is  content  with  all  circumstances  of  life.  The 
merciful  God  may  join  him  in  closest  union  with  another  whose  heart  is 
entirely  given  to  the  world.  In  such  a  case,  indeed,  we  see  a  man's 
humility,  for  he  is  sunk  under  God  and  all  creatures,  self-effaced  in 
spirit  and  in  act,  entirely  resigned  to  his  lot  for  God's  sake. 

The  fifth  sign  of  true  humility  is  patient  endurance  of  suffering, 
offering  everything  up  for  God's  glory,  and  in  deep  love  of  God,  in  single- 
hearted  trust  entirely  submitting  to  His  will. 

Herein  you  will  perceive  that  progress  in  humility  is  marked  by 
patience,  by  loving  abandonment  to  God  in  all  faith,  and  by  steadfast 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  151 

confidence  in  Him.  In  this  way  the  soul  grows  into  a  sense  of  the  state 
of  exile  that  this  life  really  is.  A  man  gains  a  brighter  and  brighter 
consciousness  of  God  as  his  Creator;  and  he  is  granted  a  complete 
subjection  of  his  will  to  God's  holy  will — all  this  for  the  Divine  honor 
and  for  no  selfish  ends  of  his  own.  That  we  may  thus  learn  our  Saviour's 
lesson  of  humility,  may  God  aid  us.    Amen. 


158  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — Beginners  are  absorbed  in  external  good  works,  and 
easily  are  led  astray — Others  are  quite  detached  from  earthly 
things,  hut  yet  absorbed  in  tlie  sweetness  of  devout  feelings,  and 
thereby  are  much  hindered — Still  other  souls  rise  above  this,  but 
are  liable  to  a  mare  subtle  spiritual  self-indulgence;  this  is  shown 
by  indiscreet  mortifications — Tfie  real  work  of  perfection  is  wholly 
Ood's,  and  is  done  in  the  hidden  life— Examples  drawn  from  vine 
culture. 


SEEMON  FOR  SEPTUAGESIMA  SUNDAY. 

The  kingdom  of  heayen  is  lilte  to  an  liouseholder,  wiio  went  out  early  in  the 
morning  to  hire  laborers  into  his  vineyard. — Matt  xx,  1. 

Dear  children,  this  householder  went  out  at  the  first  hour,  the  third 
hour,  and  the  sixth,  and  hired  laborers  at  a  penny  a  day.  And  even  when 
evening  was  come,  he  still  found  men  standing  idle,  and  he  said  to  them : 
Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle?  Go  ye  also  into  my  vineyard  and 
I  will  give  you  what  is  just.  Now,  dear  children,  this  householder  is  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  His  house  is  eternal  life,  this  earth,  purgatory 
and  hell.  The  heavenly  Father  saw  that  human  nature  had  gone  astray, 
leaving  His  beautiful  vineyard  sterile  and  desolate — that  vineyard  which 
He  had  created  man  to  cultivate  and  make  fruitful.  To  call  human 
nature  back  again  into  His  vineyard  the  heavenly  Father  now  goes 
forth  "early  in  the  morning." 

Dear  children,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  goes  forth  from  the  heavenly 
Father's  bosom  and  yet  remains  there ;  and  this  is  one  meaning  of  the 
words  goes  forth  "early  in  the  morning."  But  He  may  be  said  to  go 
forth  also  in  another  sense,  namely,  in  His  human  nature,  that  He  may 
again  hire  us  into  His  holy  vineyard.  This  He  does  variously  at  the 
first,  third,  sixth  and  ninth  hours.  And  yet  once  again  He  goes  forth 
into  the  market  place  of  the  human  race,  namely,  at  the  approach  of 
evening,  and  He  finds  other  men  standing  there  idle.  To  these  He 
speaks  sharply :    "Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle  ?     And  they 


-of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  153 

answered  Him :  Because  no  man  hath  hired  us."  Now,  these  men  whom 
no  man  has  hired,  are  those  who  still  retain  their  natural  innocence  and 
.guilelessness.  They  may  well  be  called  happy,  for  the  eternal  God  finds 
them  yet  unhired ;  that  is  to  say,  unfettered  by  the  world  and  by  created 
things. 

Again,  dear  children,  there  are  some  men  who  have  once  been  enslaved 
by  the  world  and  by  creatures,  but  have  been  liberated  and  are  now  free ; 
^nd  these  are  standing  idle  and  unhired  from  spiritual  tepidity  and 
-coldness  of  heart,  without  love  and  without  grace.  And  whosoever  is 
without  grace  stands  in  nature  alone.  Let  such  a  one  (by  an  impossi- 
bility) do  all  the  good  works  in  the  whole  world,  yet  will  he,  all  the 
«ame,  stand  idle  and  fruitless  and  empty,  helped  thereby  in  no  manner 
whatsoever.  Going  out  "early  in  the  morning"  means  the  going  forth 
of  God's  grace  to  men ;  for  the  morning  puts  an  end  to  the  darkness  of 
night,  and  the  coming  of  grace  into  the  soul  of  man  is  the  dawning  of 
God's  day:  "Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle?"  Go  into  mj  vine- 
yard and  I  will  pay  you  what  is  right. 

It  is  plain,  children,  that  all  these  men  go  into  the  Lord's  vineyard 
quite  variously.  Some  are  beginners.  These  labor  for  God  with  external 
religious  works  and  according  to  their  own  plans,  and  they  continue  in 
that  course,  doing  what  they  consider  great  things,  fasting,  keeping 
Tigils,  reciting  prayers;  at  the  same  time  paying  little  regard  to  the 
strictly  interior  religious  life  and  resting  wholly  in  sensible  sweetness 
•of  devotion,  thereby  judging  whether  they  are  in  God's  favor  or  disfavor. 
From  this  state  flow  evil  results — injustice  to  others,  rash  judgments, 
many  faults  of  vanity  and  pride,  bitterness  of  spirit  and  obstinacy, 
■enmities  and  many  other  defects  besides.  Thus  are  they  led  astray  from 
Divine  grace  and  soon  break  forth  openly  into  sinful  words  and  deeds. 
Whosoever  finds  himself  resting  on  this  false  foundation  should  at  once 
take  measures  to  change  to  the  true  foundation,  which  is  interior,  before 
he  suffers  further  injury  or  inflicts  it  upon  those  who  are  his  associates. 

The  second  kind  of  laborers,  dear  children,  who  have  gone  into  the 
Lord's  vineyard  are  those  who  despise  all  transitory  things  and  who 
have  quite  overcome  their  sensual  appetites;  and  by  these  means  they 
have  attained  to  a  good  degree  of  virtue.  They  are  absorbed  in  the 
joys  of  interior  spiritual  exercises,  cleaving  close  to  the  supreme  truth. 
But  they  are  defective  in  this;  they  rest  content  with  these  their  pres- 
ent consolations;  they  do  not  press  onward  through  and  beyond  all 
consolations  to  the  possession  of  God  Himself,  in  Whom  alone,  and  not 
in  His  gifts,  they  should  find  their  resting  place. 


154  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

The  third  kind  of  laborers  in  God's  vine^'^ard  are  those  most  noble 
souls,  who  pass  over  and  beyond  all  things  in  search  simply  of  God — 
men  who  think  of  nothing,  strive  after  nothing  but  God  Himself,  and  God 
for  His  own  self's  sake  alone — neither  Divine  consolations,  nor  any  other 
outpourings  from  God,  but  His  own  very  essential  Deity,  into  which  they 
sink  their  own  existence  in  single-hearted  devotedness.  God's  honor  and 
praise,  the  perfecting  in  them  and  by  them  of  God's  own  will — this,  and 
this  alone,  is  the  end  and  object  of  all  their  strivings.  To  suffer  all  things 
for  His  sake,  to  stand  in  total  abandonment  to  His  providence  in  all 
events  of  life,  and  to  attribute  no  good  thing  to  their  own  power  or  merit, 
such  is  their  invariable  and  universal  purpose.  As  water  seeks  its  level, 
so  in  their  heart's  allegiance  do  all  of  God's  gifts  return  to  Him.  They 
will  not  tolerate  the  thought  of  receiving  any  gifts  from  God  for  their 
own  joy  or  profit  in  any  wise  whatsoever ;  God  alone,  God  alone  is  the 
starting  point  and  the  returning  point  of  everything  they  receive  from 
Him,  whether  it  be  a  favor  for  their  inner  or  for  their  outer  existence. 

And  it  is  thus  that  such  souls  are  lifted  out  of  and  above  themselves 
into  God,  their  intentions  and  purposes  being  singly  and  solely  for  Him. 
But  meanwhile  human  nature  must  be  reckoned  with,  for  a  man  cannot 
be  totally  separated  from  his  natural  self;  and  therefore,  whether  he 
will  or  not,  he  longs  with  a  natural  longing  to  be  happy,  even  while  he 
would  be  absorbed  in  God  alone.  But  this  inclination  of  nature  should 
not  be  strong  in  such  elect  souls ;  it  should  be  reduced  to  the  smallest 
possible  degree  of  influence.  Effecting  this  causes  suffering  in  very 
spiritual  men,  for  they  can  hardly  help  being  pleasurably  absorbed  in 
the  good  works  to  which  they  devote  themselves.  Hence  they  are  apt  to 
seek  for  new  ways  of  practicing  virtue,  with  a  view  to  the  spiritual 
joys  to  be  found  therein — prayer,  meditation,  holy  tears  and  many  long 
vigils.  And  herein,  often  without  realizing  it,  they  go  to  excess,  never 
getting  enough  of  spiritual  sweetness;  and  when  that  goes  from  them,  as 
it  surely  will,  then  they  are  afflicted.  They  now  have  an  aversion  for 
devout  practices  and  become  cold-hearted.  The  blame  is  all  their  own ; 
they  have  ceased  to  think  of  God  alone  and  to  seek  Him  alone ;  they  have 
drifted  back  into  an  attachment  to  the  sweetness  of  His  service.  A  man 
must  never  seek  joy  in  God's  gifts;  neither  in  methods  of  piety,  in  words 
and  prayers,  or  in  works  of  zeal.  It  is  not  God's  gifts,  but  God's  own 
self  that  we  should  seek. 

Yes,  children,  there  are  some  who  cannot  abide  being  empty  of  all 
spiritual  solace  and  comfort.    From  this  holy  emptiness  of  soul  they  take 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  I55 

refuge,  for  instance,  with  the  saints  and  angels  of  Heaven,  whom  they 
appropriate  to  themselves  without  due  regard  to  God,  and  from  them 
they  look  for  spiritual  joys.  They  say,  in  effect,  this  favorite  saint  of 
mine,  this  beloved  angel,  shall  be  my  comfort  in  preference  to  all  others. 
Now,  this  is  unfair  to  God  and  really  gives  little  rest  to  the  soul,  but 
rather  breeds  much  unrest.  Endeavor  to  be  detached  entirely  from  all 
creatures,  whether  in  Heaven  or  on  earth,  except  clearly  in  view  of  God; 
lean  upon  God  and  upon  none  other.  Once  thou  hast  done  that  honestly, 
then  thou  shalt  have  learned  how  rightly  to  honor  all  of  God's  saints. 
For  our  beloved  saints,  are  they  not  continually  immersed  in  the  depths 
of  the  Divine  immensity — in  the  most  holy  Trinity? 

I  say  to  thee  in  that  truth  that  God  is:  If  thou  wilt  become  a  man 
after  God's  will,  then  all  things  to  which  thou  cleavest  must  perish 
within  thee.  And  this  means  that  thou  must  not  cleave  to  the  graces 
God  grants  thee,  nor  to  His  Saints  as  something  apart  from  Himself,  nor 
to  anything  else;  for  whatsoever  ministereth  to  thy  spiritual  joy  must 
be  cut  off.  Before  God  can  perfect  within  thee  His  Divine  work  of  light 
and  love,  thou  must  be  unencumbered  from  everything  that  gives  thee 
comfort  except  God's  own  very  self. 

Children,  you  are  not  to  suppose  that  we  are  forbidden  to  venerate 
our  dear  saints  in  Heaven,  but  only  to  cling  to  them  with  a  sense  of 
proprietorship— with  a  selfish  purpose  of  enjoying  them.  I  say  to  thee 
that  if  thou  wert  enriched  with  all  heavenly  graces,  and,  in  addition, 
wert  granted  all  the  merits  of  all  holy  men,  the  moment  that  thou 
shouldst  appropriate  these  to  thyself  in  spiritual  joy,  that  moment  they 
would  be  tainted  with  thy  own  personal  sinfulness.  The  true  and 
faithful  servant  of  God  goes  ever  right  onward— consolation  or  no  con- 
solation, pleasure  or  pain,  plenty  or  want— ever  right  onward  through 
all  these  things  to  God's  own  self.  It  is  by  forgetfulness  of  this  that  a 
man  will, all  unconsciously,  stray  apart  from  the  true  path  of  Divine  wis- 
dom and  love,  and  by  returning  again  to  this  the  only  right  way,  does 
he  attain  to  perfection. 

Children,  a  really  devout  man  should  imitate  a  laborer  in  a  vineyard 
who  works  all  day  long;  and  if  he  must  stop  to  eat  at  certain  intervals, 
the  whole  time  thus  taken  up  is  hardly  an  hour,  while  the  work  absorbs 
the  entire  day.  He  eats  because  he  must  have  food,  for  that  makes  his 
blood  and  flesh,  bones  and  marrow,  which,  as  they  are  consumed  by 
working,  must  be  renewed  by  eating;  but  much  work  and  a  little  eating 
is  his  rule  for  laboring  in  his  vineyard.  And  in  like  manner  in  God's  vine- 


156  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


yard.  When  one  feels  a  yearning  for  the  heavenly  joy  of  Divine  grace, 
let  him  indulge  himself  a  little  in  it,  so  that  he  may  be  strengthened  to 
work  on  more  courageously,  ever  giving  back  to  God  in  thanksgiving 
the  joy  that  he  has  received  from  Him ;  and  repeating  this  process  from 
time  to  time,  as  he  feels  the  yearning  for  God's  joy  and  the  need  of  its 
nourishment  to  strengthen  him  in  his  holy  labors.  The  spiritual  men 
who  thus  deal  with  God  in  their  interior  and  external  life,  humbly 
accepting  and  gratefully  returning  to  God  all  His  gifts,  constantly 
become  more  worthy  of  them.  Such  Godlike  men  would  be  worthy  to 
feed  upon  the  finest  pearls  and  gold  and  silver,  if  these  could  be  turned 
into  food.  The  best  that  the  world  possesses  is  but  their  family  inher- 
itance— theirs  and  no  one  else's.  But  all  worldly  treasures  are  as 
nothing  at  all  to  them,  and  they  are  often  the  poor  men  of  God,  trusting, 
as  they  must,  with  all  confidence  in  their  heavenly  Father's  care  of  them ; 
and  He  does  provide  for  them — if  they  were  hidden  away  in  the  heart  of 
a  rock  he  would  provide  for  them. 

Such  men  are  like  a  vinestock,  which  outwardly  is  black,  hard,  dry 
and  ugly,  and,  if  one  went  by  appearances,  would  be  only  fit  to  chop 
down  and  make  into  firewood.  But  under  this  unfavorable  appearance 
are  hidden  the  channels  of  the  sap,  and  the  rich  natural  forces  that  give 
life  and  sweetness  to  the  noblest  fruit  of  any  plant  that  grows.  It  is 
thus  with  those  recollected  souls  that  are  at  all  times  sunken  so  deep 
in  God.  Outwardly,  they  seem  dry  and  dull  and  useless  creatures,  for 
they  are  humble  and  retiring,  and  they  appear  very  insignificant,  with 
neither  fine  words  nor  showy  works,  nor  elaborate  devotional  methods, 
in  every  way  appearing  the  least  among  their  fellows.  But  concealed 
within  their  souls  are  the  veins  of  God's  grace.  They  no  longer  belong 
to  themselves,  but  God  has  made  them  and  their  lives  and  their  inner- 
most being  His  own  portion  among  men. 

And  now,  children,  consider  how  the  vine-dresser  goes  out  and  prunes 
his  vines,  cutting  away  the  wild  growth;  for  if  he  let  it  grow  on  with  the 
useful  branches,  then  the  unpruned  vine  would  give  him  only  sour  wine. 
It  is  thus  that  true  spiritual  men  must  do ;  they  must  cut  out  from  their 
ways  and  inclinations,  and  their  joys  and  sorrows,  all  whatsoever  is  ill- 
regulated.  Thou  must  exterminate  from  thy  heart  all  thy  defects ;  thou 
canst  do  it  and  yet  not  break  thy  head  or  thy  bones,  for  thou  shouldst 
hold  back  the  knife  until  thou  art  well  advised  what  thou  shouldst 
prune  away.  If  the  vine-dresser  is  not  skillful  at  his  trade,  he  may  cut 
the  wood  that  bears  the  grapes  instead   of  the  useless  and  barren 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  157 

branches,  and  thus  injuring,  instead  of  benefiting,  the  vineyard.  Thus 
act  imprudent  and  ignorant  men  in  the  spiritual  vineyard.  They  cut 
and  wound  our  poor,  innocent  human  nature,  while  they  pass  over 
untouched  the  evil  tendencies  rooted  in  our  corrupt  human  nature.  Our 
nature  is  in  itself  noble  and  good.  Why,  then,  wilt  thou  hack  at  it  as  if 
it  were  essentially  evil?  I  say  to  thee  that  it  may  happen,  that  when 
thou  hast  come  to  the  time  of  gathering  the  spiritual  harvest,  namely, 
when  thou  hast  the  grace  of  a  devout,  happy  and  pious  life,  thou  shalt 
find  that  thou  hast  by  thy  indiscreet  mortifications  in  earlier  days 
destroyed  the  forces  of  nature  within  thee. 

After  the  vine-dresser  has  pruned  his  vine  he  ties  it  carefully,  bending 
it  toward  the  ground,  and  then  fastens  it  securely  to  a  stake.  And  in 
all  this  we  have  the  sweet  figure  of  our  blessed  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
His  me  and  passion,  which  must  be  made  our  only  support.  Bound 
fast  to  Jesus  crucified,  the  superior  faculties  of  our  mind  are  sunk  in 
lowly  humility,  in  His  suflferings  and  death.  Our  whole  interior  and 
external  existence  is  by  this  means  subjected  to  Him,  and  that  not  in  mere 
mechanical  imitation,  but  in  true  and  hearty  conformity  to  His  death, 
each  one,  according  to  his  state  of  life,  giving  Him  his  senses  and  his 
thoughts  in  entire  and  constant  abandonment.  This  is  the  taming  of 
an  overfree  will  under  the  rule  of  God's  will,  in  all  things  inward  and 
outward, exerting  every  effort  to  be  truly  obedient  to  God,  and  to  respond 
to  His  grace,  in  all  work  and  rest.  Then  one's  humility  is  so  true,  that  if 
he  had  done  all  the  meritorious  works  of  all  mankind,  and  possessed  all 
the  inner  graces  of  all  saintly  men,  he  would  not  be  spoiled  by  any  sense 
of  proprietorship;  his  virtues  would  seem  no  different  to  him  than  if 
they  were  the  virtues  of  someone  else,  and  would  all  be  readily  attributed 
to  God.  In  such  a  soul  as  that,  will  God  the  Father  quickly  and  without 
hindrance  complete  His  hidden  work  of  perfection.  And  those  who  fail 
to  acquire  these  dispositions  will  without  doubt  fail  to  experience  God's 
perfect  regeneration  within  their  souls. 

And,  again,  the  vine-dresser  digs  up  the  soil  about  the  vine  and  roots 
out  the  weeds;  that  is  to  say,  the  devout  man  vigilantly  searches  his 
soul's  very  depths,  and  if  he  finds  spiritual  weeds  there,  imperfect  ten- 
dencies, whether  great  or  small,  he  puts  in  his  spade  and  cuts  them  out 
by  the  root.  He  thus  gives  the  bright  sun  of  God's  grace  free  entrance  to 
the  inmost  depths  of  his  being,  enlightening  and  vivifying  all  his  powers. 
God's  grace  thus  draws  up  into  active  fruitful  life  all  the  forces  of  the 
soul.    Ah,  dear  children,  how  sweet  and  nourishing  is  the  fruit  of 


158  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Divine  grace,  when  we  thus  give  God's  sunlight  full  entrance  into  our 
souls  by  cleaving  away  all  that  may  hinder  it!  How  beautiful  its  light 
and  how  sweet  the  fragrance  of  the  flowers  it  produces,  a  fragrance 
which  is  the  antidote  to  all  spiritual  poison,  and  fatal  to  the  presence  of 
the  tempting  serpent.  O  children,  children,  when  the  beams  of  God's 
sunlight  are  allowed  to  fall  directly  on  the  human  soul,  they  draw  the 
soul's  whole  life,  inner  and  outer  both,  upward  to  Heaven!  All  that 
such  a  soul  thinks  and  does,  now  tastes  of  God,  so  that  the  evil  one  and 
all  his  poisonous  efforts  come  instantly  to  naught.  If  all  the  devils  in 
hell  conspired  against  that  soul,  and  if  all  the  evil  men  on  earth  joined 
them,  they  could  not  harm  it,  for  it  thinks  and  loves  and  acts  only  in 
God,  and  deeper  and  deeper  into  God's  life  would  their  machinations 
drive  it.  Nay,  if  such  a  man  were  (by  an  impossibility)  sunk  even  into 
the  pit  of  hell,  he  would  bring  down  Heaven  there,  with  God  and  all  His 
blessedness.  And  in  practical  daily  life,  he  is  perfectly  safeguarded 
against  all  dangers  that  may  beset  his  path. 

Now,  as  the  sun  of  God's  holy  presence  in  the  soul  shines  clearer  and 
warmer  as  time  goes  on,  so  the  virtues  of  that  soul  become  riper,  and  the 
fruit  of  holy  living  is  more  and  more  filled  with  spiritual  sweetness; 
for  the  hindrances  to  the  Divine  influence  are  lessened  continually,  just 
in  proportion  to  the  earnestness  and  discretion  of  the  soul's  co-operation. 
A  man's  entire  spiritual  conduct  is  in  a  way  then  made  Divine,  his 
chief,  and  we  might  say  his  only,  inner  conception  being  God.  But  this 
is  a  state  of  soul  too  far  beyond  ordinary  human  existence  to  be  capable 
of  description. 

Finally  the  vine-dresser  trims  away  the  leaves,  to  allow  the  sunlight 
to  complete  its  work  of  ripening  the  grapes.  In  like  manner  various 
devotional  helps  become  after  a  time  of  little  aid  to  the  soul,  such  as 
the  usual  pious  practices  and  prayers,  and  remembrances  of  the  saints. 
But  this  only  happens  when  God  has  drawn  the  soul  very  deep  into  Him- 
self, and  His  grace  influences  it  in  a  way  quite  above  its  natural  com- 
prehension. For  the  glory  and  the  sweetness  of  God's  communion,  trans- 
cend all  purely  human  methods  and  mediums  of  spiritual  life,  and  the 
soul  hardly  knows  how  to  distinguish  its  life  from  that  of  God.  That 
the  soul's  very  being  should  be  penetrated  through  and  through  by  God's 
sweetness,  is  His  special  purpose  in  this  work  of  sanctification,  just  as  if 
He  were  a  cask  of  wine  absorbing  a  little  drop  of  water,  until  the  soul 
is,  as  it  were,  unconscious  of  a  separate  life  from  that  of  God,  uncon- 
scious of  the  lowly  human  existence  to  which  it  belongs.     A  secret  and 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


159 


silent  unity  of  man  and  God,  quite  beyond  the  power  of  description   is 
thus  produced     Children,  one  hour,  even  one  moment,  of  this  blissful 

fse  uHoT"',;: "  *'""""/  "r """  •«'°^«"^'  *»  *"«  -»>  -^  -- 

and  ^  orv     ht  «t°"°'         "'"''  ^  *''''""'''"*  *™^^  '^"'•^  '»  ^"^'^  honor 
and  glory,  than  fifty  years  spent  in  self-chosen  spiritual  e^rcises  even 

the  most  approved.    May  God  grant  ns  grace  to  give  Him  place  for  hTs 

work  withm  our  souls.    May  we  die  to  all  that  we  should  die  to  HveTor 

all  that  we  should  live  for,  and  do  everything  that  His  grace  demands 

in  preparat,„n  for  His  Divine  regeneration  wfthin  our  soTl!     Zen      ' 


160  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences. 


3Nnt  ®ur  ®mn,  but  (BoVb,  Arltmtg  MnktB  TUb  IfitvUtt 

Synopsis — Going  out  of  self  and  into  God — Giving  up  the  joy  of  virtue 
for  the  sake  of  virtue's  self — Danger  of  self-inspired  activity — 
Christ's  passion  a  meditation  safe  against  pride — Vigor  of  ex- 
ternal zeal  not  lessened  hut  increased  hy  interior  quiet. 


SERMON  FOR  SEXAGESIMA  SUNDAY. 

The  sower  went  out  to  sow  his  seed.  And  as  he  sowed,  sorae  fell  by  the  wayside 
and  it  was  trodden  down,  and  the  fowls  of  the  air  devoured  it.  And  other  some 
fell  upon  a  rock,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  sprung  up  it  withered  away,  because  it  had 
no  moisture.  And  other  some  fell  among  thorns,  and  the  thorns  growing  up  with 
it  choked  it  And  other  some  fell  upon  good  ground,  and  being  sprung  up,  yielded 
fruit  a  hundred-fold. — LukevJS. 

Dear  children,  take  things  as  we  may,  the  beginning  of  a  spiritual  life 
is  a  going  forth;  thou  must  undoubtedly  go  out  if  thou  wouldst  ever 
amount  to  anything  in  the  Christian  state — go  forth  and  out  of  all  self- 
content,  self-conceit,  and  self-will.  Thou  must  strive  to  have  dear  to 
thyself  nothing  whatever  but  God's  honor  and  glory.  Mark  well :  In 
whatsoever  condition  of  mind  or  body  thou  findest  thyself,  out  of  that 
thou  must  go,  whether  it  be  a  multitude  of  companions,  or  any  other 
comfort  of  creatures.  And  this  going  forth  must  effect  something  more 
than  a  bodily  change;  it  must  be  a  deep-seated  change  in  thy  very 
soul.  If  God  is  ever  to  do  a  fruitful  work  in  thee,  thy  spirit  must  be  cut 
off  and  separated  from  all  multiplicity.  There  is  no  escape  from  it ;  thou 
must  forsake  thy  own  activity,  all  thy  natural  faculties,  forcibly  break 
asunder  the  hard  bands  of  nature;  go  out  from  thy  manners  and  thy 
habits  and  all  other  such  things ;  for  it  is  clinging  to  these  that  especially 
hinders  thy  spiritual  progress.  Do  as  the  ants  do;  when  they  have 
gathered  the  grains  of  wheat,  they  eat  away  and  destroy  the  living  kernel 
of  each  grain,  lest  it  should  sprout,  and  thus  they  save  up  their  store  of 
food.  And  so  must  thou  destroy  the  kernel  of  joy  that  is  in  all  thy  incli- 
nations and  affections,  lest  when  thou  thinkest  thyself  making  good 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  161 

spiritual  progress  thou  art  really  near  to  complete  failure.  Thou  must 
thus  go  forth  out  of  all  things. 

Philosophers  tell  us  that  a  man's  power  of  going  forth  lies  in  his  willy 
though  the  intelligence  invites  him  to  do  it.  As  soon  as  my  mind  per- 
ceives something  good,  then  the  will  is  informed  of  it,  and  forthwith 
starts  away  to  obtain  it  and  to  enjoy  it;  for  it  is  on  account  of  the  good 
contained  in  anything  that  we  love  it  and  seek  to  possess  it.  Now,  this 
means  the  good  that  is  in  one's  own  self,  as  well  as  that  which  we  may 
find  in  other  creatures.  This  is  the  better  activity  of  the  will.  For  if 
one's  love  is  false  and  narrow,  one's  will  does  not  go  out,  but  would  by 
a  bad  activity  appropriate  the  desired  good  selfishly  and  slothfully. 
And  it  is  certainly  thus  that  all  those  persons  act  who  seek  themselves 
in  serving  God,  calculating  simply  on  their  own  spiritual  profit.  Their 
love  is  untrue  and  narrow  and  I  would  not  give  a  penny  for  it  all. 

Dear  child,  thou  must,  in  the  love  of  thy  God,  so  go  out  of  thyself 
that  thou  shalt  love  Him  alone,  thinking  as  little  as  possible  of  joy  or 
profit  or  reward,  but  only  of  His  goodness  and  His  glory.  And,  although 
thou  knowest  full  well  that  He  will  recompense  thee,  yet  on  that  thoo 
must  not  allow  thy  mind  to  dwell,  hiding  it  away  as  carefully  as  if  thou 
didst  not  know  it  at  all.  Let  nothing  whatever  but  God's  honor  influ- 
ence thee ;  let  thy  heart  melt  with  zeal  for  that ;  forget  thyself  in  that, 
adverting  little  to  thy  own  profit  in  what  thou  dost  for  God  in  soul  or 
body.  Otherwise  Avhat  thou  dost  is  thine  and  not  God's,  for  thou  hast 
done  it  and  not  God.  Consider  Him  always  and  seek  to  please  Him, 
never  anxiously  asking  whether  or  not  or  how  much  He  will  reward 
thee.  Meantime  be  sure  that  all  that  thou  thus  givest  exclusively  to  Him 
He  will  turn  back  upon  thee.  The  less  thou  thinkest  of  thy  glory  and 
profit  and  recompense,  the  more  will  He  think  of  thee  in  regard  of  all 
such  things.  Therefore  does  St.  John  say :  ''Perfect  charity  casteth 
out  fear."  (I  John  iv,  IS.)  Men  who  act  in  this  way  know  not  fear, 
for  they  never  think  of  themselves,  whether  for  gain  or  loss;  all  such 
things  are  shut  out  of  their  souls,  which  know  nothing  but  love.  And 
they  are  finally  rewarded  as  Simeon  was,  to  whom  it  was  granted  to  take 
the  infant  Jesus  in  his  arms. 

But  one  might  object:  Is  it  really  right  that  I  should  go  out  of  my 
own  activity  and  become  void  of  all  doing,  thinking  and  willing?  Is 
there  no  danger  of  my  neglecting  my  bounden  duty  in  this?  Should  I 
not  even  meditate  on  our  Lord's  life  and  passion?  On  how  God  in  His 
goodness  created  me  after  His  own  image,  and  bore  my  sins  on  the  cross? 


162  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

And  on  the  joys  of  eternal  life?  I  answer  that  this  is  all  good,  and  well 
calculated  to  arouse  the  love  of  God  in  one's  soul,  and  elicit  acts  of 
thanksgiving.  But  beware  lest  with  these  devout  thoughts  other 
thoughts  and  mental  images  intrude  themselves.  St.  Paul  bids  us  walk 
in  faith,  and  his  meaning  is  that  we  should  know  God  and  truth  by  the 
feeling  of  faith.  The  very  essence  of  truth  must  shine  into  our  souls,  and 
that  requires  that  the  soul  should  be  totally  free  from  all  images  of 
created  things.  God  forbid  that  thou  shouldst  make  little  of  our 
Redeemer's  passion,  or  draw  away  thy  mind  from  thoughts  of  His  cruci- 
fixion ;  but  rather  and  on  the  contrary,  having  out  of  supreme  love  and 
gratitude  stripped  th}'  mind  of  all  images  for  His  sake,  then  and  in  that 
state  shouldst  thou  contemplate  Him  crucified.  If  a  man  owes  me  five 
shillings,  he  pays  me  best  in  one  single  coin  equal  to  the  five  shillings. 
Martha,  Lazarus  and  Mary  all  knew  the  same  Christ,  but  each  one  very 
differently  from  the  others,  and  each  received  Him  dift'erently. 

Now,  take  all  this  teaching,  and  act  as  a  skillful  artist  does  in  painting 
a  picture.  He  has  skill  in  coloring,  and  in  drawing  and  in  other 
branches  of  his  art,  but  they  are  all  joined  by  him  in  a  single  united 
effort  to  produce  the  figure  upon  his  canvas. 

If  thou  wouldst  return  God  the  thanks  most  pleasing  to  Him,  then 
keep  thy  soul  void,  in  order  that  He  may  do  His  perfect  work  in  thee, 
and  that  work  is  to  give  thee  to  know  Him  and  love  Him  disinterestedly. 
A  skillful  artist  and  a  rude  peasant  may  stand  together  gazing  upon  a 
picture;  but  how  differently  do  they  appreciate  it.  The  artist  feels 
at  once  the  full  general  influence  of  beauty  and  power;  the  peasant 
carefully  counts  and  names  the  various  figures.  So  wilt  thou  be  better 
thankful  to  God,  if  thou  wilt  empty  thy  heart  to  receive  Him  in 
all  loving  simplicity,  rather  than  distract  and  disturb  thyself  with 
studying  and  numbering  thy  devotional  acts.  What  the  lower  orders 
of  the  angels  behold  in  many  images,  the  higher  ones  enjoy  in  a  single 
act  of  contemplation.  Choose  for  thy  meditation  those  subjects  which 
are  most  familiar  to  thee  and  which  profit  thee  best,  for  our  Lord 
approves  that  simple  way,  meanwhile  ever  ministering  His  joy  and  peace 
to  thy  soul.  He  seems  to  forego  His  own  rights  for  a  time,  doing  so  in 
the  interests  of  brotherly  love  among  His  children.  Thus  He  says  in 
the  Gospel:  "If  thou  comest  to  the  altar  to  offer  thy  gift,  and  there 
thou  rememberest  that  thy  brother  hath  ought  against  thee,  leave  thy 
gift  at  the  altar,  and  going,  first  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother ;  and  then 
come  and  offer  thy  gift.     (Matt,  v,  23-24.)     Nor  needst  thou  fear  lest 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


163 


thou  Shalt  lose  anything  by  resting  still  in  contemplation.  Give  thyself 
wholly  to  God  in  interior  abandonment  to  His  will,  and  be  sure  that  thy 
external  activity  shall  lose  none  of  its  vigor.  What  better  canst  thou 
do  than  work  for  God  out  of  the  single  motive  of  love  ?  Some  think  that 
everything  in  the  spiritual  life  depends  on  their  own  exertions,  and  they 
constantly  strive  to  absorb  the  Divine  light  into  that  of  their  natural 
reason.  Far  be  this  from  thee,  for  that  would  be  to  change  the  uncreated 
wisdom  into  that  of  a  poor  creature.  But  do  thou  just  the  contrary  •  by 
an  effort  of  perfect  love  cast  all  thy  wisdom  deep  into  God's— the  lowest 
must  not  presume  to  master  the  highest.  That  we  mav  go  out  of  our- 
selves in  all  sincerity  of  detachment,  and  therebv  prepare  our  souls  as 
good  soil  for  the  seed  of  God's  Word,  may  God  impart  to  us  His  -race 
Amen.  '^ 


164  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


^xtttmn^  a  Ol0ttbttt0tt  for  SntttxBt  Prngr^aa 

Synopsis — Interior  degeneracy  is  in  pride,  in  routine  and  in  ingrati- 
tude— Progress  is  seen  in  earnestness,  in  humility  without  limit, 
absorption  in  Clirisfs  passion,  universal  love  of  God's  creatures, 
all  crowned  by  steadfast  perseverance — Progress  becomes  perfec- 
tion by  peculiarly  painful  trials,  a  very  filial  love  of  God  and  en- 
tire abandonment  to  Him. 


SERMON    FOR    QUINQUAGESIMA    SUNDAY. 

With  Christ  I  am  nailed  to  the  cross.  And  I  live,  now  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth 
in  me. — Gal.  ii,  19. 

The  holy  apostle  St.  Paul,  whose  life  was  a  spectacle  of  suffering  for 
Christ  and  of  conforming  to  God's  will,  shows  us  how  a  spiritual  man 
should  bring  forth  the  fruit  of  eternal  life.  It  is  by  being  joined  close  to 
Christ :  "With  Christ  I  am  nailed  to  the  cross.  And  I  live,  now  not  I, 
but  Christ  liveth  in  me;"  and  he  adds :  ''And  that  I  live  now  in  the  flesh, 
I  live  in  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  delivered  Him- 
self for  me."  This  is  salutary  counsel.  The  apostle  bids  us  so  to  live 
that  Christ  may  appear  in  us  and  be  honored  in  us ;  that  His  passion  and 
death  may  be  exhibited  in  our  mortal  bodies,  to  our  own  profit  and  that 
of  our  neighbor.  Now,  although  we  have  many  afflictions  to  suffer,  and 
each  of  these  crosses  has  its  length,  breadth,  depth  and  height,  yet  we 
should  clearly  understand,  that  it  is  only  by  the  cross  of  Christ's  holy 
humanity  that  we  are  saved.  To  this  cross  is  joined — if  we  may  so 
express  ourselves — the  cross  of  Christ's  divinity,  all  painless  and  ele- 
vated in  heavenly  joy.  And  on  either  side  of  the  cross  of  Christ  stood 
two  others — on  the  right  that  of  the  penitent  thief,  on  the  left  that  of  the 
impenitent  thief.  These  three  crosses  will  serve  to  illustrate  how  our 
sufferings  may  be  made  to  advance  our  spiritual  welfare. 

By  the  cross  of  the  bad  thief,  we  may  understand  those  persons  who 
belong  to  some  holy  state  of  life,  and  who  are  therefore  obligated  to  cer- 
tain painful  outward  observances.     They  have  well  deserved  their  suf- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  1(55 

ferings,  and  yet  they  are  not  spiritually  helped  by  them,  for  they  obsti- 
nately continue  in  their  wicked  self-will  and  fall  into  other  sins.  Al- 
though nailed  to  their  cross,  such  persons  may  suffer  eternal  loss  with 
the  impenitent  thief.  So  that,  having  borne  a  heavy  burden  here,  they 
may  bear  an  infinitely  heavier  one  hereafter. 

The  height  of  this  cross  is  spiritual  pride  and  self-sufficiency.  They 
set  themselves  arrogantly  over  other  men;  they  are  insufferably 
vain  of  their  austerities.  No  one  is  good  enough  to  be  their  e.jual  in 
virtue,  so  they  think;  and  they  look  with  contempt  on  all  who  do  not 
practice  their  manner  of  life.  To  such  as  these  St.  Augustine  wrote: 
''Dear  brothers,  rather  than  have  you  say  or  even  think  that  you  are 
better  than  other  men,  or  any  way  different  from  them,  I  would  prefer 
that  you  went  back  into  the  world.  You  should  say,  with  Christ,  as 
represented  by  the  prophet:  'I  am  a  worm  and  no  man,  the  reproach 
of  men  and  the  outcast  of  the  people.'  (Ps.  xxi,  7.)  And  voa  should 
say,  with  the  poor  sinner:  I  have  sinned;  Lord,  have  mercy  on  me  a 
sinner."  ' 

The  depth  of  this  cross  is  the  depth  of  sinfulness  in  such  a  man.  His 
motives  are  essentially  false,  and  he  has  never  seriously  been  converted 
to  God,  never  realized  his  unmortified  state,  nor  really  desired  to 
change  for  the  better.  He  has  rested  wholly  upon  his  external  observ- 
ances, and  even  that  very  unwillingly  and  under  compulsion.  He  knows 
nothing  at  all  of  intimate  union  of  the  soul  with  God— thinks  and 
enquires  about  such  things  and  longs  for  them  as  little  as  does  the  Grand 
Turk.  To  him  the  real  spiritual  life  is  as  if  it  did  not  exist.  If  he  hears 
devout  men  speaking  of  such  things,  he  understands  it  as  little  as  an 
Italian  does  German.  He  mumbles  his  Pater  Nosters,  and  he  mechan- 
ically recites  his  psalms,  and  he  performs  his  barren  routine  of  observ- 
ance of  rule,  and  so  he  is  quite  content.  As  to  God  uniting  Himself 
intimately  to  men's  soul,  what  does  he  care  or  know  about  such  a  thing 
as  that?  If  by  some  outward  religious  practices  one  mav  gain  some 
profit  or  attract  some  attention,  then,  indeed,  he  takes  a  living  interest 
m  the  matter.  Cross  his  will,  if  you  dare;  he  at  once  is  revealed  as  an 
ordinary  senseless  worldling.  Hence  St.  Augustine  savs,  that  he  knows 
no  man  worse  than  one  who  falls  from  a  holy  state  of  life,  for  it  often 
happens  that  he  ends  in  rejecting  the  true  faith  and  impugning  the 
teaching  of  Holy  Scripture.  Thus  deep  does  such  a  man  sink  with  the 
cross  to  which  he  is  nailed. 

The  breadth  of  this  evil  cross  is  that  it  points  to  the  broad  and  well- 
trodden  road  that  leads  to  hell.     Men  fixed  to  it  live  according  to  the 


166  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

flesh,  caring  naught  for  the  sweetness  of  the  spirit.  Whosoever  lives  in 
the  flesh  cannot  be  pleasing  to  God.  Whosoever  treads  not  the  narrow 
way  that  leads  to  eternal  life,  will  surely  go  astray  and  jeopardize  his 
eternal  welfare.  These  men  are  self-seekers,  and  they  are  self-opinion- 
ated in  everything.  They  must  be  favored  in  everything;  they  must  be 
continually  dispensed  from  the  Lord's  counsels  of  perfection;  in  one 
word,  their  whole  object  in  life  is  never  to  suffer.  But  this  cross  they 
must  suffer,  whether  they  will  or  no — sharp  pangs  of  conscience.  For 
they  can  have  no  trust  in  God,  because  they  have  rejected  and  despised 
Him ;  nor  in  the  world,  for  the  world,  in  turn,  despises  them.  Ah,  dear 
children,  they  have,  indeed,  a  hard  life  and  carry  a  painful  cross!  They 
would  be  without  any  suffering,  and  yet  they  have  the  bitterest  kind. 
Add  to  this  the  forebodings  of  eternal  suffering  if  they  do  not  return  to 
God. 

And  that  brings  us  to  consider  the  length  of  this  cross.  This  is  shown 
when  its  votaries  persevere  in  vice  even  to  the  end,  which  comes  from 
their  ingratitude.  They  have  received  many  great  graces  from  God,  the 
like  of  which,  if  given  to  persons  living  in  the  world,  would  have  been 
gratefully  received  by  them.  But  all  these  graces  they  have  wilfully 
rejected;  they  have  disregarded  God's  many  inner  admonitions,  even 
sometimes  being  themselves  amazed  at  their  own  hardness  of  heart. 
They  have  not  turned  to  God,  and  have  finally  reached  that  dreadful 
state  spoken  of  by  St.  Paul :  "It  is  impossible  for  those  who  were  once 
illuminated,  have  tasted  also  the  heavenly  gift,  and  were  made  par- 
takers of  the  Holy  Ghost,  have  moreover  tasted  the  good  Word  of  God, 
and  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come,  and  are  fallen  away ;  to  be  renewed 
again  to  penance;  crucifying  again  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God,  and 
making  Him  a  mockery,"  And  the  apostle  adds  a  comparison :  'Tor  the 
earth  that  drinketh  in  the  rain  which  cometh  often  upon  it,  and  bringeth 
forth  herbs  meet  for  them  by  whom  it  is  tilled,  receiveth  blessings  from 
God.  But  that  which  bringeth  forth  thorns  and  briars,  is  reprobate,  and 
very  near  unto  a  curse,  whose  end  is  to  be  burnt."  (Heb.  vi,  4-8.) 
Which  all  means  this :  These  men  who  have  been  given  so  many  graces,, 
who  have  been  favored  with  so  many  marks  of  God's  special  love,  and 
who  have  wilfully  refused  Him  their  heart's  allegiance  and  persevered 
in  their  wickedness — it  is  to  be  feared  that  they  will  finally  suffer  God's 
eternal  anathema.  See  to  it,  my  dear  children,  that  you  do  not  allow 
yourselves  to  be  fixed  to  this  cross  of  eternal  condemnation,  lest  you 
remain  hanging  there  till  the  end. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  167 

The  cross  of  the  thief  at  the  right  hand  is  good,  for  he  has  made  it 
fruitful  unto  eternal  life.  It  serves  to  illustrate  the  resolute  earnest- 
ness of  those  who  have  entered  upon  a  life  of  penance,  turning  away 
from  the  world  and  from  all  sinfulness  with  heartfelt  sincerity.  They 
have  regarded  it  as  a  favor  to  suffer  very  painfully  for  their  former 
sins,  thus  atoning  for  the  free  rein  they  once  gave  to  their  fleshly  pas- 
sions and  to  their  proud  self-will.  All  this  they  have  now  quite  and 
entirely  given  up  for  the  sake  of  God,  and  they  are  content  to  suffer 
whatever  penalties  God  may  inflict  on  them.  To  them  the  cross  is  not 
only  salutary ;  it  is  also  comforting,  sweet  and  well  beloved.  The  cross 
brings  to  them,  as  it  did  to  the  good  thief,  strong  faith  joined  to  an 
unshaken  confidence  in  God's  unspeakable  love  and  mercy-  Ah,  my 
dear  children,  what  greater  good  could  the  dying  thief  ever  have  gained 
in  this  poor,  fleeting  life  than  to  hear  those  welcome  words :  "Amen,  I 
say  to  thee,  this  day  shalt  thou  be  with  Me  in  Paradise."  (Luke  xxiii, 
43.)  And  what  more  consoling  words  could  a  soul  so  well  disposed,  so 
truly  converted,  ever  hear  than  these:  "Come  to  Me  all  ye  that  labor 
and  are  heavy  burdened,  and  I  will  refresh  you?"  (Matt,  xi,  28.) 
Which  means  that  I  will  receive  and  embrace  you  by  My  grace,  assist 
you  in  times  of  trial,  and  aid  you  to  bear  your  burdens ;  and  after  brief 
intervals  of  spiritual  toil,  will  continually  and  sweetly  strengthen  you. 

The  depth  of  this  cross  represents  humility  without  limit.  By  thia 
virtue  a  man  never  rates  himself  higher  than  others,  and  sees  no  one's 
faults  but  his  own.  He  is  like  the  good  thief,  who  freely  confessed  that 
he  suffered  justly  for  his  crimes.  A  good  man,  therefore,  amid  the 
acutest  pains,  willingly  owns  that  he  deserves  yet  more  for  his  sins.  All 
the  sufferings  of  earth  and  hell,  he  really  thinks,  are  not  enough  to 
atone  for  his  former  wickedness.  Such  a  man  can  despise  no  one  but 
himself,  nor  judge  and  condemn  anyone  except  himself.  And  this 
humble  state  of  the  soul  is  the  blossom  and  fruit  of  this  tree  of  the  cross. 

Its  height  is  elevation  of  spirit,  withdrawal  from  outward  things,  and 
contemplation  of  heavenly  ones.  This  means  that  we  should  train  and 
direct  our  souls  upward  to  thoughts  of  the  eternal  life,  steering  clear 
of  all  bodily  delusions.  We  should  meditate  on  the  life  and  character 
of  our  beloved  Lord,  the  soul's  rich  mine  of  all  virtues — His  sufferings 
and  His  bitter  death,  His  resurrection,  His  ascension  and  His  glory  in 
the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.  This  occupation  of  mind  it  is  that  makes  our 
cross  very  light,  as  it  did  that  of  the  good  thief,  who  was  thinking  of 
Heaven  and  longing  for  it  when  he  prayed :  "Lord,  remember  me  when 
Thou  shalt  come  into  Thy  kingdom."     (Luke  xxiii,  42.) 


168  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

The  breadth  of  this  cross  is  universal  and  true-hearted  love  of  God  and 
creatures;  by  which  a  man  is  ever  inspired  to  pray,  not  only  for  himself, 
but  for  all  men,  even  for  his  very  enemies.  His  prayers  know  no  bounds. 
His  kind  feelings  are  lavished  upon  all  men.  And  his  special  task  is  to 
appease  the  wrath  of  God  aroused  against  men  who  have  dishonored 
Him.  This  is  the  love  spoken  of  by  St.  Peter  (1  Peter  iv,  8)  and  by 
our  Lord  about  Mary  Magdalene  as  covering  a  multitude  of  sins :  "Many 
sins  are  forgiven  her,  because  she  hath  loved  much."     (Luke  vii,  47.) 

The  length  of  this  cross  is  perseverance  and  the  increase  of  good 
works,  for  such  men  are  never  done  doing  good.  And  they  practice  their 
virtues  in  such  good  order  and  with  such  prudence,  that  in  all  things  they 
may  put  off  the  old  man  and  clothe  themselves  with  the  new  man, 
newly  created  by  God  in  the  righteousness  and  holiness  of  truth.  By 
this  means  their  inner  man  is  from  day  to  day  renewed,  and  they  press 
onward  through  all  sorrow,  pain  and  opposition,  so  that  they  may  truly 
say  with  St.  Paul :  "That  which  is  at  present  momentary  and  light  of 
our  tribulation,  worketh  for  us  above  measure  exceedingly,  an  eternal 
weight  of  glory.  While  we  look  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen,  but  at 
the  things  which  are  not  seen.  For  the  things  which  are  seen  are  tem- 
poral ;  but  the  things  which  are  not  seen  are  eternal."  (II  Cor.  iv,  17-19.) 

The  third  cross  is  the  cross  of  Christ.  This  means  the  perfect  man, 
to  whom  the  heavenly  Father  imparts  a  peculiar  glory  and  honor  in 
union  with  His  only  begotten  Son.  To  such  men  He  sends  many 
peculiar  sufferings,  contradictions,  troubles  and  various  other  crosses. 
To  them  he  granta  the  privilege  of  drinking  the  same  chalice  that  His 
beloved  Son  drank,  as  our  Lord  foretold  to  His  blessed  apostles  John 
and  James:  "Can  you  drink  the  chalice  that  I  shall  drink?"  They  say 
to  Him :  "We  can."  He  saith  to  them :  "My  chalice,  indeed,  you  shall 
drink."  (Matt,  xx,  22-23.)  As  if  he  would  say  (for  they  had  been 
contending  about  the  first  places  in  His  kingdom)  :  If  you  would  become 
God's  best  and  most  favored  friends,  then  make  up  your  minds  to  endure 
the  greatest  opposition,  for  the  disciple  is  not  above  his  Master.  If  it 
was  necessary  for  Christ  to  suffer  and  to  carry  the  cross  in  order  to  enter 
into  His  Father's  kingdom,  so  without  any  doubt  every  friend  of  God 
must  endure  suffering. 

The  depth  of  this  cross  is  a  filial  fear  of  God,  by  which  these  men  give 
themselves  up  wholly  into  His  hands,  and  have  an  anxious  care  lest  they 
may  offend  Him.  Its  height  is  the  true  hope  of  finally  coming  to  eternal 
bliss.     This  is  no  vain  trust  in  their  own  merits  or  in  their  devout  life, 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


169 


but  is  rooted  in  the  humility  of  a  firm  faith  in  God,  and  entire  surrender 
to  His  infinite  goodness— a  trust  that  shall  never  be  confounded,  for  it  is 
such  as  «t.  Paul  describes :   "The  charity  of  God  is  poured  forth  in  our 
hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  Who  is  given  to  us."     (Rom.  v,  5.)     The 
breadth  of  this  cross  is  charity  unfeigned  toward  God,  toward  gelf  and 
toward  every  man  for  God's  sake.     Such  men  diligently  cultivate  unity 
of  spirit  in  the  bonds  of  peace,  being  ever  on  the  watch  against  bitter- 
ness of  heart,  anxious  to  serve  everybody  and  to  be  hurtful  to  none. 
Gladly  do  they  bear  adversity,  if  they  can  but  thereby  lead  souls  back 
to  God.    The  length  of  this  cross  is  the  lifting  upward  of  their  thoughts 
to  eternal  life,  for  which  they  will  cheerfully  suffer  every  pain.     What- 
soever God  shall  allot  to  them  in  time  or  in  eternity,  that  is  the  most 
pleasing  to  them— let  Him  do  or  not  do,  place  them  here  or  place  them 
there,  it  is  all  one;  repining  or  contradiction  is  quite  unknown  to  them. 
They  can  in  all  sincerity  make  Christ's  words  to  His  Father  their  own : 
^^Not  as  I  will,  but  as  Thou  wilt."     (Matt,  xxvi,  39.)     Their  sharpest 
pain  is  the  thought  that  they  cannot  totally  uproot  their  own  will,  being 
yet  subject  to  some  human  weaknesses.    O,  how  happy  are  these  men*! 
And  how  fruitful  a  tree  is  their  cross,  not  only  for  themselves,  but  for  all 
Christendom. 

This  cross  leads  them  on  to  the  ineffable  cross  of  the  Divine  nature, 
as  St.  Paul  wished  his  converts:  ''That  Christ  may  dwell  by  faith  in 
your  hearts;  that,  being  rooted  and  founded  in  charity,  you  may  be  able 
to  comprehend  with  all  the  saints  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length  and 
height,  and  depth."  (Eph.  iii,  17-18.)'  The  length  is  God's  endless 
eternity;  the  breadth  is  the  immensity  of  His  goodness  and  gentleness, 
poured  out  and  to  be  poured  out  upon  all  men  and  creatures;  the  height 
is  His  infinite  power;  the  depth  is  the  abyss  of  His  eternal  wisdom.  But 
whosoever  would  attain  to  the  cross  of  God's  Divine  nature,  must  first 
be  conformed  to  the  cross  of  His  humanity.  Round  about  this  cross  are 
gathered  all  those  who  lead  a  truly  spiritual  life,  as  we  have  already 
explained.  They  must  strictly  abstain  from  all  works  of  the  flesh,  which 
God  abhors,  and  they  must  have  an  earnest  love  of  all  holy  living,  their 
souls'  hands  being,  as  it  were,  actually  nailed  to  God's  Divine^'cross. 
They  must,  furthermore,  constantly  strive  to  fulfill  God's  will,  stead- 
fastly fix  their  thoughts  upon  Him,  and  most  carefully  avoid  whatever 
they  perceive  to  be  displeasing  in  His  eyes.  And  this  will  stand  for  the 
nailing  of  their  right  foot  to  the  cross  of  God's  nature.  Again,  they 
must  learn  to  choose  between  two  joys;  namely,  never  to  be  drawn  into 


170  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

the  unhappy  joy  of  this  world,  and  never  to  refuse  the  joyful  misery 
of  God's  service-  If  they  choose  wisely,  then  are  they  fastened  by  their 
left  foot  to  the  cross  of  the  Divine  nature.  Yet  again,  they  must  have  a 
profound  sympathy  for  God,  on  account  of  the  dishonor  that  has  been 
done  Him  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  until  now,  and  that  shall  yet 
be  done  Him  even  to  the  end  by  all  mankind,  including  the  wickedness 
of  those  whose  state  of  life  has  called  for  the  highest  virtue.  And  they 
must  include  in  this  their  compassion  for  God's  dishonor ;  namely,  that 
which  is  suffered  for  His  sake  b}'  His  beloved  friends  who  have  rallied 
to  the  side  of  Christ  crucified ;  for  them  also  must  they  wish  to  suffer, 
that  God's  glory  may  be  increased  in  their  lives.  Such  as  these  will  He 
guard  as  He  does  the  apple  of  His  eye,  for  whosoever  does  injurv  to  them 
does  it  to  God  Himself.  That  we  may  thus  be  nailed  to  the  cross  of 
Christ's  humanity,  and  that  we  may  finally  be  brought  to  the  eternal 
vision  of  His  unveiled  divinity,  may  the  almighty  and  the  all-holy 
Trinity  mercifully  grant.     Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  ^i 


(^ruhmom  of  ifflmt 

Synopsis-Remarks  on  the  perverse  ingratitude  of  sinners-First 
grade  of  merit  is  religious  fear  of  hell,  forming  an  unstaUe  con- 
dition of  virtue  and  beset  with  many  dangers— Second,  fear  of 
purgatory,  and  is  far  in  advance  of  the  first;  hut  is  mercenary  and 
lacks  whole-heartedness— Third  class  is  nmde  up  of  souls  deter- 
mined to  ivin  heaven  by  entirely  generous  devotion  to  God— Some 
of  these  unconsciously  are  self-interested— Perfect  gratitude  fin- 
ishes their  course. 


SERMOX   FOR    ASH    WEDNESDAY. 

Convert  us,  O  Lord,  to  Thee,  and  we  shall  be  converted.-Lamentations  v,  21. 
God  is  very  pitiful  of  poor  human  nature,  and  He  never  ceases  His 
endeavors  to  convert  us,  always  looking  out  for  our  acceptance  of  His 
loving  invitations.  Some  He  calls  by  such  visitations  as  sickness  or 
poverty,  or  the  like  misfortunes;  others  He  would  draw  to  Him  bv  the 
teaching  and  example  of  good  men;  some  by  His  interior  admonit^ions • 
some  by  force,  as  in  St.  Paul's  case;  now  it  is  a  severe  wav;  again  it  is  a 
gentle  way  that  He  uses  to  arouse  men's  consciences. 

As  to  what  hinders  men's  turning  to  God,  we  notice  three  things- 
Love  of  this  transitory  existence,  greediness  for  worldly  possessions,  and 
desire  of  sensual  indulgence.     For  some  are  infatuated  bv  the  honors  of 
this  world  and  set  their  hearts  on  temporal  riches,  so  that  they  may 
gratify  the  lusts  of  the  flesh.     After  they  have  persisted  a  while  in  this 
wickedness,  they  become  hard-hearted  and  unresponsive  to  ^n-ace  even 
ready  to  undergo  any  toil  or  suffering  to  satisfy  their  passions.     St 
Gregory  bids  us  look  at  the  example  of  the  people  of  Israel-    They 
yearned  for  the  flesh-pots  of  Egypt,  which  they  had  enjoyed  only  after 
most  painful  labor.     They  preferred  this,  with  slaverv,  to  the  heavenly 
bread  God  gave  them  in  the  wilderness,  full  of  every  sweetness.     Ah  my 
dear  children,  how  sad  a  lesson  is  this!     God  had  lovingly  led  this 
people  out  from  bondage,  showing  forth  for  their  sake  His  great  power 


172  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

and  working  many  wonders,  all  His  affection  and  all  His  mighty  works 
having  no  other  object  than  to  turn  their  hearts  sincerely  to  Him,  and 
to  cause  them  to  observe  His  commandments.  And  behold,  children,  all 
this  they  regarded  not,  but  quickly  went  back  to  their  former  evil  ways 
and  sinful  pleasures.  They  revolted  against  Moses,  God's  friend  and 
their  appointed  leader;  they  murmured  and  resisted  him,  now  in  one 
way  and  again  in  another.  Until,  at  last,  our  loving  Lord  became  impa- 
tient with  them,  and  scourged  them  with  serpents  and  with  fire,  and 
gave  them  over  to  the  will  of  their  enemies.  And  of  all  those  who  had 
journeyed  into  the  wilderness,  He  allowed  but  two  to  enter  the  land  that 
He  had  promised  them. 

Ah,  how  many  are  there  among  us,  whom  God  with  all  power  and 
mercy  has  delivered  from  the  slavery  of  sin  and  evil  habits  and  led 
toward  a  true  conversion,  so  that  we  might  lead  a  Godly  life,  according 
to  His  teaching  and  His  Son's  example !  And  we  have  but  put  on  an 
appearance  of  conversion,  outwardly  doing  things  that  might  make  one 
think  that  in  all  truth  we  were  sincerely  turned  away  from  our  former 
vicious  practices.  But  how  pitiful  it  is  that  this  is  all  outward  show. 
Inwardly  we  still  long  for  the  flesh-pots,  secretly  and  weakly  yielding 
to  our  bodily  appetites,  and  if  these  enjoyments  are  now  less  accessible 
than  before,  we  give  ourselves  up  to  murmurings  wholly  unworthy  of 
religious  men.  And  what  is  yet  worse,  we  will  not  be  content  with  the 
worldly  goods  that  belong  to  our  state  of  life,  but  whatever  luxuries  we 
hear  of  the  rich  enjoying,  we,  poor  beggars,  must  crave  to  possess.  Noth- 
ing pleases  us.  Our  heavenly  Father  feeds  and  clothes  and  shelters  our 
bodies;  He  gives  our  souls  sweet  and  nourishing  spiritual  food — all  in 
vain.  He  cannot  win  our  love;  we  will  not  give  ourselves  up  to  Hira 
in  a  deep  and  true  conversion.  But,  on  the  contrary,  we  become  too 
often  a  scandal  to  our  brethren  by  our  perverse  discontent.  And  as  we 
read  that  God  destroyed  from  the  earth  certain  leaders  of  the  discon- 
tented Israelites,  so  does  He  sometimes  similarly  act  among  us. 

These  are  often  no  better  than  openly  wicked  men,  as  is  shown  if  you 
cross  their  will.  They  seem  to  be  really  possessed  and  driven  onward,  in 
their  evil  course,  by  Satan.  Sometimes  it  happens  that  they  get  all 
that  they  want  and  rest  quite  satisfied  with  their  success;  and  that  is  a 
plain  sign  of  their  final  loss ;  the  evil  one  has  been  given  entrance,  their 
hearts  are  hardened.  No  real  peace  or  joy  can  be  theirs,  however,  for 
their  souls  are  sick  with  sin,  and  the  enemy  casts  his  fatal  net  about 
them.     But  let  them  make  a  mighty  effort — naught  else  will  suffice;  let 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  173 

them  painfully  enter  into  themselves,  cast  away  all  that  they  have 
wrongfully  possessed  or  coveted  of  this  world's  joys;  let  them  humbly 
crave  pardon  of  all  whom  they  have  injured;  let  them  beg  the  prayers 
and  the  help  of  all  who  are  fit  to  instruct  them  how  to  be  freed  from 
Satan's  slavery ;  and  thus,  with  hearts  full  of  contrition,  let  them  return 
again  to  God's  service. 

Alas,  my  dear  children  I  What  can  we  say  of  our  conversion  to  God 
nowadays?  It  is  for  the  most  part  only  in  external  signs.  Taking  us 
all  in  all,  we  are  like  the  fig  tree  that  the  Lord  cursed :  We  bear  leaves, 
indeed,  but  not  fruit — not  more  than  one  in  a  hundred  is  a  thoroughly 
converted  man.  We  are  self-seekers;  we  enjoy  all  sorts  of  material 
conveniences  and  the  pleasures  of  this  life,  sometimes  more  abundantly 
than  if  we  were  still  living  among  worldlings;  for  those  who  live  in  the 
outer  world  must,  with  all  their  luxuries,  suffer  besides  many  anxieties. 
We  have  become  so  spiritually  enfeebled,  that  we  have  no  will  to  suffer 
pain  of  any  kind.  If  we  can  but  imagine  a  new  comfort,  we  must  forth- 
with have  it.  If  the  superiors  of  the  community  will  not  give  it,  then  we 
go  to  our  friends  and  relatives  outside.  Complaints  by  letters  and  by 
word  of  mouth,  every  species  of  endeavor  for  a  soft  and  easy  life — all 
this  goes  on  endlessly.  Alas !  shall  we  never  ask  ourselves  why  we  came 
into  religion?  Shall  we  forever  remain  in  this  childish  self-indulgence? 
But  we  now  conclude  our  lament  over  this  sad  state  of  things,  lest  it 
should  detain  us  the  whole  day  long. 

There  are  three  things  that  make  sin  a  most  detestable  evil.  The  first 
is  that  offending  God  is  monstrous  and  shameful — the  only  thing  that 
can  possibly  be  offensive  to  Him  is  sin.  The  man  who  lives  in  sin,  if  he 
would  but  look  into  his  condition,  would  be  overwhelmed  with  horror  at 
the  intolerable  and  disgraceful  state  he  has  brought  his  soul  into.  The 
second  is  the  shortness  of  the  sinner's  time — the  swift  approach  of  his 
death.  The  third  is  the  horror  that  must  fill  him  at  the  thought  of  the 
eternal  death  of  his  soul  in  hell.  As  to  the  reasons  for  a  sinner's  con- 
version, they  are  one  of  these  three :  His  sins  grievously  afflict  him 
because  he  dreads  eternal  damnation ;  or  because  he  begins  to  long  for 
the  happiness  of  Heaven ;  or  because  his  heart  is  touched  at  the  thought 
of  God's  infinite  love  for  him.  These  are  the  inner  sources  of  all  con- 
version to  God. 

The  sinner  recalls  to  his  mind  the  principles  of  his  Christian  faith : 
There  is  a  God,  and  He  is  all  powerful  and  all  just,  and  the  dread  of  His 
judgment  fills  the  sinner's  soul  with  anguish.     And,  again,  his  faith 


174  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

tells  him  that  God  is  all  merciful,  and  that  a  virtuous  life  is  rewarded 
with  a  blissful  eternity;  and  now  a  joyous  hope  begins  to  glow  within 
his  soul.  But,  furthermore,  he  remembers  our  blessed  Kedeemer,  and 
how  God,  pitying  our  fallen  state,  became  man  for  man's  salvation. 
This  lights  the  holy  fires  of  love  and  of  gratitude  in  his  heart,  and  he 
longs  for  the  privilege  of  eternally  serving  and  loving  so  good  a  God. 
When  this  noble  sentiment  inspires  him,  neither  the  fire  of  hell  nor  the 
joys  of  Heaven  are  the  motives  of  his  repentance.  The  fire  of  love 
devours  every  other  feeling,  and  carries  every  thought  upward  into  union 
with  the  Divine  will.  It  is  to  heavenly  love  that  he  turns  as  the  one 
source  of  all  his  happiness.  And  herein  is  found  love  rightly  so  called. 
The  other  two  motives  of  conversion — fear  of  hell  and  longiDg  for 
Heaven — have  some  mixture  of  self-love  in  them,  and  are  not  so  pleasing 
to  God  as  the  third.  Let  us  now  consider  each  of  these  three  motives 
more  in  detail. 

Three  kinds  of  men  are  converted  by  fear  of  hell.  The  first  kind  fear 
its  pains  taken  by  themselves,  without  fearing  the  God  whose  penalties 
they  are.  These  are  gross  and  bad  natures,  and  if  they  should  die  with 
no  better  mind  than  this,  they  cannot  be  saved.  The  fear  of  death,  sure 
to  come,  but  the  time  of  it  never  known  beforehand,  haunts  them  and 
tortures  them  with  inward  anguish,  and  finally  drives  them  to  repent- 
ance and  reform  of  life.  Feeling  that  the  ordinary  life  of  this  world  is 
too  dangerous  for  them,  these  men  sometimes  enter  religious  communi- 
ties. And  their  fatal  error  is  that  they  think  that  if  they  but  refrain 
from  mortal  sin  in  their  holy  order,  they  will  surely  escape  eternal  loss; 
that  is  the  whole  basis  of  their  conduct,  namely,  to  avoid  mortal  sin. 
All  sorts  of  venial  faults,  however,  they  do  not  dream  of  avoiding,  and 
have  no  sorrow  whatever  for  committing  them.  Nor  do  they  for  a 
moment  think  it  necessary  to  atone  for  their  past  mortal  sins  by  true- 
hearted  works  of  penance.  No  desire  to  advance  in  the  practice  of 
virtue  actuates  them,  the  reason  being  that  there  is  little  love  in  their 
souls.  When  they  go  to  confession  ^and  perform  the  penance  imposed 
on  them,  they  think  that  they  may  now  dismiss  the  fear  of  hell,  and 
that  gives  them  content.  They  thus  continue  cold  and  slothful,  vain, 
neglectful,  and  frivolous,  self-indulgent  and  ever  seeking  after  superflui- 
ties; consulting  their  personal  advantage  in  everything,  only  limited  in 
careless  living  by  the  need  of  keeping  up  good  appearances.  Inte- 
riorly their  thoughts  and  affections  are  ruled  by  self-will  and  pride, 
holding  them  back  against  all  generous  impulses,  meantime  showing  an 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 

' ■ 175 

exterior  decency  of  behavior.     If  one  opposes  tliem.  they  are  irritable 
and  .mpatient.     If  you  would  advise  them,  they  ar    obsLIte  and  a  t 
ugly  toward  you.     They  can  talk  wisely,  and  often  have    glod  mind 
and  th,s  they  would  have  to  take  the  place  of  virtue.     If  thin^to TeH 

ItHd  thi",  tr'd  r  "''"  °^'''  ^°'°"°^  ""'  *''^-  O^f-ts  very 
freely,  and  th  s  hey  do  by  way  of  justifying  their  own.  Such,  then  are 
the  charae  ensfcs  in  heart  and  in  conduct  of  this  class  of  soul  Thev 
are,  nevertheless,  on  their  guard  against  committing  mortal  sin  and  vtt 
ere  they  are  we  1  aware  of  it  they  fall  into  them  most  miserabh  " 

Such  men  all  content  as  they  are  with  an  exterior  conversion  to  God 

are,  as  we  have  said,  found  in  some  religious  communities  and  "re  an 

.otolerable  burden  to  them.    The  fervent  men.bers  woud  rather  have 

av'-ge  hons  and  bears  living  among  them.     It  is  by  theh-  m  ans  thl 

our  mortal  enemy,  the  devil,  can  work  his  purposes,  for  in  r"aHtv  they 

But  astir"'  ""  '"""'■•  """•  "^"■^  ""'-^  -''-»'«  •"-  -  V  -eaT 

fr  It V.    ^     ■,'i  '"'^  ""'*"'"•'  •"  P"""^"-  »  '«  «'«'«yB  doubtful  whether 

or  not  they  w,ll  continue  in  the  community.     The  evil  one  keeps  them 

n  or  sends  them  out,  as  suits  his  ends.     If' t  happens  th      th^y  return 

^er^rr  rtiTtitv^rr  n^cTT ';  'T  '"■  '^'^-  ^ 

unha        death  ,  .  religioUcTmre^trdfdTLnnrg  i^  th^e 

thU  rr n  .  '"'  "  *'"'•'■  '"'™  "o  '"•'Dds  ^to  will  plead  for 

e^lv  sins  a^nd  ZV  u''^  'T'  *'"^"'  '""^^  -'"  --'/f.'>"  -  « 
eaajy  sins,  and  will  finally  forsake  their  devout  associates.    Thev  say 

0  themselves:    When  I  was  in  the  world  and  in  my  sins    I  had  at 
owtha^t  Ia"T;'  "'™"™  "'  ""'"''^^  -  -igious 'community    bu 

of  m  '     So^e  of  t'hr"  ',f  *T  ""'^  ™-°-<^'°g«.  -'"at  is  to  b'e'come 
or  me.     borne  of  them,  fallen  thus  into  despair  and  mistrustin.,  r,,^'. 
goodness  leave  the  community,  and  are  immediately  "nkenlnt'thei 
former  vicious  conduct;  for  they  are  too  proud  to  reveal  their  temp  1 
And         '"T""'  """  *"'  '^"^  ^''  ''"^^'y  "-"J  -ittout  good  JoZel 

embr. cT  f  tf  ^"  "°  ''"""  "'"^  *°  "°^^^'  '""^^  ^"^  h-dfong  into  he' 
embrace  of  the  enemy  of  their  souls,  giving  themselves  up  to  every  evil 
propensity,  at  first  secretly,  but  soon  openly,  until  some  of  them  are 

tilf   ItT,:  IM'?!"^  "^'^""^  '»™"*  "'  *"-  "-  -d  tempta 
ZZJ.        J  *  ^^^^  ^'"^^  *'"'  ^'•7  '^O'^t  consequences  of  their 

sinfulness  and  receive  the  sacraments  at  the  point  of  death;  but  at  the 


176  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

last  it  is  extremely  doubtful  whether  their  end  is  good  or  bad.  Perhaps 
an  all-merciful  God,  will  grant  them  an  altogether  unusual  grace  of 
sorrow  and  love  during  their  last  hours ;  then  they,  indeed,  escape  hell ; 
but  their  purgatory  will  be  long  and  bitter;  thank  God  that  it  is  not 
everlasting.  And  when  Heaven  is  reached,  their  spirits  will  be  placed 
below  the  least  of  the  angels;  for  it  was  not  out  of  love  that  they 
returned  to  God.  Those  who  are  saved,  as  it  were,  by  mere  compulsion 
of  anguish  and  dread,  must  be  content  to  be  placed  in  the  company  of  the 
least  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.  Those  who  turn  to  God  merely  out  of 
fear,  and  who  do  not  serve  Him  for  love  first  or  last,  should  not  enter  a 
convent.  It  is  better  for  them  to  remain  in  the  world  in  some  worthy 
state  of  life.  The  visitations  of  Providence  will  there  chasten  them  and 
elevate  their  motives.  Meantime  they  bring  no  shame  on  a  devout  com- 
munity, nor  inflict  any  injury  on  its  religious  observance.  It  is  a  mighty 
and  a  difficult  task  to  change  such  creatures  into  men  of  interior  spirit. 
And  now  if  this  is  the  sad  condition  of  men  who  would,  indeed,  keep 
out  of  grave  sin,  but  yet  only  half-heartedly,  what  must  we  think  of  those 
unhappy  souls  who  constantly  wallow  in  wickedness,  and  never  give  a 
thought  to  repentance  ? 

The  other  class  of  men  not  only  fear  hell,  but  they  have  a  lively  dread 
of  the  fires  of  purgatory.  They,  indeed,  avoid  mortal  sin  very  carefully, 
but  they  go  beyond  that;  they  diligently  avoid  committing  venial  faults. 
They  sigh  and  weep  over  their  former  wickedness ;  they  do  painful  pen- 
ance. And  yet  if  they  die  in  no  better  state  of  virtue  than  this,  they 
will  suffer  a  long  and  painful  purgatory,  for  they  have  so  far  been 
actuated  only  by  self-love  and  not  purely  by  the  love  of  God.  Yet  we 
must  know  that  their  purgation  will  be  a  hundred  times  less  painful 
than  that  of  the  cowardly  souls  above  described.  But  how  much  better 
is  it  to  do  penance  out  of  love  and  not  by  constraint  of  fear  only !  The 
souls  we  are  now  describing  have  not  been  loyal  in  all  single-heartedness 
to  the  Supreme  Good  that  God  is ;  their  inspiration  has  not  been  a  pure- 
motived  trust  in  the  goodness  and  sufferings  and  merits  of  the  Son  of 
God.  This  lack  of  whole-heartedness  they  must  painfuly  make  up  in 
purgatory ;  that  done  and  over,  they  shall  be  introduced  into  the  second 
choir  of  the  blessed  spirits  of  Heaven.  And  one  reason  why  they  are  a 
hundred-fold  more  generously  rewarded  than  the  others,  is  because  they 
have  left  edifying  examples  of  virtue  to  their  neighbor. 

The  third  class  not  only  fear  the  pains  of  hell  and  purgatory,  but  they 
earnestly  purpose  to  go  straight  to  God  without  any  purgatory  at  all. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  177 

They,  therefore,  dread  and  avoid  not  alone  grave  sins,  not  alone  venial 
sins — our  daily  petty  transgressions — but  they  anxiously  watch  against 
the  very  least  imperfections.  How  earnestly  do  they  not  strive  that  the 
searching  fires  of  purgatory  shall  find  no  material  in  them  upon  which  to 
feed!  To  the  very  best  of  their  power  they  conquer  depraved  nature, 
now  by  penitential  exercises,  again  by  accepting  thankfully  all  painful 
happenings,  and  also  by  applying  themselves  to  every  sort  of  good  works. 
These  are  more  pleasing  to  God  than  the  former  class.  And  yet  they, 
too,  must  suffer  purgatory,  for  there  has  been  a  mixture  of  self-love  in 
their  motives.  Their  only  and  all-controlling  motive  was  not  God's 
honor.  But  their  purgatory  shall  be  much  shorter,  because  real  love 
has  had  a  place  in  their  virtuous  lives.  When  their  purgatory  is  done 
and  over  they  shall  be  enrolled  in  the  third  choir  of  angels;  namely, 
those  that  are  specially  called  the  Powers  or  virtues,  for  they  have 
labored  hard  to  overcome  their  self-indulgence.  Hence  their  place  is 
higher  than  that  of  the  others.  So  far  we  have  been  considering  only 
the  first  degree  of  conversion  to  God — that  of  souls  moved  by  some  sort 
of  fear  or  anxiety  for  themselves.  Of  all  of  these  it  may  be  said  that 
they  enter  into  external  bliss  by  the  left-hand  gate  of  Heaven. 

Another  class  of  men  are  converted  to  God  by  desire  of  eternal  glory, 
and  these  enter  Heaven  by  the  right-hand  gate.  They  are  in  general  of 
a  naturally  joyous  disposition.  To  them  the  joys  of  eternal  life  are  a 
more  powerful  inducement  to  virtue  than  the  pains  of  eternal  loss.  If 
the  happiness  of  this  transitory  life,  they  say,  is  so  sweet,  what  must  be 
the  everlasting  bliss  of  Heaven  ?  Such  thoughts  draw  them  away  from 
earthly  pleasure.  They  readily  forget  the  allurements  of  the  world,  and 
soon  begin  to  serve  God  earnestly,  moved  by  nobler  motives  than  the 
other  classes  we  have  considered,  whose  primary  motive  is  fear.  Once 
they  have  turned  to  God  and  have  joined  a  religious  community,  or 
entered  some  other  worthy  Christian  state,  they  advance  immediately 
in  virtue.  They  not  only  avoid  all  sin,  whether  mortal  or  venial,  but 
they  eagerly  embrace  every  opportunity  of  serving  God,  determined  to 
become  perfect.  As  to  heavy  labors  or  deep  afflictions,  nothing  of  all 
this  can  hinder  them,  for  they  are  ever  absorbed  in  the  thought  of 
eternity.  They  are  very  receptive  of  Divine  grace,  and  grow  more  and 
more  so  every  day ;  and  if  they  persevere  until  death,  they  are  given  a 
place  among  a  yet  higher  choir  of  the  heavenly  spirits;  this  is  the 
reward  of  their  great  earnestness.  And  yet  they  do  not  entirely  escape 
the  pains  of  purgatory,  for  they  have  sought  their  own  happiness  rather 


178  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

than  the  honor  of  God  purely  and  simply,  even  though  this  was  more  or 
less  the  result  of  inexperience  and  inadvertence.  If  ever  they  emerge 
out  of  this  imperfect  condition,  it  will  be  by  means  of  temptations  man- 
fully resisted,  and  sufferings  patiently  endured.  Only  these  sore  trials 
can  reveal  to  them  how  much  they  have  sought  themselves,  and  how 
unconsciously  they  have  forgotten  God  as  the  one  only  motive  of  their 
lives.  Their  painful  probation  must  be  long  and  wearisome.  It  is  a 
tiresome  and  interminable  task  to  leave  oneself,  to  renounce  self  inces- 
santly. It  is  indescribably  hard  to  love  God  above  one's  own  self,  and 
to  love  one's  neighbor  as  one's  self;  that  is  to  say,  in  the  meaning  of 
those  words  when  applied  to  a  perfect  life.  But  if  they  approach  this 
state  closely,  and  die  in  the  full  ardor  of  this  love,  then  are  they  enrolled 
in  the  fifth  angelic  choir,  that  of  the  Principalities.  Still,  even  these 
must  sufifer  some  small  detention  in  purgatory,  for  their  love  is  hardly 
quite  and  entirely  pure. 

If  before  death  they  progress  yet  further  in  God's  righteousness,  suf- 
fering many  miseries  and  the  contempt  of  men  in  a  yet  greater  degree, 
and  with  motives  still  more  purified,  until  at  last  they  are  unmoved  by 
any  and  all  pains  and  temptations,  and  if  they  finally  are  able  com- 
pletely to  renounce  all  selfhood,  all  spirit  of  proprietorship,  O,  how 
hap])y  are  they !  Penance  is  perfected ;  peace  reigns  supreme ;  they  are 
masters  of  all  temptations.  And  at  death  they  are  introduced  into 
that  choir  of  the  angels  called  the  Dominations. 

The  third  kind  of  conversion  is  that  of  souls  who  realize  how  very 
good  God  has  been  to  them,  all  undeserving  as  they  are.  A  powerful 
impulse  of  gratitude  possesses  them,  and  an  admirable  yearning  to  serve 
God  perfectly  and  forevermore.  Not  knowing  what  to  do  that  God  may 
best  be  honored  by  them,  they  cry  out  to  God  in  deep  anguish  of  heart, 
saying,  with  St.  Paul:  **Lord,  what  wilt  Thou  have  me  to  do?"  Acts 
ix,  6.)  Ah,  how  gladly  would  I  know  Thy  will,  what  I  am  to  do  or 
suffer  or  give  up  for  Thy  sake!  O,  grant  me  that  knowledge,  for  I 
promise  Thee  that  I  will  not  spare  myself  any  trial  or  pain  to  fulfill 
Thy  purpose !  Hell  has  no  terrors  for  such  souls.  Heaven  has  no  joys, 
until  they  know  God's  designs  with  them.  Deep  sorrow  they  have  for 
their  sins,  yet  not  on  account  of  the  pains  of  hell,  but  out  of  downright 
love  of  God — that  love  to  which  they  know  they  once  were  faithless. 
They  cannot  forget  their  past  infidelity  to  so  good  a  God,  and  they  are 
at  a  loss  to  find  penances  severe  enough  to  offer  in  atonement.  They 
even  imagine  that  if  they  had  God's  power  over  themselves,  they  would 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  179 

cast  themselves  into  hell.  Now,  it  must  be  affirmed  of  such  souls,  that 
God  will  not  condemn  them  to  any  punishment  in  purgatory  whatsoever, 
for  the  reason  that  they  have  so  upright  a  purpose  to  condemn  them- 
selves with  absolute  justice,  doing  j)enance  to  the  uttermost  limit  of 
their  ability.  If  such  a  man  had  been  guilty  of  the  sins  of  all  other 
men  put  together,  God  would  forgive  him  everything  the  instant  he  had 
attained  this  state  of  perfect  love.  If  he  dies  in  these  dispositions,  we 
repeat  that  he  shall  have  no  purgatory,  but  shall  be  quickly  transported 
into  the  seventh  choir  of  the  angelic  host,  that  of  the  Thrones,  for  he  is 
become,  indeed,  a  throne  of  God  and  a  vessel  of  election. 

But,  supposing  these  men  to  make  yet  further  progress  in  holy  love 
before  death,  then  they  are  placed  among  the  Cherubim.  They  can 
praise  God  with  the  prophet :  "My  heart  is  ready,  O  God ;  my  heart  is 
ready."  (Ps.  Ivi,  8.)  I  am  ready  for  joy  or  sorrow,  to  do  or  leave 
undone,  according  to  Thy  will — everything  for  Thy  will  and  nothing  for 
mine,  in  time  and  in  eternity.  And  if  death  is  yet  further  postponed, 
and  such  a  soul  makes  yet  greater  progress  in  Divine  love,  then  is  he  fit 
for  the  company  of  even  the  Seraphim.  He  exclaims,  with  St.  Paul: 
"Who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death"  (Rom.  vii,  24) ,  that  I 
may  live  with  Christ?  As  to  their  neighbor,  such  men  say  with  the 
same  apostle,  and  in  all  sincerity:  "I  wished  myself  to  be  an  anathema 
from  Christ  for  my  brethren."  (Rom.  ix,  .3.)  This  refers  to  the  fruit  of 
Divine  grace  they  would  help  their  brethren  to  enjoy,  even  at  their  own 
expense,  and  it  is  a  disinterestedness  of  soul  exceedingly  pleasing  to 
God.  For  now  God,  seeing  them  so  ready  to  advance  His  kingdom  in 
men's  hearts,  descends  into  their  own  in  a  most  intimate  union,  so  that 
the  apostle's  words  may  be  made  their  own :  "And  I  live,  now  not  I, 
but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  (Gal.  ii,  20.)  May  God  grant  us  to  be  thus 
converted.    Amen. 


180  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — Piety  to  men's  eyes  and  self-indulgence  to  God's — Hot  and 
cold  hy  turns  in  endless  succession;  this  results  in  final  forgetful- 
ness  of  God — The  worst  state  is  a  false  quiet  of  souls,  cherishing 
a  state  of  mental  'blindness  and  stagnation  as  that  of  a  divine 
prayer — What  supernatural  quiet  of  soul  is,  as  compared  ivith 
the  false  and  natural — The  errors  and  delusions  incident  to  the 
latter. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FIRST  SUNDAY  OF  LENT.* 

Thou  Shalt  walk  on  the  asp  and  the  basilisk ;  and  thou  shalt  trample  under  foot 
the  lion  and  the  dragon. — Ps.  xc,  13. 

Thus  does  the  Holy  Spirit  address  devout,  spiritual  men ;  and  we  may 
use  these  four  beasts  to  typify  four  great  delusions,  four  subtle  tempta- 
tions in  the  spiritual  life. 

The  asp,  or  snake,  represents  the  devil  and  his  more  secret  attempts 
to  ruin  the  soul,  which  are  also  signified  earlier  in  the  same  Psalm : 
"Thou  shalt  not  be  afraid  of  the  terror  of  the  night,"  referring  to  the 
nocturnal  terrors  which  beset  beginners  in  God's  service. 

By  the  second  beast,  the  basilisk,  we  may  understand  impurity.  For 
the  basilisk  of  fable  was  so  venomous  that  even  to  look  upon  it  was  to 
die  instantly — just  as  the  soul  dies  that  dallies  wilfully  with  the  occa- 
sions of  unchastity.  Again,  the  prophet  in  the  same  Psalm  says  that 
the  true  friend  of  God  shall  "not  be  afraid  of  the  arrow  that  flyeth  in 


♦This  sermon  serves  to  refute  all  accusations  made  against  Tauler  of  favoring 
false  quietism.  Whatsoever  he  says  in  other  sermons  about  the  passive  state  of 
the  soul  and  the  inopportuneness  of  external  works  in  the  highest  contemplative 
state,  is  to  be  understood  in  the  light  of  these  explanations  of  false  passivity.  No 
doubt  some  of  his  expressions  are  in  other  sermons  obscure  and  capable  of  being 
misunderstood,  but  not  in  this  sermon.  It  covers  the  whole  debatable  ground ;  it 
is  as  plain  as  day,  and  the  doubtful  passages  found  elsewhere  in  his  discourses 
must  be  adjusted  to  what  is  given  here,  which  is  incapable  of  any  meaning  but 
the  Catholic  one.  And  in  saying  this  of  Tauler  we  say  what  might  apply  to  all 
or  nearly  all  the  orthodox  mystical  authors,  nearly  every  one  of  whom,  including 
St.  John  of  the  Cross  and  St.  Teresa,  stands  in  need  of  similar  adjustments  and 
reconciliations  of  meaning. — (Translator's  Note.) 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  181 

the  day."  He  means  that  those  who  enter  upon  a  devout  life  will  be 
assailed  by  open  enemies  of  chastity,  striving  first  to  corrupt  their  heart, 
and  then  to  sully  their  outward  conduct. 

By  the  third  beast,  the  dragon,  we  mean  love  of  money,  elsewhere 
called  by  the  Psalmist  "the  business  that  walketh  about  in  the  dark" — 
the  specter  of  greed.  For  this  ugly  vice  may  take  a  spiritual  form,  as 
when  God's  truth  is  sold  for  a  price  by  its  teachers  or  by  learned  men. 
By  the  fourth  beast,  the  lion,  we  understand  spiritual  pride,  "the  inva- 
sion, or  the  noonday  devil."  St.  Paul  thus  describes  him :  "For  satan 
himself  transformeth  himself  into  an  angel  of  light."  (II  Cor.  xi,  14.) 
Under  this  disguise  the  evil  one  openly  and  grievously  deceives  men, 
watching  till  they  have  gone  on  well  for  a  while,  and  then  leading  them 
astray  by  some  wickedness  under  the  appearance  of  good— good  works 
done  against  good  order,  or  fasting  and  vigils  obstinately  persisted  in 
against  obedience,  and  thereby  turned  into  evil. 

Let  us  consider  the  significance  of  each  of  these  beasts;  and  first,  the 
asp,  or  snake,  a  creature  naturally  hateful,  creeping  silently  to  its 
deadly  work.  This  means  the  insinuating  temptations  that  afflict 
devout  men,  who  are  self-indulgent  in  eating  and  drinking  and  lodging 
and  all  personal  comforts.  These  will  not  tolerate  a  hard  manner  of 
living.  Both  to  themselves  and  to  others  they  are  soft  and  good- 
natured,  and  in  a  scheming  way  manage  to  enjoy  all  sorts  of  conven- 
iences. But,  like  a  snake,  they  turn  venomously  on  those  who  are  differ- 
ent-minded, and  who  hinder  their  self-indulgence;  they  condemn  them 
for  singularity;  and,  while  pretending  to  a  kindly  disposition,  they  yet 
violate  charity.  They  gratify  every  natural  inclination,  secretly  if  need 
be,  ever  obstinately  following  their  own  will.  Because  they  may  happen 
to  belong  to  a  devout  community  and  can  count  many  years  of  external 
piety  free  from  gross  sinfulness,  they  imagine  that  God  will  condone 
their  enjoyment  of  worldly  relaxations.  Nearly  all  Christians  living  in 
the  world  are  in  our  days  subject  to  this  delusion,  and  the  same  is  to  be 
said  of  not  a  few  living  in  the  religious  state.  But  alas,  they  slip 
almost  unknowingly  into  mortal  sin,  open  or  secret,  doing  deadly  harm 
to  their  own  souls  and  to  those  of  their  soft-natured  associates. 

By  the  basilisk  we  may  understand  men  outwardly  spiritual,  but 
interiorly  addicted  to  impurity.  In  dress  and  manners  they  are 
classed  as  edifying  Christians,  but  God  sees  that  their  minds  are  filled 
with  unchaste  desires.  This  state  comes  from  their  performing  good 
spiritual  exercises  without  the  right  interior  dispositions.     The  devil, 


182  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

therefore,  finds  the  door  open.  They  now  and  again  fall  into  impurity, 
sometimes  secret,  even  sometimes  open.  Notice  in  them  that  they  are 
variable  in  their  moods,  and  that  they  are  keen  observers  of  other  men's 
sins.  How  different  is  a  true  Christian ;  steady-minded,  simple-hearted, 
disinclined  to  watch  his  neighbors,  and  drawn  by  God's  interior  light  to 
an  intimate  union  with  Him — a  condition  wholly  unknown  to  the  other 
class  Notice  in  them,  again,  a  fertile  imagination,  dressing  up  their 
musings  on  high  spiritual  matters,  in  pretentions  and  winning  words; 
meanwhile  void  themselves  of  inner  taste  for  such  things,  while  vainly 
trying  to  create  it  in  others.  The  really  devout  man  has  an  infused 
wisdom;  he  knows  truth  easily  and  teaches  it  fruitfully,  all  in  simple 
words;  treating  not  of  lofty  and  difficult  things,  more  calculated  to  mis- 
lead than  enlighten,  but  giving  plain  and  useful  instruction  for  an 
interior  life.  The  false  spirit  is  the  reverse  of  simple;  it  is,  besides, 
quarrelsome,  and  readily  attacks  the  teaching  of  others,  no  matter  how 
admirable  it  may  be.  Such  men  do  little  that  is  praiseworthy,  for  they 
are  quickly  wearied  with  works  of  zeal.  And,  whatever  they  may  do, 
they  are  puffed  up  with  spiritual  pride.  See  the  difference :  The  right- 
minded  Christian  ever  blossoms  out  into  universal  love  for  all  in  Heaven 
or  on  earth;  the  false-minded  has  some  favorite  or  other;  but  at  the  bot- 
tom he  loves  but  one  single  man,  and  that  is  his  own  beloved  self,  whom 
he  esteems  the  wisest  and  best  of  mankind.  He  would  have  everybody 
follow  him  in  all  he  teaches  and  does,  and  no  one  else,  and  if  he  notices 
that  you  follow  anyone  else,  he  is  full  sure  that  you  are  wrong.  He 
yields  to  his  appetites  in  excess;  makes  little  of  venial  sins;  he  is  not 
fair  toward  his  neighbor;  he  has  no  real  humility;  toward  the  poor  and 
unfortunate  he  is  not  kind  or  pitying,  and  in  his  heart  of  hearts  he  has 
no  real  virtue  nor  love  of  God.  But  let  us  be  on  our  guard,  lest  we 
look  around  us  and  judge  anyone  to  be  thus  miserably  placed;  let  us 
rather  sit  in  judgment  on  ourselves.  Let  us  fix  our  eyes  on  Christ  as 
our  model,  who  offered  Himself  up,  body  and  soul,  for  all  mankind.  So 
far  have  we  considered  the  kind  of  temptation  typified  by  the  basilisk, 
namely,  that  of  interior  and  external  impurity.  It  is  rooted  in  a  false 
spirituality,  fair-appearing  outwardly,  but  with  no  Divine  spirit  within, 
being  infected  with  sensuality  in  the  inner  springs  of  life. 

The  dragon  may  be  taken  to  mean  a  yet  worse  condition,  namely,  that 
of  men  whose  piety  is  infected  with  a  sort  of  spiritual  avarice,  shown  in 
four  different  ways.  Some  of  these  have  an  inordinate  desire  for  bodily 
relaxation  and  creature  comfort,  which  consumes  them  like  a  fever. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  183 

They  must  also  know  about  everything,  talk  about  everything,  oblivious 
only  of  themselves.  They  encumber  their  souls  with  the  care  of  things 
which  concern  them  not  at  all;  you  may  distress  them  with  any  trifling 
matter ;  their  minds  teem  with  useless  anxieties — now  about  this,  again 
about  that.  All  the  day  long  they  are  entangled  in  other  people's 
affairs;  sleeping  and  waking,  they  are  distraught  with  cares.  All  this 
may  not  mean  mortal  sin,  but  it  is  yet  seriously  hurtful  to  the  interior 
spirit. 

A  second  kind  of  spiritual  avarice  is  like  a  fever  which  returns  every 
other  day;  that  is  to  say,  an  alternation  of  too  much  fervor  and  too 
much  indifference.  It  is  the  disease  of  men  who,  having  received  God's 
grace,  presently  feel  the  lack  of  the  sweetness  of  devotion.  Then  they 
waver  in  fidelity,  and  beat  about  for  ope  and  then  another  practice  of 
penance  to  recover  it.  They  resolve  to  keep  silence;  that  failing,  they 
will  try  pious  conversation;  they  resolve  to  join  a  certain  order,  and 
soon  they  would  choose  a  different  one;  at  one  time  they  purpose  to 
practice  poverty,  at  another  to  retain  their  earthly  goods ;  they  plan  a 
long  pilgrimage;  they  aspire  to  become  hermits;  they  purpose  to  prepare 
for  holy  communion,  and  presently  forget  all  about  it;  now  they  will 
devote  themselves  to  pious  reading,  and  soon  will  change  it  for  medita- 
tion. All  this  endless  change  comes  from  inconstancy  of  heart ;  it  results 
from  an  extravagant  esteem  for  the  temporal  and  external  side  of 
religion,  instead  of  the  simple  love  of  God  in  all  things  inward  and  out- 
ward, for  that  would  free  the  soul  from  all  inconstancy. 

And  even  when  the  thought  of  God  is  present  in  such  minds,  it  is  too 
often  held  subordinate  to  that  of  self-chosen  pious  observances,  and  this 
is  a  yet  worse  sort  of  inconstancy  of  heart.  Corrupt  nature  may  easily 
mingle  its  influences  with  really  religious  ones,  and  that  so  impercep- 
tibly that  they  remain  for  a  time  unobserved.  Such  men  choose  now 
one,  and  again  another  confessor.  They  are  forever  seeking  advice,  but 
very  seldom  do  they  follow  it,  often  quickly  forgetting  it.  If  you  reprove 
them  they  resent  it;  and  yet  they  are  habitually  reproving  themselves. 
They  have  fine  spiritual  talk,  with  no  interior  fruit.  They  gladly  wel- 
come praise  for  their  virtues — even  great  praise  for  trifling  virtues.  All 
the  good  they  do  they  publicly  parade.  Thus  they  are  interiorly  vain 
and  empty  and  lack  the  savor  of  virtue.  They  presume  to  instruct  and 
guide  others,  but  to  be  guided  themselves  they  will  not  tolerate,  least  of 
all  to  be  admonished  for  their  faults.  Just  commonplace  self-love  domi- 
nates their  conduct,  and  hidden  pride.    This  explains  their  inconstancy. 


184  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Thej  ever  tread  on  the  brink  of  grave  sinfulness;  a  single  false  step 
casts  them  downward  into  hell. 

The  fourth  kind  of  spiritual  avarice  arises  out  of  the  other  kinds,  and 
is  jet  worse  than  any  of  them.  From  inconstancy  of  heart  toward  God 
comes  forgetfulness  of  Hira,  disregard  of  one's  self,  obliviousness  to  all 
truth  and  virtue,  and  finally  such  a  condition  of  error  and  doubt  as  to 
know  not  what  to  believe  or  what  to  do.  Forgetfulness  of  God  soon 
results  in  disregard  of  all  devout  practices.  The  least  thought  of 
reforming  one's  life  is  oppressive.  The  grossest  sins  are  very  likely  to 
follow;  soon  it  is  as  if  God  were  not  known  at  all.  Nor  is  it  easy  for 
such  a  one  to  recover  grace,  unless  it  may  be  by  taking  refuge  in  thoughts 
ol  the  passion  and  death  of  the  ever-merciful  Saviour.  A  man  of  this 
sort  may  stand  his  ground  against  open  sinfulness,  and  may  even  make 
a  career  in  studies,  may  be  chosen  for  various  ofiSces  and  the  manage- 
ment of  business  afifairs,  having  an  appearance  of  spirituality  and 
apparent  firmness  of  character.  And  all  this  is  hurtful  to  the  really 
interior  spirits  who  may  happen  to  be  subject  to  his  jurisdiction.  Men 
like  these  are  often  overstrict  in  enforcing  outward  observances,  and 
they  are  harsh  to  their  inferiors.  They  love  to  play  the  master  over 
others,  but  not  to  move  them  upward  to  God.  They  are  always  full  of 
pride  and  self-conceit — true  dragons,  devouring  all  that  approach  them 
and  resist  them. 

The  lion,  the  king  of  beasts,  typifies  the  highest  grade  of  sin  and  error; 
namely,  spiritual  pride.  It  means  religious  men,  members  of  communi- 
ties, who  follow  their  devout  practices  without  having  really  given  them- 
selves up  to  God.  Absorbed  in  themselves,  making  the  object  of  life 
earthly  things,  the  end  they  have  in  view  cannot  be  good.  All  men  by 
their  very  nature  seek  peace  and  joy — good  men  in  God,  the  wicked  in 
themselves  and  in  other  creatures.  And  these  last  are  often  little  aware 
how  great  is  their  delusion.  Joy  and  peace  seem  to  be  their  possession 
in  a  sort  of  natural  quiescence  of  soul,  and  it  becomes  extremely  dilBcult 
for  them  to  perceive  that  they  arc  blinded  by  spiritual  pride.  It  is 
good,  so  they  are  persuaded,  thus  to  rest  and  be  content  in  peace  and 
quiet  of  soul,  and  from  this  dangerous  state  they  cannot  easily  recover. 
It  is  young  men,  inexperienced  and  unmortified,  who  are  mostly  subject 
to  this  delusion.  They  imagine  this  false  peace  to  be  a  true  and  good 
spiritual  condition.  Now,  nature  cannot  be  content  with  any  natural 
repose,  for  (iod  alone  can  content  us ;  hence  this  counterfeit  tranquillity 
is  presently  an  occasion  of  sin. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  185 

A  man  may,  indeed,  be  detached  and  recollected  from  things  of  the 
senses,  and  settled  in  a  sort  of  rest  and  quiet  of  mind,  freed  from  all 
activity;  but  in  this  he  has  arrived  at  a  merely  natural  state  of  tran- 
quillity; namely,  that  of  his  sensitive  nature.  Any  man  may  attain  to 
this  without  the  aid  of  God's  gi-ace ;  he  has  but  to  empty  his  mind  of  all 
imaginings,  and  at  the  same  time  cease  from  all  external  activity.  But 
no  good  man  can  continue  in  that  mental  and  bodily  sloth ;  Divine  love 
cannot  rest  indolent.  This  is  but  a  form  of  self-seeking.  This  natural 
quiet,  this  resting  in  complete  emptiness  of  mind  and  stillness  of  body, 
with  the  sole  object  of  being  at  peace  and  unhindered  by  all  things,  is 
nothing  less  than  sinful.  It  makes  mental  blindness  and  ignorance  and 
stagnation  the  object  of  the  soul's  endeavor  taken  in  themselves  and 
separated  from  all  good  works.  Such  a  quiet  is  nothing  but  a  false 
recollection  of  soul,  in  which  one  forgets  God  and  oneself  and  all  else, 
as  far  as  the  real  duty  of  life  is  concerned. 

On  the  contrary,  the  holy  quiet  of  the  soul  in  God  is  a  loving  seclusion 
from  all  things  for  the  sake  of  God,  and  it  is  joined  to  single-minded 
contemplation  of  the  incomprehensible  glory  of  God.  This  means  that 
the  soul  seeks  this  union  with  God  by  an  interior  activity  of  desire 
which  never  is  at  rest.  This  holy  quiet  is  only  acquired  in  the  form  of  a 
longing  altogether  energetic,  is  enjoyed  in  an  ever-burning  love,  and, 
when  wholly  possessed,  it  is  none  the  less  ardently  and  energetically 
longed  for.  This  shows  the  deception  in  the  other  and  false  state  of 
quiet,  in  which  men  by  mere  natural  effort  sink  away  into  natural  repose 
of  the  mental  and  bodily  powers.  They  do  not  yearn  for  God ;  they  do 
not  seek  Him  with  positive  aspirations  of  love,  and  do  not,  of  course, 
find  Him.  The  quiet  of  soul  they  reach  leads  but  to  detachment  from 
self,  and  from  what  by  nature  and  habit  they  are  inclined  to ;  but  this  by 
no  means  is  to  find  God.  It  is  an  emptiness  of  soul  that  a  Jew  or  a 
heathen  might  attain,  or  any  wicked  man ;  they  have  only  to  cease  ques- 
tioning their  conscience,  live  wholly  self-absorbed,  and  withdraw  from  all 
active  life — a  state  of  quiet  very  enjoyable  to  a  certain  class  of  men. 
Taken  in  itself,  it  is  not  sinful,  for  it  is  only  what  all  men  naturally  are 
when  entirely  void  of  active  exertion.  But  it  is  far  otherwise  if  one 
positively  seeks  to  have  it  and  enjoy  it  to  the  exclusion  of  the  good 
works  of  a  Christian  life.  Then  it  becomes  sinful,  and  produces  a  state 
of  spiritual  pride  and  self-assurance  from  which  the  soul  seldom  recov- 
ers.   Such  a  man  imagines  at  times  that  he  possesses  God,  nay,  that  he 


186  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

has  been  made  one  being  with  God ;  whereas  he  is  in  reality  in  that  state 
which  is  most  absolutely  incompatible  with  union  with  God.  In  this 
false  quiet  and  false  detachment,  he  considers  that  all  our  devout 
religious  exercises  only  hinder  him  in  his  inner  peace,  which  delusion  is 
but  in  reality  to  resist  the  entrance  of  God  into  his  soul.  It  was  thus 
that  the  bad  angels  acted;  for  what  else  did  they  do  but  turn  away  from 
God  to  themselves  and  follow  their  own  natural  lights?  That  was  the 
cause  of  their  blindness;  it  was  that  which  led  to  their  expulsion  from 
the  light  and  the  repose  of  heaven  into  the  eternal  unrest  of  hell.  But 
the  good  angels,  from  the  first  instant  of  their  creation,  turned  absolutely 
to  God  as  the  only  end  and  object  of  all  their  existence,  and  thereby  were 
granted  everlasting  happiness.  Now,  as  the  lion  is  the  king  of  beasts, 
so  do  these  falsely  guided  souls  imagine  themselves  the  masters  of  all 
virtues;  whereas  they  are  the  worst  enemies  of  virtue,  and  in  God's 
sight  are  hypocrites.  Such  is  the  state  of  souls  whose  spirituality  is 
based  upon  a  merely  natural  detachment. 

This  delusion  leads  to  yet  another  evil,  namely,  a  kind  of  spiritualized 
impurity;  for  spirituality  without  a  sincere  yearning  for  God  lays  one 
open  to  all  sorts  of  errors  and  temptations.  A  man  is  herein  averted 
from  God  and  devoted  to  self;  hence  he  instinctively  seeks  pleasure  and 
solace  in  natural  ways. 

This  soul  is  like  a  merchant  who  thinks  of  nothing  but  gain ;  all  his 
spiritual  labors  and  sufferings  are  for  his  own  selfish  profit,  which  soon 
leads  to  seeking  satisfaction  in  forbidden  pleasures.  They  sometimes 
practice  severe  mortifications,  but  always  in  a  selfish  spirit  and  that  they 
may  be  honored  as  holy  men.  It  may  happen,  too,  that  they  do  austeri- 
ties with  a  view  to  the  eternal  reward ;  self-love  craves  praise,  and  works 
for  a  recompense  in  time  and  in  eternity.  They  demand  great  favors 
from  God,  and  are  deluded  with  the  thought  that  they  have  received 
them,  for  sometimes  the  evil  one  serves  their  ends,  thereby  puflfing  them 
up  with  yet  greater  pride,  in  which  they  remain  fast  fixed,  God's  grace 
meanwhile  being  absent  from  their  interior  life.  They  are  elated  by 
trifling  feelings  of  apparently  spiritual  joy,  little  dreaming  of  the  real 
inner  comfort  their  selfhood  has  cost  them.  The  interior  sensuality, 
the  spiritual  lust  of  our  fallen  nature,  quite  absorbs  them,  being  totally 
enamored  of  self,  always  passionately  addicted  to' self,  seeking  their  own 
selfish  interests  in  everything.  None  can  be  more  obstinately  self- 
willed;  if  they  fail  to  get  what  they  want,  even  from  God  Himself,  they 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  187 

are  almost  bereft  of  their  senses,  and  sometimes  say  and  do  abominable 
things.  And  it  has  happened  that  some  have  suffered  themselves 
actually  to  be  possessed  by  evil  spirits,  in  order  to  obtain  what  neither 
God  nor  man  was  willing  to  grant  them.  Alas,  how  manifestly  do  they 
live  in  contradiction  to  the  Holy  Spirit !  How  different  are  they  from 
a  good,  humble  Christian,  who  unceasingly  offers  to  God  all  that  he  is 
and  all  that  he  has,  and  who  can  only  be  content  with  the  possession  of 
the  supreme  and  incomprehensible  good  that  God  alone  is ! 

Natural  love  and  Divine  love  are  as  much  alike  as  two  hairs  of  a  man's 
head,  as  far  as  outward  activity  and  appearances  go,  but  totally  unlike 
in  the  interior  of  the  soul.  The  good  spirit  seeks  God's  honor  within 
and  without  the  soul,  seeks  and  longs  for  it  alone,  and  with  ever-increas- 
ing earnestness.  Natural  love  invariably  seeks  self  in  one  form  or 
another,  and  when  it  has  grown  so  strong  as  to  dominate  Divine  love  in 
the  soul,  four  vices  enter  into  possession — spiritual  pride,  avarice,  glut- 
tony and  impurity.  Such  was  the  fall  of  Adam  in  Eden,  and  with  him 
fell  all  human  nature.  It  was  because  Adam  made  himself  the  object 
of  his  natural  and  inordinate  love,  that  he  turned  away  from  God  and  in 
his  pride  contemned  the  Divine  law.  His  craving  for  knowledge  and 
wisdom  was  his  sin  of  spiritual  avarice;  upon  this  followed  his  indul- 
gence in  gluttonous  eating  and  drinking;  and  then  came  impurity.  But 
behold  Mary,  the  mother  of  God !  She  recovered  the  grace  that  Adam 
lost,  and  a  greater  grace  besides.  Hence  she  is  called  the  mother  of 
fair  love,  for  all  her  works  of  love  were  directed  straight  to  God.  She 
conceived  Christ  in  her  womb  in  all  humility ;  from  the  depths  of  her  soul 
she  offered  to  the  heavenly  Father  all  her  trials  and  sufferings ;  she  cov- 
eted neither  knowledge  nor  wisdom ;  no,  nor  even  any  virtue  in  a  spirit 
of  selfishness  or  avarice;  she  sought  not  any  joy  or  solace  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  her  virtues,  any  more  than  in  earthly  comfort ;  in  all  her 
life  and  in  all  her  soul  and  body  she  was  unspotted.  She  alone,  there- 
fore, has  overcome  all  heretics  and  hypocrites. 

Out  of  these  tw^o  illusions  comes  forth  a  third,  and  in  every  way  the 
worst  that  can  mislead  men  who  are  considered  to  be  contemplatives. 
It  is  detected  in  their  state  of  natural  quiet  and  detachment;  for 
they  have  the  presumption  to  claim  that  they  are  exempted  from  the 
liability  to  sin ;  that  they  are  united  to  God  directly  and  without  any 
intermediation  whatsoever,  understanding  this  in  a  perverted  meaning; 
that  they  are  emancipated  from  obedience  to  holy  church ;  that  they  are 
not  bound  by  God's  commandments;  and  that  they  are  no  longer  required 


188  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

to  practice  virtue.  They  justify  these  errors  by  saying  that  their  detach- 
ment is  so  noble  a  state,  that  nothing  whatever  must  be  permitted  to 
interfere  with  it.  Thus,  then,  they  stand  free  from  all  authority,  with- 
out a  single  good  work  in  things  high  or  low — as  idle  as  a  workman's 
tool  waiting  for  his  hand  to  take  it  up  and  use  it.  They  fancy  that  if 
they  do  anything,  God  will  be  hindered  from  acting  through  them,  and 
thus  they  are  vacant  and  empty  of  every  virtuous  act.  They  go  to  the 
extent  of  ceasing  to  thank  and  praise  God;  they  must  have  nothing, 
know  nothing,  love  nothing,  pray  for  nothing.  They  already  have  all 
they  could  pray  for — such  is  their  delusion.  They  think  that  they  are 
truly  poor  in  spirit  because  they  have  renounced  all  will  and  all  proprie- 
torship, whether  present  or  future.  They  have  arrived,  as  they  imagine, 
at  the  complete  and  final  possession  of  the  holiness  which  the  church 
was  instituted  to  bestow,  and  no  one  can  give  them  or  take  from  them 
anything  whatsoever.  Nor  can  God  Himself  increase  their  sanctity,  so 
they  dream;  for  they  consider  themselves  as  placed  high  above  all  pious 
practices  and  all  virtues,  maintaining  that  perfect  detachment  consists 
in  detachment  even  from  all  virtue,  and  that  men  should  labor  more 
diligently  to  be  detached  from  virtue  than  to  acquire  virtue.  This 
accounts  for  their  assertion  of  a  false  liberty  and  their  refusal  of  obedi- 
ence to  every  authority,  whether  of  pope,  bishop  or  parish  priest.  If 
they  do  sometimes  obey,  it  is  only  outwardly,  for  interiorly  they  consider 
themselves  subject  to  none,  either  in  soul  or  body ;  and  they  are  deter- 
mined to  be  exempt  from  all  church  authority.  They  say  openly  that 
as  long  as  a  man  strives  after  virtue  he  is  still  in  a  state  of  imperfection, 
knowing  nothing  of  spiritual  poverty  and  spiritual  liberty.  They  rate 
themselves  above  all  angels  and  men,  above  all  human  merit  and  faith, 
incapable  of  further  increase  in  holiness,  incapable  of  committing  sin ; 
for  they  live,  as  they  think,  in  a  state  devoid  of  the  action  of  the  will, 
in  spiritual  quiet  and  detachment  so  perfect  as  to  amount  to  self- 
annihilation  and  total  absorption  into  God.  Meanwhile,  what  nature 
craves,  that  they  may  freely  grant  themselves,  all  without  sin ;  for  they 
have  reached  the  highest  grade  of  innocence — no  law  can  bind  them. 
Hence  when  nature  yearns  for  any  self-indulgence,  they  yield  without 
scruple  in  order  that  their  liberty  of  soul  may  not  be  hindered.  As  to 
fast  days,  festivals  and  commandments,  they  pay  no  heed  to  them, 
except  in  order  to  keep  up  appearances;  for  they  are  no  longer  guided 
by  conscience. 

Let  each  one  of  us  examine  himself  carefully,  lest  he  may  be  tainted 
with  these  delusions.    These  falsely  spiritual  men  are  worse  than  any 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  189 

shameless  sinners,  even  murderers,  for  the  latter  own  that  they  are 
wicked  and  the  others  know  it  not.  It  is  extremely  hard  to  convert 
them;  sometimes  they  have  even  fallen  under  control  of  the  devil.  They 
are  clever  reasoners,  and  it  is  almost  impossible  to  silence  their  argu- 
ments, except  it  be  by  the  life  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  His  holy 
Scriptures — a  plain  mark  that  they  are  under  deception. 

And  now  we  are  to  consider  the  fourth  kind  of  illusion  which  affects 
certain  men  calling  themselves  contemplatives,  who  resemble,  but  yet  dif- 
fer from  the  class  we  have  just  been  treating.  This  fourth  class  consider 
themselves  as  mere  passive  instruments  of  God,  set  totally  free  from  all 
activity  of  their  own.  God  works  within  them ;  and  they  have  thereby, 
so  they  claim,  more  merit  than  others  who  do  good  works  and  whose 
personal  activity  is  ever  inspired  by  Divine  grace.  They  call  their  state 
a  Divine  passivity.  Although  they  do  nothing,  they  yet  merit  reward,  so 
they  afiBrm,  and  are  by  no  means  to  be  blamed  for  their  inactivity.  They 
live  a  life  of  perfect  interior  rest  in  God,  as  they  think ;  and,  cultivating 
a  very  humble  demeanor,  they  pay  no  regard  to  anything  whatsoever, 
and  are  quite  patient  with  whatever  befalls  them — as  bright  souls  which 
are  mere  instruments  of  the  Divine  will.  They  have  many  points  of 
resemblance  with  men  of  sound  spirituality.  But  here  is  what  proves 
that  they  are  wrong:  Whatever  they  feel  themselves  interiorly  moved 
to  do,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad,  they  are  persuaded  is  the  work  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  But  the  Holy  Ghost  never  inspires  men  to  be  idle  and  use- 
less, least  of  all,  to  do  evil  things,  nor  to  do  anything  against  the  life  and 
doctrine  of  Christ  and  His  holy  Scriptures.  And  this  demonstrates  that 
such  men  are  under  deception.  But  it  is  not  easy  to  detect  them,  for  they 
are  cunning  in  concealing  their  vagaries.  However,  they  are  betrayed 
by  their  obstinate  self-will.  They  will  rather  die  than  yield  the  least 
point  of  their  infatuation.  They  are  greatly  opposed  to  those  who  tell 
them  that  they  are  not  in  a  way  of  perfection,  for  they  hold  that  they 
are  in  a  most  meritorious  state.  Be  assured  that  all  such  men  are  fore- 
runners of  anti-Christ,  preparing  the  way  for  the  spread  of  unbelief  and 
the  eternal  loss  of  souls. 

And  now  let  us  briefly  consider  how  we  may  escape  these  fatal  snares. 
No  man  can  be  dispensed  from  keeping  the  commandments  of  God  and 
practicing  virtue.  No  man  can  be  united  to  God  in  a  state  of  detach- 
ment from  creatures  without  having  the  love  of  God  and  the  desire  of 
God.  No  man  is  holy  or  can  be  made  holy  without  good  works.  No 
good  man  shall  cease  doing  good  works.     No  man  can  rest  in  God  with- 


190  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

out  loving  God,  No  man  can  be  raised  to  any  state  which  he  does  not 
desire  and  which  he  does  not  experience.  No  man  shall  cease  to  do  good 
works  under  the  pretext  that  his  works  hinder  God's  work  in  him,  but 
rather  he  must  co-operate  with  God  in  all  thankfulness.  No  man  shall 
serve  God  except  with  gratitude  and  with  praise;  for  God  is  the  creator 
of  all  men,  Who  alone  has  the  right  to  give  and  to  withhold — inllnitely 
rich  and  powerful.  A  man  may  advance  in  virtue  and  in  merit  and  in 
the  practice  of  religion  as  long  as  he  lives;  but  no  one  will  receive  more 
reward  than  he  merits,  however  vainly  he  may  imagine  that  he  lets 
God  work  within  him  while  he  himself  rests  passive.  God's  work  is 
in  itself  eternal  and  changeless, done  by  Himself  alone  and  not  otherwise; 
and  in  this  respect  His  work  receives  no  increase  from  any  creature,  nor 
gains  any  value;  for  it  is  of  God  alone,  than  Whom  there  can  be  nothing 
greater  or  better.  But  creatures  are  granted  by  God  to  have  activity 
of  their  own,  and  this  is  placed  in  works  of  nature,  of  grace,  and,  finally, 
in  the  glory  of  Heaven.  And  if  it  were  possible  (as  it  is  not)  that  our 
spiritual  nature  should  be  totally  deprived  of  its  activity,  and  should  be, 
as  it  were,  annihilated  in  itself  and  absorbed  into  oneness  with  God,  as 
it  was  in  God's  mind  before  being  created;  if,  in  a  word,  a  reasonable 
creature  could  bring  about  such  a  state  of  existence,  then  what  would 
follow?  Simply  this:  Such  a  nian  could  merit  nothing  whatever,  any 
more  than  he  could  before  his  creation.  Such  a  human  being  could  no 
more  be  holy  nor  hai)])y  than  wood  or  stone. 

Let  it  be  well  understood,  that  without  our  own  activity  in  knowing 
and  loving  God  we  can  never  be  happy.  What  does  it  avail  us  that  God 
is  happy,  and  is  so  from  all  eternity,  unless  we  shall  know  Him  and  love 
Him?  Hence  this  emptiness  of  spirit,  of  which  we  have  been  treating, 
is  undoubtedly  a  deception.  Hut  the  souls  thus  led  astray  are  very  hard 
to  undeceive,  so  subtle  is  their  spirit;  indeed,  they  are  not  unlike  the 
souls  of  the  damned.  The  damned  have  neither  joy  in  God,  nor  do  they 
want  to  know  Him;  they  have  neither  thanksgiving,  nor  worship,  nor 
praise  for  Him,  and  they  are  lost  eternally.  The  deluded  souls  whom  we 
have  been  considering,  have  only  this  same  fate  awaiting  them  in  eter- 
nity, when  the  justice  of  (Jod  shall  be  revealed  in  them. 

.Vgainst  them  stands  (.'hrist  and  the  example  of  His  life.  He  lived 
His  whole  life  long  constantly  loving,  desiring,  thanking  and  praising 
His  heavenly  Father,  with  Whom  in  the  l>ivine  essence  He  was  most 
closely  joined ;  and  yet  He  never  had  the  emptiness  of  soul  these  deluded 
men  boast  of.     And  all  the  saints  of  God  incessantly  hungered  and 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  191 

thirsted  with  love  for  Him,  always  longing  to  possess  Him,  never  having 
enough  of  Him.  The  blessedness  of  Christ  and  of  all  His  saints  was  to 
enjoy  God,  in  a  union  beyond  all  power  of  heart  to  conceive  or  tongue  to 
tell ;  to  attain  to  this  has  ever  been  the  object  of  the  striving  of  all  elect 
souls.  They  worked  and  struggled  for  that  as  their  only  bliss.  And 
such  must  be  the  perfection  of  every  good  man — a  state  of  virtue  which 
is  measured  by  the  extent  of  his  love,  finally  bestowing  on  him  a 
righteousness  which  shall  never  pass  away. 

And  how  shall  we  be  safeguarded  against  all  such  delusions?  By 
adorning  our  lives  with  interior  and  exterior  virtues,  and  by  good  Chris- 
tian living,  docile  in  all  such  things  to  the  guidance  of  holy  Church  and 
the  teachings  of  Scripture,  and  constantly  offering  ourselves  to  God 
with  that  end  in  view.  Thereby  do  we  meet  God  with  His  own  gifts, 
and  these  He  makes  use  of  to  touch  our  hearts  with  love  for  Him,  a  love 
active  and  energetic,  resulting  in  the  fullness  of  fidelity  to  Him.  And 
now  we  overflow  with  love  for  all  mankind;  and  presently,  entering  into 
our  souls,  we  are  filled  with  loving  thanks  and  praise  toward  God  in 
our  interior  life,  rooted  fast  and  firm  in  simple-hearted  peace,  well 
pleasing  to  God.  It  is  by  a  love  thus  active,  and  by  God's  light  thus 
clear  in  our  souls,  that  we  are  enabled  to  advance  toward  that  union 
with  God  which  is  direct  and  without  any  intermediary  influence,  in  the 
proper  meaning  of  the  words,  in  the  enjoyment  of  perfect  repose  of 
spirit.  Thus,  besides,  do  we  learn  how  to  live  a  life  always  interior, 
readily  and  constantly  withdrawing  into  our  soul's  depths  to  be  alone 
with  God — the  truest  means  of  acquiring  and  maintaining  virtue.  That 
we  may  have  such  a  life,  and  be  freed  from  all  danger  of  delusion,  may 
God  mercifully  grant.    Amen. 


192  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Slljf  SubtotftttB  of  l^nftttwn 

Synopsis — Every  man  is  called  in  a  way  peculiar  to  himself,  yet  all 
have  a  common  road  to  travel — First,  all  must  learn  to  hate  mor- 
tal sin  hy  studying  Christ's  passion — Second,  all  must  suppress 
the  evil  tendencies  of  nature — Third,  all  must  adopt  a  rule  of  life 
which  makes  sure  of  needful  devout  practices  and  penances — 
Fourth,  all  mu^t  patiently  hear  the  painful  happenings  permitted 
hy  providence — Perfection  of  hath  motive  and  act  surely  results 
in  God's  good  time. 


FIRST    SERMON   FOR   THE    SECOND    SUNDAY   OF    LENT. 

For  He  hath  delivered  me  from  the  snare  of  the  hunters  and  from  the  sharp 
word. — Ps.  xc,  3. 

Thus  spoke  the  great  prophet  and  king,  David,  of  those  Avho  give  tliem- 
selves  up  to  the  will  and  the  protection  of  God.  By  the  word  snare,  we 
must  understand  the  poisonous  temptations  of  the  devil.  And  by  the 
sharp  word,  we  are  to  understand  the  day  of  doom  and  judgment  then 
to  be  visited  upon  sinners :  "Depart  from  Me,  you  cursed,  into  everlast- 
ing fire."  (Matt.  XXV,  41.)  The  man  who  has  not  often  pondered  these 
awful  words  is  no  servant  of  God ;  for  it  is  by  this  means  that  we  escape 
the  snare  and  the  hunter  of  our  souls,  and  it  is  by  a  good  life  that  we 
guard  against  the  dreadful  fate  of  the  wicked. 

Now,  it  can  be  said  of  every  saint :  "There  was  not  found  the  like  to 
him  in  glory  who  kept  the  law  of  the  Most  High."  (Eccli.  xliv,  20.) 
Every  man  called  by  God  to  repentance  is  called  in  a  way  peculiar  to  his 
own  outward  circumstances;  but  interiorly  it  is  to  one  and  the  same 
love  all  are  invited;  they — all,  without  exception — love  justice  and 
hate  iniquity. 

If  we  are  going  to  serve  God,  God  must  give  us  His  grace  of  conver- 
sion. And  now,  if  you  will  bear  a  little  with  my  dullness,  I  will, 
to  the  best  of  my  ability,  show  you  a  plain  way  by  which  to  advance 
in  perfection,  if  you  will  but  follow  it. 

The  first  point  is,  for  the  love  of  God  to  renounce  all  mortal  sin;  and 
then  for  the  sake  of  both  penance  and  perfection,  to  meditate  carefully 
on  the  passion  of  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  especially  on  His  five 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  193 

holy  wounds :  Jesus  crucified  must  a  man  study  daily,  with  particularly 
fervent  prayers  and  devotions. 

The  second  point  is  to  suppress  the  gross  concupiscence  of  nature, 
overcoming  it  from  hour  to  hour ;  and  this  we  should  do  by  means  of  all 
the  penitential  exercises  that  we  can  endure.  For  this  end  one  should 
gladly  be  much  alone  with  God.  As  for  the  rest,  one  must  seek  every 
opportunity  to  do  good  to  others  and  practice  himself  in  all  virtues. 

The  third  point  is  this:  A  man  must  shut  out  all  inordinate  human 
love;  his  heart  must  be  emptied  of  love  of  any  creature  in  preference  to 
God  or  on  an  equality  with  God.  The  better  to  accomplish  this,  he 
should  make  a  beginning  with  such  a  desire  as  this :  That  God  would 
punish  him  for  his  sins  in  this  life  by  sending  him  suffering.  And  he 
should  also  undertake  penitential  works  of  his  own  prudent  choice, 
lament  and  weep  for  his  sins,  and  have  at  least  a  sincere  longing  to 
atone  fully  for  them.  For  the  better  doing  of  all  this  he  should  adopt 
a  rule  of  life,  and  begin  at  once,  and  with  some  severity,  to  hold  himself 
as  firmly  as  possible  to  his  virtuous  practices,  having  constantly  before 
his  eyes  the  example  of  Christ's  humanity.  And  let  him  live  in  obedi- 
ence to  the  precepts  of  holy  church  to  the  very  best  of  his  ability. 

The  fourth  point  concerns  the  bearing  of  trouble  and  adversity.  For 
when  this  man  has  acquired  some  virtue  and  become  pleasing  in  God's 
sight.  He  sends  him  many  sorrows,  both  interior  and  exterior,  and  soon 
all  devotional  practices  cease  to  attract  him.  Now  is  the  time  for  him 
to  be  patient;  he  must  by  no  means  lessen  his  diligence  in  spiritual 
exercises;  if  all  interior  comfort  be  withdrawn,  let  him  go  right  on 
without  it,  for  thus  does  he  become  truly  poor  in  spirit.  Let  him  under- 
stand that  now  God  is  giving  him  lessons  how  to  love,  not  for  the  sake  of 
his  own  profit,  but  wholly  for  that  of  his  beloved.  Finally,  he  must 
not  be  actuated,  as  his  chief  motive,  by  the  hope  of  reward  in  doing  his 
good  works ;  nor  should  he  fear  any  suffering,  looking  upon  all  that  as 
a  form  of  self-love;  God's  honor  alone  should  inspire  him. 

After  a  time  such  a  one  wonders  how  a  spiritual  man  can  serve  God 
mainly  for  any  reward,  temporal  or  eternal.  He  seeks  no  interior  com- 
fort in  this  life,  nor  does  he  advert  to  reward  hereafter  as  the  motive  of 
virtue;  no  thought  of  his  personal  profit  enters  his  mind.  He  wills 
simply  what  God  wills ;  and  this  state  of  soul  is  sweeter  to  him  than  the 
thought  of  any  recompense  can  ever  be.  May  Almighty  God  grant  us 
these  happy  dispositions,  whereby  we  may  escape  the  snares  of  the 
hunters  of  our  souls,  and  may  never  hear  the  sharp  word  of  condemna- 
tion spoken  against  us  by  the  Supreme  Judge.    Amen. 


194  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


S^Ut^tuBtntBB  VLB  an  ^Ummt  of  B^nntuin 

Synopsis — The  danger  in  self-chosen  devotional  methods — The  divine 
method  'breeds  patience  with  delays  on  God's  part — Exposition  of 
the  Cainanitish  woman's  steadfastness  in  prayer — To  stand  one's 
ground  when  hope  seems  gone  is  an  indispensable  requisite  for 
perfection — Disinterestedness  of  spirit — Example  of  a  holy  nun. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  SECOND  SUNDAY  OF  LENT. 

And  Jesus  went  from  thence  and  retired  into  tbe  coasts  of  Tyre  and  Sidon.  And 
behold  a  woman  of  Canaan  who  came  out  of  those  coasts,  crying  out,  said  to  Him : 
Have  mercy  on  me,  O  Lord,  Thou  son  of  David ;  my  daughter  is  grievously 
troubled  by  a  devil.  Who  answered  her  not  a  word.  And  His  disciples  came  and 
besought  Him,  saying :  Send  her  away,  for  she  crieth  after  us.  And  He  answer- 
ing, said :  I  was  not  sent  but  to  the  sheep  that  are  lost  of  the  house  of  Israel.  But 
she  came  and  adored  Him,  saying :  Lord,  help  me.  Who  answering,  said :  It  is 
not  good  to  take  the  broad  of  the  children  and  to  cast  it  to  the  dogs.  But  she 
said :  Tea,  Lord ;  for  the  whelps  al.so  eat  of  the  crumbs  that  fall  from  the  table 
of  their  masters.  Then  Jesus  answering,  said  to  her :  O  woman,  great  Is  thy 
faith ;  be  it  done  to  thee  as  thou  wilt :  and  her  daughter  was  cured  from  that 
hour. — Matt,  xv,  21-28. 

Ah,  dear  children,  this  passage  of  the  Gospel  shows  us  the  noblest, 
most  profitable,  surest  and  deepest  conversion  to  God  that  a  man  can 
ever  experience.  And  be  assured,  besides,  that  anj  conversion  that  is 
not,  some  way  or  other,  effected  after  this  manner,  will  be  of  little  or  no 
benefit,  no  matter  what  we  may  do  or  leave  undone. 

"Our  Saviour  went  from  thence,"  says  the  Gospel.  And  from  whom 
did  He  depart?  From  the  scribes  and  the  hypocrites.  Mark  well  that 
the  scribes  were  the  wise  ones  of  this  world,  who  trusted  in  their  own 
knowledge  and  went  according  to  their  own  plans.  Children,  this 
points  out  the  most  injurious  condition  in  which  spiritual  men  can  be 
placed;  many  a  noble  soul  is  in  this  way  brought  to  total  failure,  some- 
times by  one,  sometimes  by  both  of  two  different  errors.  Indeed,  there 
are  few  who  wholly  escape.  By  scribes  we  mean  intellectual  men,  who 
value  everything  according  to  the  standard  of  their  reason  and  the 
observation  of  their  senses,  and  they  have  a  great  store  of  this  kind  of 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  193 

knowledge.  Presently  they  are  much  admired;  they  discourse  with 
beautiful  and  stately  words.  But  in  the  depths  of  their  souls — that 
interior  source  of  all  true  science — there  is  nothing  but  an  empty  and 
barren  waste. 

The  hypocrites,  or  Pharisees,  are  those  who  rank  themselves  good 
spiritual  men,  and  yet  are  full  of  self-esteem.  Their  own  plans  and  cus- 
toms are  the  only  rule  they  follow,  and  their  one  aim  in  life  is  to  be 
praised  by  men.  They  hotly  condemn  all  who  venture  to  differ  from 
them.  Mark  well,  that  our  beloved  Lord  went  forth  from  among  such 
men  as  these,  for  they  had  demanded  of  Him :  '"Why  do  Thy  disciples 
transgress  the  traditions  of  the  ancients?  For  they  wash  not  their 
hands  when  they  eat  bread.''  But  he  gently  reproved  them :  "Why  do 
you  also  transgress  the  commandment  of  God  for  your  tradition?" 
(Matt.  XV,  2-3.)  So  do  these  men  of  whom  we  are  speaking  value  their 
own  methods  and  practices  above  the  interior  admonitions  of  God's 
Spirit,  condemning  God's  real  friends  because  they  will  not  be  guided 
by  their  inventions,  but  prefer  to  be  directed  by  the  hidden  impulses  of 
grace.  Yet  these  or  any  other  kind  of  misguided  men,  should  not 
be  condemned  openly  in  a  monastic  community,  for  that  would  not  be 
in  accordance  with  religious  discipline. 

Let  everyone  be  on  his  guard  privately  against  such  men.  There  are 
always  religious  men  who  are  totally  absorbed  in  the  external  side  of  a 
good  life,  and  who  yet  interiorly  are  miserably  held  captive  by  love  of 
created  things.  They  have  many  prayers  to  recite,  many  readings  of 
the  Psalter.  As  much  may  be  said  for  the  poor,  deluded  Jews  of  our 
time,  devoted  as  they  are  to  reading  the  Psalms  and  the  other  Scrip- 
tures, and  yet  the  true  knowledge  of  God  is  entirely  hidden  from  them. 
These  men  take  the  discipline,  they  pray  and  fast  and  watch,  and  yet 
God  is  not  purely  and  simply  the  motive  of  any  of  these  practices,  but 
only  poor,  deluded  human  nature.  All  this  parade  of  spiritual  exer- 
cises is  entirely  directed  by  their  self-love.  This  Phariseeism  excludes 
the  eternal  God  from  their  souls.  This  vineyard  was  never  planted  by 
the  heavenly  Father,  but  will  be  disowned  and  destroyed,  as  our  Lord 
Himself  declared :  "He  that  is  not  with  Me  is  against  Me ;  and  he  that 
gathereth  not  with  Me,  scattereth."  (Matt,  xii,  30.)  When  the  time 
of  the  harvest  has  come,  then  God  will  gather  in  His  corn,  that  is  to  say, 
His  elect;  and  those  who  do  not  gather  with  Him  shall  be  rejected;  in 
whatsoever  souls  He  finds  a  harvest  that  He  has  not  planted,  those 
also  shall  be  rejected.     Beware,  then,  of  the  influence  of  this  false  devo- 


196  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

tional  spirit.  The  tendency  to  be  guided  by  natural  motives,  after  the 
manner  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  running  into  the  excessive  use  of 
external  and  showy  exercises  of  religion,  prevails  greatly  nowadays 
among  all  classes.  Many  are  so  much  affected  by  the  spirit  of  the 
scribes  of  old,  that  a  conscientious  father  confessor  can  hardly  hear 
their  confessions,  so  obstinately  are  they  rooted  in  their  purpose  to 
persist  in  their  delusion.  Out  of  the  company  of  such  men  Jesus  goes 
forth,  and  ever  will  go  forth. 

But  whither  goeth  our  blessed  Lord?  He  goes  into  the  land  of  Tyre 
and  Sidon.  Now,  Tyre  may  be  taken  to  mean  somebody  suffering  from 
anguish  of  heart,  and  Sidon,  one  who  is  hunted.  Alas,  dear  children, 
how  few  men  there  are  who  appreciate  the  value  of  interior  suffering 
and  of  interior  persecution,  or  being  hunted !  Yet  nothing  in  the  world 
is  so  honorable  or  so  precious  as  that  both  these  trials  should  meet 
together  in  our  souls.  When  one  has  safely  gone  through  such  an 
experience,  then  alone  can  he  understand  what  nobility  of  soul  and  what 
fruit  of  virtue  result  from  these  bitter  struggles. 

But  what  do  I  mean  by  a  man  who  is  hunted?  I  mean  that  an 
interior  man  must  insist  on  being  always  close  to  God  as  the  only  true 
state  of  his  soul,  and  this  forces  him  incessantly  to  hunt  and  drive  him- 
self inward  to  God's  presence  in  his  interior  consciousness.  Kow,  this 
provokes  the  violent  resistance  of  the  outward  man  that  is  in  us  all; 
we  would  ever  and  again  seek  to  return  forcibly  to  the  outward  things 
that  minister  to  our  natural  weakness.  Here,  then,  is  the  conflict. 
The  inner  man's  proper  place  is  with  God ;  of  this  he  ever  thinks  and  for 
it  he  ever  yearns,  and  toward  that  union  with  God  our  Lord  is  ever 
driving  and  hunting  him.  Now,  to  our  outward  man  this  is  always 
offensive  and  against  nature,  and  he  always  fights  against  it.  St.  Paul 
tells  of  this  struggle :  "I  am  delighted  with  the  law  of  God  according 
to  the  inward  man,  but  I  see  another  law  in  my  members  fighting 
against  the  law  of  my  mind."  (Rom.  vii,  22-23.)  And  hence  the 
apostle  complains  that  what  he  wills  not  that  he  yet  does,  and  what  he 
wills  he  is  not  able  to  do.  This  is  the  war  between  nature  and  reason, 
into  which  God  enters  with  His  grace,  and  hunts  and  drives  both  before 
Him.  And  be  it  well  understood,  children,  that  when  this  is  rightly 
appreciated  by  you,  then  all  is  well;  for  whosoever  is  thus  hunted  by 
God's  Holy  Spirit  is  one  of  God's  elect. 

You  can  easily  understand,  children,  that  from  this  constant  hunting 
of  a  man's  soul  bitter  anguish  results.     But  when  at  last  he  is  content 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  197 

to  abide,  for  God's  sake,  without  auy  consolation,  then  will  Jesus  surely 
come  to  him  and  possess  him.  But  if  he  will  not  patiently  suffer  the 
anguish  of  the  conflict  between  grace  and  nature,  then  will  Jesus  not 
come  to  him.  All  who  have  not  experienced  this  interior  distress  and 
sincerely  accepted  it — even  unto  the  very  death  of  nature — from  them 
nothing  good  can  be  expected;  they  are  bound  captive  to  the  world. 
Sometimes  such  men  never  realize  the  meaning  of  what  has  been  going 
on  within  their  souls,  for  there  are  many  trials  of  body  and  of  soul 
whose  end  and  purpose  is  little  observed  by  us,  and  which,  if  humbly 
and  thankfully  received  from  God  and  patiently  endured,  will  end  hap- 
pily with  the  inpouring  of  Divine  grace.  Sometimes,  again,  the  world, 
that  is  to  say,  our  fellow-men,  conspire  to  mislead  us,  and  do  even 
violently  assail  us.  Add  to  this  the  cunning  of  the  evil  one,  and  the 
uprisings  of  fleshly  passion,  and  the  poor  soul  seems  beset  with  fatal 
outward  diflSculties,  while  interiorly  God  Himself  seems  to  oppress  her 
and  she  is  tormented  by  her  naturally  inordinate  impulses — altogether 
a  sad  and  bitter  state  of  suffering. 

Children,  what  can  this  poor,  belated  and  desolate  man  do  that  he 
may  hold  his  own,  and  not  be  driven  to  extremities  in  this  dreadful 
hunted  condition?  No  otherwise  than  the  Canaanitess  did  in  her 
deep  sorrow — run  to  Jesus  Christ  and  call  out  to  Him  with  all  his 
strength :  "Jesus,  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me !"  Ah,  children,  in 
this  hunted  state  of  soul,  there  is  granted  a  voice  to  utter  a  holy  call  to 
God ;  the  answer  will  be  the  measureless  joys  of  the  interior  life.  Our 
prayer  is  a  sigh  of  the  spirit  yearning  for  God,  so  deep  and  so  sad  that 
it  flies  through  measureless  space  far  over  all  the  range  of  nature — 
straight  to  the  Divine  heart.  Indeed,  it  is  the  Holy  Spirit  Himself  that 
now  assumes  charge  of  and  perfects  this  work  in  us ;  and  as  St.  Paul 
says,  it  is  His  voice  that  pleads  for  us :  "The  Spirit  Himself  asketh  for 
us  with  unspeakable  groanings."  (Rom.  viii,  26.)  And,  dear  children, 
when  the  Holy  Ghost  thus  prepares  us,  no  other  preparation  can  com- 
pare with  it. 

But  now  something  strange  occurs ;  for  occasionally  it  happens  that 
the  souFs  cry  seems  to  be  unheard  by  God.  After  bravely  enduring 
the  inner  anguish  and  the  outward  tribulation,  after  crying  aloud  with 
a  strength  of  ^-earning  that  seems  to  pierce  Heaven  itself,  then,  yea  even 
then,  God  sometimes  acts  as  if  He  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  this 
afflicted  soul.  This  is  the  cruelest  trial  of  all.  Ah,  children,  how  deep 
must  be  the  self-denial  of  that  soul,  and  how  disinterested  its  loyalty  to 


198  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

God,  if  it  now  turns  all  the  more  resolutely  to  Hira  and  relies  wholly 
upon  Him,  and  upon  none  other,  and  suffers  simply  and  purely  for  His 
very  sake,  in  this  its  hour  of  unspeakable  desolation !  Oh !  it  exclaims, 
how  can  it  be  that  God  has  shut  against  me  the  door  of  infinite  mercy  ? 
And  yet  that  soul  remains  true  to  Him. 

But  so  it  happened  with  the  Canaanitess — as  she  cried  out  her  prayer 
after  Christ,  His  mercy  seemed  shut  against  her.  And  when  His 
disciples  pleaded  for  her.  His  answer  was  a  cold  and  stern  refusal :  ''I 
was  not  sent  but  to  the  sheep  that  are  lost  of  the  house  of  Israel."  Then 
when  she  came  and  adored  Him  and  implored  Him  to  grant  her  prayer. 
He  said  these  harsh  words  to  her :  "It  is  not  good  to  take  the  bread  of 
the  children  and  to  cast  it  to  the  dogs."  To  His  refusal  He  added  the 
sting  of  most  bitter  words,  calling  her  not  only  an  unworthy  creature, 
but  even  a  dog.  Could  He  have  dealt  more  severely  with  her?  Could 
He  have  crushed  her  down  more  pitilessly?  And,  now,  what  did  this 
poor  soul  do  in  her  agony  of  woe?  She  suffered  everything  meekly  and 
patiently;  she  let  herself  be  hunted  like  a  dog  by  the  Lord  her  God 
according  as  He  willed.  Nay,  she  more  than  accepted  his  dreadful 
chastisement.  He  had  called  her  a  dog,  she  called  herself  less  than  a 
dog — avowed  herself  to  be  only  a  dog's  whelp,  a  pitiful  and  miserable 
little  puppy.  By  this  entire  self-annihilation,  she  proclaimed  her  true- 
hearted  and  steadfast  trust  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  How  beautiful 
are  her  words :  "Yea,  Lord,  for  the  whelps  also  eat  of  the  crumbs  that 
fall  from  the  table  of  their  masters." 

Ah,  dear  children,  happy  is  the  man  and  holy,  who  can  strike  so  deep 
down  into  his  heart  to  find  the  will  of  God  there.  This  is  not  a  matter 
of  words  or  of  any  pious  use  of  the  senses,  but  of  truest  earnestness,  for 
it  annihilates  us  in  a  self-renunciation  deeper  than  anything  else  in  us, 
human  or  Divine.  Anguish,  suffering,  shame  are  at  their  worst  in  that 
man's  soul,  and  yet  he  trusts  God  with  unshaken  constancy,  and  his 
confidence  in  the  Divine  loving-kindness  grows  stronger  and  stronger,  as 
God's  abandonment  of  him  seems  to  grow  more  certain — just  as  was  the 
case  with  the  Canaanitess  when  rejected  by  our  Lord.  The  harder  He 
treated  her  the  more  confidently  did  she  beg  His  mercy ;  and  it  was  for 
this  reason  alone  that  she  got  all  she  asked  from  Him.  Dear  children, 
this  is  the  right  and  the  Divine  road  to  true  spirituality.  The  man  that 
can  thus  stand  his  ground  meekly  under  all  God's  visitations  of  inner 
and  outer  affliction,  looking  to  nothing  but  God's  will  for  guidance, 
awaiting  God's  time  of  relief  most  patiently — the  man  who  will  thus 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  199 

stand  his  ground  until  death  without  the  least  repining — ah,  children, 
he  has  found  the  straight  road  to  union  with  God  without  any  inter- 
mediation. That  road  is  total  self-renunciation,  in  mind  and  in  heart, 
in  the  face  of  God  and  of  all  creatures ;  the  soul  willingly  suffering  ban 
ishment  from  all  joy,  and  maintaining  that  self-renunciation  with  all 
confidence  in  God,  even  to  the  end.  To  such  a  true  and  faithful  soul  the 
Lord  will,  at  last,  speak  words  similar  to  the  ones  He  addressed  to  the 
Canaanitess :  ''O,  woman,  great  is  thy  faith !  Be  it  done  to  thee  as  thou 
wilt." 

Children,  I  tell  you  the  everlasting  truth  when  I  say,  that  all  who 
tread  this  path  will  one  day,  without  doubt,  hear  such  words  as  these : 
My  beloved,  whatsoever  thou  shalt  ask  of  Me,  shall  be  granted  thee  in  all 
fullness,  for  thou  hast  for  My  sake  gone  out  of  thyself  and  away  from 
all  that  is  thine,  w^hether  in  mind  or  in  body.  Enter,  now,  into  My 
inmost  spirit  and  be  joined  to  Me  without  any  intermediation,  to  be 
made  one  with  Me  by  My  grace,  as  I  am  one  in  My  nature.  Children, 
such  an  entrance  into  Infinite  Good,  is  granted  only  to  one  who  has 
given  up  all  things,  all  selfhood  in  soul  and  body.  For  just  in  propor- 
tion as  a  man  gives  up  self  in  all  things,  so  does  he  enter  into  God  by 
the  help  of  Divine  grace.  He  that  voluntarily  loses  all  things  for  God's 
sake,  finds  all  things  in  God. 

And  now  I  will  give  you  an  example  of  a  maiden  whose  case  is  like 
that  of  the  Canaanitess;  she  is  still  living,  and  the  incident  occurred 
within  four  years.  Once  it  happened  that  she  was  rapt  out  of  her 
senses  so  far  and  high,  that  she  seemed  to  behold  God  and  our  Lady  and 
all  the  saints  in  their  glory;  but  as  to  herself,  she  seemed  to  be  separated 
from  this  glorious  company  by  an  immeasurable  space.  And  this  ban- 
ishment gave  her  a  pain  so  inexpressibly  bitter,  that  it  could  be  compared 
only  to  that  of  hell  itself;  for  we  know  that  the  pain  of  hell  is  essen- 
tially this— the  lost  souls  know  that  they  have  wilfully  cut  themselves 
off  from  God  and  His  saints,  never  more  to  see  Him  and  to  love  Him. 
Our  good  maiden  in  her  anguish,  now  humbly  besought  our  Blessed 
Lady  and  the  saints  to  intercede  for  her.  But,  alas,  they  were  all  so 
deeply  absorbed  in  the  joy  of  God  that  they  could  not  grant  her  a  single 
instant's  attention ;  her  cry  for  relief  was  unheard.  Then  she  turned  to 
Jesus  crucified ;  she  implored  Him  by  His  bitter  passion  and  cruel  death 
to  have  pity  on  her.  An  answer  came  reproving  her  for  praying  to  Him  r 
Thou  hast  never  yet  proved  thyself  worthy  of  the  favor  thou  asketh. 
Upon  this,  seeing  that  neither  our  Lady,  the  saints,  no,  nor  even  our 


200  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

crucified  Saviour,  would  help  her,  she  went  direct  to  God  and  said: 
O  Lord,  O  my  everlasting  God,  no  one  will  help  me.  Thy  unhappy  crea- 
ture, in  my  misfortune !  And  now,  O  my  Lord  and  Creator,  my  Eternal 
Father,  I  humbly  accept  Thy  righteous  judgment  upon  me !  If  it  be 
Thy  will  that  this  awful  pain,  seemingly  like  that  of  hell  itself,  shall  be 
mine  eternally,  then  may  Thy  will  be  done  upon  me  in  time  and  eternity ; 
to  Thy  disposal  I  meekly  abandon  myself.  Whatever  shall  please  Thee 
in  me  and  from  me,  heavenly  Father,  to  that  1  give  myself  up  for  all 
eternity.  Thus  did  she  offer  herself  to  God  absolutely  and  without 
any  reserve.  And  instantly  she  felt  herself  carried  away  from  her  ban- 
ishment and  absorbed,  without  any  intermediation,  in  the  abyss  of 
God's  being.  And  since  then  not  a  day  passes  but  that  she  is  again 
drawn  in  that  manner  into  union  with  God.  I  am  firmly  convinced  that 
she  has  never  in  her  whole  life  committed  a  mortal  sin;  and  yet  see 
what  dreadful  pain  she  has  had  to  suffer.  Ah,  dear  children,  what 
manifold  suffering  must  not  we  undergo  before  God  grants  us  that  per- 
fect union  with  Him — we  who  have  often  offended  God  grievously  and 
even  now  cling  so  tenaciously  to  created  things !  Learn  a  good  lesson 
from  this  pious  maiden's  case,  who  was  so  lovingly  submissive  to  God's 
holy  will  that  (if  such  an  impossible  thing  could  be)  she  would  eternally 
endure  the  pains  of  hell,  if  that  were  His  decree. 

But  that  is  precisely  what  we  do  not  do  when  we  enter  upon  the 
spiritual  life.  We  count  upon  making  wonderful  progress  inside  of 
four  or  five  years.  We  are  accustomed  to  say  to  others :  Dear  brothers, 
pray  to  our  Lord  for  me,  that  I  may  become  one  of  His  dearest  friends 
both  in  time  and  eternity.  But  be  assured  of  this :  If  thou  wert  in  the 
right  way  thou  wouldst  not  think  thyself  at  all  worthy  of  any  such 
honor,  or  of  being  enrolled  even  in  the  lowest  rank  of  the  friends  of 
God.  Therefore,  sit  thee  down  in  the  lowest  place,  as  the  Gospel 
teaches,  for  then  only  wilt  thou  be  sure  of  being  raised  up  higher,  for 
all  those  who  exalt  themselves,  will  undoubtedly  be  humbled  and  cast 
down  lower.  Beg  God's  guidance  that  thou  mayest  clearly  know  where 
He  would  place  thee,  both  in  His  own  sight  and  in  that  of  men.  Be 
content  with  that  place  and  aspire  to  none  other. 

Children,  it  is  in  entire  self-renunciation  for  the  love  of  God  in  all 
our  doings,  in  plenty  and  in  want,  as  well  in  matters  spiritual  as  cor- 
poral, that  God  enters  the  soul  without  any  intermediation.  Mark  well, 
my  children,  that  even  a  little  drop  of  such  virtue  as  this,  joined  to  only 
a  faint  emotion  of  Divine  love  in  the  soul,  is  a  better  preparation  for 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


201 


intimate  union  with  God  in  our  soul's  depths,  than  if  we  stripped  our- 
selves naked  to  clothe  the  poor  or  fasted  upon  rocks  and  briars.  A 
single  minute  of  this  perfect  self-renunciation  is  of  more  profit  to  a  man, 
than  forty  years  following  his  own  religious  contrivances.  It  is  the 
most  praiseworthy  way  to  God,  and  the  shortest;  of  all  ways  that  can 
be  thought  of  it  is  the  easiest,  and  the  most  beneficial.  O,  my  God,  how 
many  men  are  there  forever  circling  about  and  losing  the  precious  time 
of  Divine  grace,  instead  of  going  direct  by  this  way  to  the  possession 
of  the  Supreme  Good,  which  would  then  be  given  them  in  a  life  wholly 
regenerated !  Year  after  year  they  continue  oblivious  to  the  grace  that 
awaits  their  fidelity,  as  if  they  were  lulled  to  sleep  by  their  forgetfulness 
of  God.  After  the  better  part  of  a  lifetime,  they  still  remain  as  far 
removed  from  perfection  as  at  the  beginning — a  lamentable  evil  among 
spiritual  men.  Did  they  but  recognize  the  injury,  great  and  perilous, 
that  they  do  themselves  by  following  their  own  inventions  and  methods, 
the  marrow  in  their  bones  would  wither  up  and  the  blood  would  freeze 
in  their  veins. 

That  we  may  sink  deep  down  into  the  abyss  of  God's  life,  and  will- 
ingly yield  ourselves  to  His  eternal  decrees,  grant  us,  O  Father,  and  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 


202  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


OIl|ill^ren  of  Abral|am:  (Lrixt  unh  Jabe 

Synopsis — The  test  is  whether  self  is  sought  or  God  alone  in  one's  de- 
votion— How  this  is  revealed  in  the  sacrament  of  penance — Piety 
reckoned  by  observances  practiced  compared  with  that  generated 
by  love  of  God  and  man — The  soul  captured  by  God  is  interiorily 
directed  straight  to  Him,  and  is  patient  in  exterior  adversity  and 
pain. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  THIRD  SUNDAY  OF  LENT. 

Then  Jesus  said  to  those  Jews  who  believed  Him :  If  you  continue  in  My  word, 
you  shall  be  My  disciples  indeed.  And  you  shall  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth 
shall  make  you  free.  They  answered  Him :  We  are  the  seed  of  Abraham,  and  we 
have  never  been  the  slaves  of  any  man :  how  sayest  Thou :  You  shall  be  free? — 
John  viii,  31-33. 

Upon  this  angry  reply  from  the  Jews,  Jesus  told  them  that  not  only 
Abraham,  but  the  devil,  was  their  father,  for  it  was  the  devil's  work 
they  were  occupied  with.  ''Whosoever  committeth  sin  is  the  servant 
of  sin.  Now,  the  servant  abideth  not  in  the  house  forever,  but  the  Son 
abideth  forever;  if,  therefore,  the  Son  shall  make  you  free,  you  shall  be 
free,  indeed.  *  *  *  My  Word  hath  no  place  in  you.  I  speak  that 
which  I  have  seen  with  My  Father,  and  you  do  the  things  which  you 
have  seen  with  your  Father.'" 

Herein  we  may  distinguish  between  the  true  and  the  false  in  the  spir- 
itual life.  The  false  spirit  does  not  seek  God,  but  self,  and  that  in 
everything  whatsoever — personal  advantage  or  personal  enjoyment  in 
all  created  things.  And  it  takes  all  things  not  as  leading  to  God  or 
coming  from  God,  but  in  a  selfish  spirit.  The  master  and  the  father  of 
this  way  is  the  evil  one,  who,  when  he  has  accomplished  his  purpose, 
leads  his  victims  into  his  own  house.  They  are  not  sons  of  God,  but 
servants  of  the  devil.  They  have  been  cast  out  of  God's  house  and 
rejected  by  Him. 

The  other  spirit — and  the  only  true  one,  because  it  is  born  of  God — 
is  altogether  admirable  and  praiseworthy.  It  would  go  straight  to 
God  as  a  ray  of  sunlight  darts  down  to  the  earth.     It  is  as  Jesus  said : 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  203 

"I  came  forth  from  the  Father,  and  am  come  into  the  world;  again  I 
leave  the  world  and  I  go  to  the  Father,"  (John  xvi,  28.)  The  Son 
returns  to  His  Father  with  all  that  He  brought  out  from  the  Father. 
And  that  man  is  Christ's  in  word  and  in  doctrine,  who  holds  back 
nothing  from  God  of  all  that  he  has  received  from  Him — no,  not  a  hair's 
weight.  As  he  came  forth  from  God,  so  does  he  return  again  to  God. 
In  this  is  he  the  Lord's  true  disciple,  full  of  love  and  of  thanksgiving 
to  His  Father,  reserving  no  joy  in  self  nor  approval  of  self,  having  no 
thought  and  no  sentiment  whatever,  that  is  not  veritably  consecrated  to 
the  Father's  honor. 

But  there  are  some  in  whom,  together  with  this  solid  foundation, 
there  is  mingled  a  certain  weakness,  the  soul  thinking  of  other  things 
and  having  other  affections,  together  with  those  devoted  to  God.  And 
this  defect  a  man  must  cure  by  the  sacrament  of  penance,  nourish- 
ing deep  contrition  and  performing  penitential  works.  This  requires 
that  one  should  learn  how  to  confess  his  sins  with  much  intelligence, 
and  in  a  very  interior  spirit  of  sorrow.  The  father  confessor  must,  on 
his  part,  carefully  point  out  to  the  penitent  in  what  manner  his  dispo- 
sitions are  defective — a  duty  very  generally  neglected  nowadays,  either 
from  lack  of  skill  or  want  of  time;  or,  as  is  perhaps  more  often  the  case, 
from  lack  of  affectionate  interest  of  the  priest  in  the  penitent.  Mean- 
while the  penitent  should  enter  deeply  into  his  own  soul,  and  thoroughly 
search  and  discover  what  his  motives  are  for  everything  he  does  or 
even  thinks.  And  then,  whatsoever  he  discovers  inordinate  or  faulty, 
let  him  resolutely  set  to  work  to  correct  it.  Let  him  pour  out  all  his 
imperfections  into  the  very  heart  of  God,  consumed  with  deep  interior 
sorrow.  By  this  means  a  man  soon  learns  how  to  know  himself;  purity 
of  heart  is  acquired,  and  fear  of  God.  and  earnest  zeal  of  virtue,  espe- 
cially to  guard  against  future  defects.  And  if  it  should  happen  that 
when  he  goes  to  confession  he  forgets  some  faults,  he  has,  nevertheless, 
already  repented  of  them  fully  and  been  pardoned.  His  constant  and 
contrite  confessions  to  God,  should  be  so  made  as  to  bring  him  contin- 
ually in  spirit  before  God's  awful  tribunal.  There  let  him  prostrate 
himself  at  God's  feet  in  the  deepest  humility,  and  so  remain  till  he  is 
at  least  all  afire  with  the  Divine  love,  and  melted,  as  it  were,  with  confi- 
dence in  the  Divine  mercy.  O  how  good  a  gift  of  God  is  this,  and  how 
deserving  of  heartfelt  thanks !  And  if  it  happens — as,  indeed,  it  may — 
that  the  soul  still  continues  to  suffer  from  the  remembrance  of  past 
infidelity  to  God,  let  this  be  accepted  humbly  and  fearfully  as  God's 
blessed  will. 


204  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Many  men,  however,  who  have  begun  in  this  right  way,  give  it  up  and 
exchange  it  for  the  wrong  way,  because  they  must  have  consolations  and 
spiritual  solaces.  But  what  peace  can  there  be  between  the  temporal 
and  the  eternal?  Can  joy  in  transitory  things  exist  in  the  same  heart 
with  joy  in  eternal  things?  Where  the  joys  of  this  life  dwell,  there  the 
joys  of  eternal  life  cannot  abide.  These  deluded  men  say  with  the 
Jews :  We  are  the  children  of  Abraham ;  we  are  spiritual  men ;  do  we 
not  sing  hymns  and  read  pious  books  and  say  fine  prayers?  Why, 
then,  should  we  not  have  the  comfort  of  created  things?  Do  we  not 
know  by  experience  that  these  relaxations  and  consolations  are  not 
harmful?  Are  we  not  well-disposed  and  really  pious  men?  Are  we 
not  always  in  the  state  of  Divine  grace?  Dear  children,  listen  to  St. 
Paul's  answer  to  all  this :  "If  I  speak  with  the  tongue  of  men,  and  of 
angels,  and  have  not  charity,  I  am  become  as  sounding  brass  or  a 
tinkling  cymbal.  »  *  *  And  if  I  should  distribute  all  my  goods  to 
feed  the  poor,  and  if  I  should  deliver  my  body  to  be  burned  and  have  not 
charity,  it  profiteth  me  nothing."  (I  Cor.  xiii,  1-3.)  And  tell  me,  I 
pray  thee,  how  can  that  love  be  called  God's  love,  which  is  given  in  all 
joy  and  self-satisfaction  to  created  things?  Ah,  this  is  a  false  spiritual 
way !  It  is  quite  otherwise  in  the  true  way,  in  which  all  one's  love  is 
held  captive  to  God  alone. 

This  captivity  is  twofold — interior  and  exterior.  The  interior  affects 
the  higher  faculties  of  the  soul,  directing  them  so  resolutely  to  God, 
and  binding  them  so  fast  to  His  will,  that  they  shall  not  ever  resist  Him. 
The  external  captivit}'^  to  God  is  best  shown  when  heavy  sorrows  are 
borne  in  all  patience  for  God's  sake.  When  one's  worldly  goods,  one's 
honor,  beloved  friends  and  relatives,  are  all  lost ;  ah,  then  poor  human 
nature  weeps  and  wails  to  God  and  to  all  creatures  in  earth  and  Heaven 
for  relief.  And  this  painful  experience  must  happen  to  all  well-tried 
friends  of  God.  They  must  have  their  inmost  soul  full  of  God  and 
their  outward  life  full  of  suffering.  But  the  outward  tribulations  and 
pains  can  well  be  endured,  if  the  interior  life  be  only  fast  and  firm  in 
its  union  with  God. 

But,  again,  the  inner  man  is  sorely  tried  by  temptations — those  of 
pride,  impurity,  irritability,  silliness,  rashness  and  many  others — as 
St.  Augustine  teaches:  "For  such  is  the  misery  of  our  poor  fallen 
nature.  O  let  us  grapple  courageously  with  these  evil  tendencies  and 
ever  keep  God  and  His  blessed  law  before  our  eyes,  absolutely  resigned 
to  suffer  all  these  trials,  simply  and  entirely  because  such  is  the  Divine 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  205 

will!"  Not  the  slightest  thing  happens  to  us  but  that  our  heavenly 
Father  knows  it,  and  knows  just  exactly  when  and  where  and  how  it 
happens.  Let  us  even  be  thankful  to  God  that  He  permits  us  thus  to 
suffer  temptation,  remembering  that  God  allows  the  bitterest  sufferings 
to  fall  on  those  whom  he  best  loves.  And  this  applies  especially  to 
those  whom  He  has  set  over  His  people  as  their  teachers  or  father  con- 
fessors. Of  that  class,  those  who  have  had  the  hard  lot  of  trial  and 
temptation  are  the  ones  who  are  very  compassionate  in  dealing  with 
sinners.  Others  are  not  so  much  so,  but  are  too  often  over-severe  with 
them. 

Whatsoever  man,  therefore,  shall  steadfastly  endure  this  course  of 
trial  repeated  over  and  over  again,  has  become  in  very  truth  God's  dis- 
ciple. He  will  easily  find  the  right  path  to  perfection.  Him  the  truth 
will  in  very  deed  make  free  from  all  subjection  to  sinful  inclinations. 
And  one  effect  of  this  self-renunciation  will  be  that  even  his  body  will 
by  God's  grace  be  so  freed  from  its  weakness  and  fitted  for  all  possible 
virtue,  that  it  will  become  a  proper  companion  for  his  soul.  That  we 
may  thus  be  made  God's  disciples,  and  that  we  may  thus  be  made  free, 
may  His  blessed  grace  be  granted  us.    Amen. 


206  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


3lf0ua  ti|?  3^omB  of  Ettitn?  Sijlit 

Synopsis — Man's  tendency  to  truth  and  joy  is  the  craving  of  darkness 
for  light — Hindrances  the  tcorldly  spirit;  self-conceit  and  self- 
guidance — Helps;  unfeigned  self<ibnegation;  recourse  to  Jesus  in 
joy  and  sorroio  alike;  avowal  of  sinfulness;  devotion  to  the  hu- 
manity of  Jesus. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  THE  FOURTH  SUNDAY  OF  LENT. 

I  am  the  light  of  the  world. — John  viii,  12. 

To  these  words  of  our  beloved  Saviour  the  Jews  could  only  reply  by 
reproaches  and  contradictions.  He  insisted,  and  continued  to  teach 
them  that  He  was  the  light  of  the  world  and  of  all  mankind. 

And,  indeed,  He  is  the  light  of  the  world,  even  of  the  material  uni- 
verse, for  He  gives  the  sun  its  light,  and  the  moon  and  stars;  He  is  the 
light  of  our  bodily  eyes;  He  is  especially  the  beautiful  light  of  reason 
shining  in  our  souls.  And  to  this  light,  to  God  our  Saviour,  the  source 
of  all  light,  must  the  light  in  every  creature  return  again  or  it  will  lapse 
into  utter  darkness ;  and  He  that  is  the  light  of  the  world  hateth  dark- 
ness. Now,  Jesus  says  to  thee :  I  am  the  true  light,  and  I  will  give  thee 
My  eternal  light  to  expel  thy  darkness,  and  with  My  light  I  will  give 
thee  My  being.  My  life,  My  glory  and  My  joy.  He  will  join  us  to  Him- 
self, as  He  prayed  His  Father  to  make  us  one  with  the  Father  and  with 
Himself.  He  says  to  thee :  I  would  that  thou  shouldst  be  in  Me  and 
I  in  thee,  not  simply  joined,  but  united  in  one — "that  they  also  may  be 
one  in  Us"  (John  xvii,  21)  ;  not,  indeed,  by  unity  of  nature,  but  by  the 
mysterious  operation  of  grace.  We  know  that  all  things  tend  toward 
the  original  source  of  their  existence,  as  even  the  rocks  and  the  elements 
of  fire  and  air  and  water.  What,  then,  shall  we  say  of  man's  tendency 
toward  God  his  Creator — man,  for  whose  sake  God  made  the  heavens 
and  the  earth  and  all  things  that  are  in  them,  so  that  they  might  min- 
ister to  his  wants  and  help  him  to  serve  his  Creator  the  better.  Is  it 
not  a  pitiful  thing  that  man,  full  of  the  light  of  reason  and  God's  noblest 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  207 

creature,  should  of  all  creatures  remain  alone  fettered  and  helpless,  and 
should  not  return  again  to  his  heavenly  origin — into  the  true  and 
eternal  light  of  God  ? 

Let  us  study  this  matter  and  learn  what  hinders  our  making  God  the 
end  and  object  of  our  life,  and  then  what  is  the  manner  and  method  to 
follow  to  attain  to  our  final  destiny  in  God. 

It  must  be  something  very  strong,  my  dear  children,  that  can  hinder 
us  from  gaining  possession  of  infinite  good.  With  one  class  of  men  it 
is  this:  Their  hearts  are  worldly.  They  live  for  the  joy  they  find  in 
created  things,  which  they  intensely  love.  They  are  wrapped  up  in  the 
sensual  enjoyment  of  creatures,  in  which  they  wear  themselves  out  and 
squander  their  precious  time.  Children,  these  men  are  not  only  envel- 
oped in  darkness,  but  they  resist  the  light  that  God  is  and  they  sin 
against  it. 

Another  kind  of  men  are,  indeed,  in  a  kind  of  a  way  spiritual — at 
least  as  far  as  name  and  ai>pearances  go.  They  fancy  that  they  have 
soared  high  above  the  realms  of  darkness;  but,  as  God  sees  their  inner 
life,  they  are  in  reality  but  Pharisees,  full  of  self-love  and  self-will ; 
and  they  are  themselves  the  only  object  of  all  their  strivings.  It  is  not 
easy  to  distinguish  them  from  the  friends  of  God,  whom  they  often  sur- 
pass in  practicing  external  devotions,  such  as  prayers,  fasting,  vigils 
and  outward  austerity  of  life.  But  if  thou  hast  the  true  spirit  thou 
canst  detect  them.  Only  one  external  difference  from  right-minded  souls 
they  all  have,  and  that  is  censoriousness ;  they  are  addicted  to  judging 
and  condemning,  especially  really  devout  men,  and,  of  course,  praising 
themselves.  It  is  just  the  reverse  with  those  who  are  in  the  right  way ; 
these  readily  condemn  themselves  and  just  as  readily  praise  others. 
Self-seeking  characterizes  the  others,  whether  in  things  human  or 
Divine,  a  defect  (peculiar  to  the  Pharisees)  so  deeply  rooted  in  our 
fallen  nature  that  it  tends  to  influence  everything  we  do.  The  men 
whose  false  spirituality  we  are  considering,  are  as  hard  to  change  in 
this  as  it  is  to  pierce  a  mountain  of  iron ;  that  is  to  say,  by  any  natural 
influence  or  argument.  No,  children,  one  thing  alone  can  overcome 
their  obstinate  selfhood:  God  must  come  with  all  His  goodness  and 
gain  the  upper  hand  in  their  hearts  and  thus  possess  Himself  of  them. 
But,  alas,  this  happens  but  very  seldom.  The  blame  is  not  God's,  it  is 
ours;  we  all  too  willingly  admit  created  things  to  have  that  place  and 
power  in  our  thoughts  and  affections  which  belongs  alone  to  God. 

A  reasonable  being  should  never  give  himself  rest  until  he  has 
struggled  through  all  created  things  to  the  possession  of  God  alone; 


208  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

and  it  is  an  unspeakable  misery,  that  the  world  is  full  of  men  whose 
lives  show  that  they  do  not  recognize  this  duty.  God's  friends  are 
afflicted  to  the  marrow  of  their  bones,  as  they  see  and  hear  the  injury 
done  to  God  and  the  harm  to  immortal  souls  by  men's  affection  for 
creatures,  which  is  all  too  prevalent  around  them.  Therefore,  dear 
children,  be  zealous  and  diligent  in  acquiring  the  true  spirit  of  detach- 
ment, for  it  involves  a  lifelong  conflict.  To  be  guided  by  one's  own 
light  and  not  by  God's,  is  the  chief  cause  of  our  not  attaining  to  union 
with  God.  And,  no  matter  how  courageously  we  combat,  the  victory 
is  never  quite  complete.  There  is  an  overmastering  joy  in  self -guidance, 
even  in  spiritual  matters;  nature  is  intoxicated  by  this  pleasure  more 
than  by  any  other;  and,  withal,  it  is  deceitful,  and  its  hurtfulness  too 
often  remains  hidden.  It  was  this  natural  self-guidance  that  the 
heathen  philosophers  knew  so  well  and  loved  so  dearly.  In  that  they 
remained;  they  were  powerless  to  go  onward  to  union  with  God;  and 
hence  it  was  that  they  dwelt  in  eternal  darkness. 

And  now  let  us  consider  the  true  way,  and  the  shortest  way  leading 
into  the  very  focus  of  this  heavenly  light.  Briefly,  it  is  unfeigned  self- 
denial  joined  to  boundless  love  of  God — one's  own  self  in  not  a  single 
particular  and  God's  honor  in  all  things.  Let  there  be  no  crooked,  but 
all  straight  ways  in  thee;  whatever  comes  to  thee,  accept  it  as  immedi- 
ately out  of  the  hand  of  God,  sweet  or  bitter,  and  refer  it  all  back  again 
into  the  same  loving  hand,  in  entire  abandonment  to  His  holy  will. 
This  is  the  straight  road  to  perfection,  even  the  highest.  And  it  is  this 
that  gives  the  test,  as  to  who  are  the  true  and  who  are  the  false  friends 
of  God.  The  latter  Jook  to  self ;  they  accept  even  God's  gifts  in  a  spirit 
of  proprietorship.  They  are  far  from  accepting  His  graces  in  a  spirit 
of  self-renunciation  and  entire  thankfulness — by  no  means  absorbed  in 
the  Divine  Giver,  in  spirit  and  in  flesh,  inwardly  and  outwardly.  The 
former  are  God's  true  friends,  because  their  self-renunciation  and  their 
loyalty  to  God  has  become  a  personal  trait,  deep-rooted  in  heart  and 
mind.  Without  this  a  man  stands  in  self-love,  and  is  addicted  to  created 
things,  and  while  in  that  state  he  can  never  see  the  true  light  of  God. 

But,  dear  children,  mark  further,  that  the  false  spirit  is  often  deceit- 
fully mingled  with  the  rays  of  Divine  light  in  the  soul,  and  this  involves 
serious  peril.  Many  a  time  one  cannot  tell  whether  or  not  he  is  seeking 
to  do  God's  will  only ;  and  it  often  turns  out  that  he  has  been  but  guided 
by  natural  impulses.  Adversity  opens  his  eyes;  grievous  suffering 
reveals  the  hand  of  God.    When  trouble  comes,  then  God's  true  friends 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  209 


fly  to  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  there  they  suffer  in  all  patience,  lost  in  His 
love,  accepting  every  pain  from  His  hand.  And  their  sincerity  in  this  is 
so  deep,  and  their  love  of  God  so  true,  that  presently  their  sorrow  ia 
turned  into  joy,  because  they  now  suffer  because  God  wills  it. 

Those  whose  spirit  is  not  the  right  one,  as  soon  as  adversity  falls 
upon  them,  are  at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  do  and  whither  to  fly  for  relief. 
They  run  to  this  one  and  that  one  for  help,  for  counsel  and  for  comfort, 
and  are  frantic  even  to  despair.  How  sad  to  think  that  such  men  some- 
times are  overtaken  by  death  in  this  condition  of  soul.     In  their  whole 

lives  they  have  never  sought  for  God  sincerely,  never  truly  loved  Him 

God  is  not  in  their  souls  during  their  last  moments.  They  have  not 
built  their  lives  upon  Christ  as  the  only  foundation,  and  the  building 
can  now  only  fall  to  the  ground.  Such  men  are  worse  off  a  thousand 
times  than  mere  worldlings,  who  make  no  Pharisaical  pretentions. 
Ordinary  sinners  are  conscious  of  their  evil  state,  and  are  not  devoid  of 
some  salutary  fear  of  God,  as  was  the  case  with  the  common  multitude 
that  always  obediently  followed  after  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The 
Pharisees,  on  the  contrary,  and  the  elders  and  scribes— men  with  the 
external  show  of  holiness— never  ceased  to  contradict  and  to  oppose 
Him,  and  at  last  they  put  Him  to  a  cruel  and  shameful  death.  To 
the  like  of  these  you  dare  not  say  a  word,  for  if  you  try  to  advise  them 
about  their  sins,  they  resist  you  violently  and  scornfully,  or  they 
instantly  fly  from  you— just  as  did  the  Jews  when  our  Lord  wrote  their 
wickedness  with  his  finger  on  the  ground.  They  will  not  own  to  their 
wickedness;  but  they  take  to  flight,  beginning  with  the  oldest  and  the 
greatest  and  including  the  very  least  among  them,  till  the  precincts  of 
the  temple  are  cleared  of  them  all.  Simple  and  commonplace  sinners 
are  far  more  easily  led  back  to  God,  because  they  will  not  deny  that  they 
are  sinners.  Many  a  time,  while  they  dread  that  they  are  yet  God's 
enemies,  they  have  in  reality  become  His  friends,  be(!ause  their  humble- 
hearted  fear  has  brought  them  to  the  feet  of  our  Redeemer. 

Amid  all  this  distrss  our  heavenly  Father  has  comforted  us.  Out  of 
the  love  of  His  Divine  heart  for  us,  He  has  sent  us  His  only  begotten 
Son,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Before  our  eyes  stands  His  holy  life,  filled 
with  divinely  perfect  virtue;  in  our  souls  is  His  glorious  truth;  we  have 

the  merits  of  His  bitter  suffering,  His  shame,  His  poverty,  His  death 

all  given  to  us  with  unspeakable  love  and  all  for  our  salvation.  And, 
besides,  it  is  all  given  to  us  as  an  example  to  follow  with  every  possible 
earnestness,  inward  and  outward,  so  that  we  may  pass  out  of  the  dark- 


210  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

ness  of  sin  into  His  glorious  sunshine  of  truth  and  love.  And  that  this 
may  the  more  eflBcaciousiy  be  granted  to  us,  God  has  given  us  His  holy 
sacraments,  beginning  with  the  grace  of  the  true  faith  in  holy  baptism, 
and  then  the  sacrament  of  confirmation;  holy  penance,  with  its  deep 
sorrow  for  sin,  humble  confession  and  sincere  satisfaction ;  our  Redeem- 
er's precious  body  and  blood  in  holy  communion ;  and  in  our  last 
moments  the  sacred  anointing.  All  these  Divine  gifts  has  He  given  us, 
in  order  that  when  we  unhappily  fall  from  His  gi-ace  we  may  the  more 
readily  be  restored  to  His  friendship. 

These  are  all  helps  to  guide  us  back  to  God's  first  love  for  us,  as  St. 
Augustine  teaches :  "The  infinite  Divine  light  has  placed  a  lesser  lumi- 
nary between  itself  and  us,  not  to  hinder, but  to  temper  the  over-brilliant 
rays  of  heavenly  influence."  The  great  light  is  the  heavenly  Father, 
and  the  lesser  one  is  the  humanity  of  God  the  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  Although  in  His  divinity  He  is  the  equal  of  the  Father,  yet  He 
has  humbled  Himself  and  taken  our  humanity,  not  so  much  to  conceal 
His  divinity  as  to  temper  its  majesty,  so  that  it  might  be  possible  for  us 
to  look  upon  it.  For  He  is  the  true  light  that  eniighteneth  every  man 
that  cometh  into  this  world — the  light  that  shineth  in  darkness  and  the 
darkness  received  it  not. 

No  man  receives  this  light  who  is  not  poor  in  spirit.  He  is  a  man 
who  is  totally  empty  of  self-love  and  self-will.  But,  alas,  we  meet  with 
men  not  a  few,  who  for  forty  years  have  been  poor,  indeed,  in  the  goods 
of  this  world  and  yet  have  not  an  atom  of  poverty  of  spirit.  In  theory 
and  in  external  observance,  yes;  in  the  depths  of  the  soul  and  in  all 
sincerity  they  are  by  no  means  self-denying  men.  True  poverty  of  siprit 
is  unknown  and  strange  to  them,  absent  and  distant  from  their  souls. 
Dear  children,  I  beg  you  to  bend  all  your  energies,  in  principle  and  in 
outward  endeavor,  to  acquire  the  right  dispositions  and  to  do  the  right 
things  for  enjoying  the  bright  rays  of  God's  light;  for  that  will  bring 
you  back  to  God,  the  source  and  origin  of  all  light.  Long  for  it 
earnestly;  pray  and  strive  for  it  incessantly  with  mental  and  vocal 
pious  exercises;  implore  the  Divine  aid  and  that  of  all  of  God's  friends 
in  earth  and  Heaven,  that  you  may  be  brought  to  union  with  Him. 
May  He  graciously  grant  us  this  favor.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  211 


SIl^  ^mVB  S^tBtimi  Bay 

Synopsis— The  sacrcdness  of  longing  for  God's  joy— Need  of  energetic 
purpose  in  spiritual  affairs— Our  baptismal  vows  bind  us  irrevo- 
cably to  strive  for  God's  joy  alone— Community  vows  and  rules 
are  for  the  same  end— And  the  joy  of  God  is  essentially  in  our 
soul's  deeper  depths. 


SECOND    SERMON    FOR    THE    FOURTH    SUNDAY    OF    LENT. 

My  time  is  not  yet  come. — John  vii,  6. 

And  when  He  had  said  this  to  His  disciples,  our  Saviour  added :  ''Go 
you  up  to  this  festival  day ;  but  I  go  not  up  to  this  festival  day,  because 
My  time  is  not  yet  accomplished."  As  He  had  already  said  to  them : 
''My  time  is  not  yet  come,  but  your  time  is  always  ready." 

Let  us  enquire  what  this  festival  day  is,  to  which  our  Lord  invites  us, 
and  whose  time  it  is  that  is  always  ready.  It  is  the  greatest  of  all 
festival  days,  namely,  the  feast  of  everlasting  life,  eternal  beatitude  in 
God's  unveiled  presence.  This  cannot  yet  be  ours;  now  our  festival 
day  is  bat  a  foretaste  of  that  eternal  jubilee.  It  consists  in  the  pres- 
ence of  God  in  the  interior  of  our  souls,  to  obtain  the  joy  of  which,  is 
the  object  of  the  seeking  and  the  longing  of  all  our  time— the  purpose 
of  all  work  and  life  and  love.  To  obtain  this  festival  enjoyment  of 
God  in  our  souls,  we  must  journey  far  beyond  ourselves,  we  must  go 
beyond  all  that  is  not  God,  and  this  must  be  done  with  our  whole 
heart  and  in  all  sincerity.     The  time  for  doing  this  is  always. 

Now,  inasmuch  as  men  naturally  desire  to  be  happy,  so,  however 
dimly,  do  they  desire  this  festival  day  by  an  impulse  of  nature  itself. 
But  such  a  longing  is  not  enough;  it  by  no  means  can  be  naturally  satis- 
fied. We  must  know  God  better;  we  must  seek  Him  for  His  own  sake, 
and  that  will  give  us  a  foretaste  of  Him.  To  this  happy  state  many 
souls  would  gladly  attain,  and  they  complain  that  they  are  powerless 
to  do  so.  When  they  find  no  festive  joy  of  God  within  them,  they  start 
to  pray,  and  they  practice  other  devotional  exercises,  trusting  thereby 
to  succeed  in  their  wishes.     But  when  they  fail  they  lose  courage,  they 


212  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

lessen  their  pious  practices,  they  give  up  or  but  half  perform  their 
good  works,  and  in  their  distress  they  complain  that  they  have  no  feel- 
ing of  God. 

Now,  no  man  should  act  that  way.  We  should  never  relax  our 
energy  in  well  doing  from  any  such  cause,  for  God  is  really  present  with 
us,  whether  we  feel  Him  or  not.  As  Jesus  did  with  His  disciples,  so 
does  God  do  with  us ;  He  comes  secretly  into  our  hearts,  and  where  He 
is  there  in  very  truth  is  the  festival  day.  It  cannot  be  otherwise ;  God 
must  be  with  any  soul  that  seeks  Him  and  Him  alone,  and  that  in  all 
things.  He  may  be  either  secretly  or  openly  present;  He  is  none  the 
less  there.  And  whether  we  are  consciously  influenced  by  Him  or  not, 
yet  must  we  ever  turn  inward  to  Him,  passing  over  and  beyond  all  self- 
hood. This  is  what  our  Lord  meant  when  he  said :  "Your  time  is 
always  ready;"  that  is  to  say,  your  time  to  pass  interiorly  beyond  self 
and  into  God.  His  time  is  not  yet  come ;  that  is  to  say,  to  reveal  Him- 
self to  you ;  leave  the  choice  of  that  time  entirely  to  Him.  Without  the 
faintest  doubt  He  is  with  you,  right  there  in  your  soul,  but  in  a  hidden 
manner;  pleased  that  you  will  think  of  Him  as  being  there  and  that  you 
will  there  commune  with  Him.  Do  not,  therefore,  relax  your  fervor  in 
your  devotions,  for  He  will  in  His  own  good  time  most  certainly  dis- 
cover Himself  to  you. 

To  this  end  serve  all  the  pious  exercises  of  our  holy  religious  orders, 
and  all  their  good  works;  all  sacred  laws  and  rules  of  what  kind  soever 
they  may  be  have  this  object  in  view :  That  we  may  make  ready  our 
souls  to  hold  high  festivity  with  God  in  the  interior  life,  unencumbered 
by  any  other  thing  whatsoever.  In  so  far  as  our  devout  observances 
minister  to  this,  just  so  far  are  they  useful  and  praiseworthy,  and 
where  they  fail  in  this  the  fault  is  our  own;  we  have  caused  them  to 
rank  only  with  the  observances  of  the  Jewish  synagogue.  The  Old 
Testament  prescribed  many  things  great  and  holy  in  themselves,  and 
some  of  them  difiScult  to  perform,  and  yet  all  of  them  taken  together 
could  not  bring  eternal  salvation ;  they  were  one  and  all  no  more  than  a 
preparation  for  the  New  Testament,  to  which  alone  the  gates  of  God's 
kingdom  were  thrown  open.  So  must  it  ever  be  with  external  observ- 
ances; they  are  useful  as  a  preparation;  and,  taken  by  and  in  them- 
selves, no  man  can  find  in  them  the  Divine  festival  day.  The  Old  Tes- 
tament led  up  to  and  was  ended  in  the  New,  because  the  New  alone 
reached  into  the  depths  of  the  soul.  So  all  devotions  and  pious  works 
must  do,  or  they  serve  our  spiritual  life  but  little. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  213 

We  have  all  vowed  and  sworn  to  God  in  holy  baptism  that  we  shall 
serve  and  love  Him  until  death,  an  obligation  from  which  no  priest  or 
bishop  can  ever  dispense  a  Christian.  It  binds  us  more  firmly  than  any 
oath  taken  in  a  human  court;  to  break  which,  nevertheless,  makes  us 
liable  to  the  penalties  of  perjury.  How  much  blacker  shall  be  our  per- 
jury, if  wilfully  and  deliberately  we  forswear  ourselves  to  God,  by  giv- 
ing to  creatures  the  hearts  and  souls  that  we  have  vowed  to  Him. 
When  our  holy  father,  St.  Dominic,  was  about  to  die,  our  brothers 
besought  him  to  tell  them  what  was  the  distinguishing  spirit  of  the  holy 
order,  the  spirit  that  inspired  him  when  he  made  all  our  rules.  They 
wanted  to  know  the  essential  reason  of  those  external  precepts,  all  of 
which  they,  like  ourselves,  knew  perfectly  well.  And  he  gave  them  the 
essence  of  the  rule :  It  is,  said  he,  the  love  of  God,  humility  and  poverty 
both  of  spirit  and  of  worldly  goods.  Thus  he  would  teach  us  to 
love  God  with  a  whole-hearted  love ;  that,  and  only  that,  is  the  founda- 
tion of  all ;  and  then  to  love  one  another  as  we  love  our  own  selves,  being 
subject  to  one  another  in  God,  in  all  meekness  of  behavior;  and,  further, 
to  be  totally  void  of  all  sense  of  ownership,  whether  of  ourselves  or 
of  all  things  else  except  God  alone,  our  own  will  no  less  than  the  things 
of  this  w^orld  that  may  lead  us  away  from  God ;  all  this  in  order  that 
He  may  enter  into  our  souls.  God  had  made  them  in  His  own  image, 
and  He  wills  to  take  free  and  entire  possession  of  them,  for  in  that  is 
placed  all  His  content  and  all  His  joy. 

Dear  Sisters,  this  is  the  whole  meaning  of  our  order.  And  it  is 
the  same  with  all  orders,  all  the  rules  and  discipline,  laws  and  observ- 
ances, even  of  hermitages,  as  well  as  of  every  manner  of  living  devoutly, 
no  matter  what  its  form  or  its  name.  The  better  they  serve  to  bring 
God  into  His  chosen  abode,  our  interior  life,  the  more  useful  are  they 
and  the  more  strictly  to  be  observed.  This  is  the  meaning  of  our  vows 
to  God;  this  measures  the  extent  of  our  guilt  if  we  are  unfaithful.  If 
w^e  fail  from  this  point  of  view  we  are  forsworn  to  God ;  if  we  are  true, 
then  we  have  the  very  essence  of  our  order,  just  as  our  holy  father,  St. 
Dominic,  taught,  and  also  St.  Benedict,  St.  Augustine,  St.  Bernard  and 
St.  Francis.  One  and  all,  their  minds  were  ever  preoccupied  with  this 
one  essential  order,  for  whose  sake  all  their  outward  rules  were  made. 
Dear  children,  I  bid  you  learn  this  rule  w^ell  and  thoroughly:  to  love 
God  and  to  have  Him  ever  in  view,  and  to  love  all  things  only  in  so  far 
as  they  actually  help  you  to  that  end.  Keep  this  rule,  and  our  Lord  will 
keep  with  you  a  great  and  a  perfect  festival  day. 


214  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


We  must  keep  many  rules.  We  must  go  to  choir  to  sing  and  to  read 
oflQce;  this  we  must  do,  whether  we  like  it  or  not.  Well,  then,  let  us 
do  this  with  a  festive  and  joyous  soul,  rather  than  with  a  spiritless 
observance,  dragging  ourselves  to  the  task.  Let  us  be  faithful  to  our 
^ rules  in  order  not  to  forfeit  the  eternal  festival  day  in  Heaven.  It  is, 
indeed,  very  true  that  a  man  who  lives  a  life  free  from  mortal  sin,  doing 
nothing  wilfully  against  God's  law,  will  hold  fast  to  the  holy  faith. 
But  if  you  would  enjoy  the  happiness  of  God's  festival  day  in  ycnr 
interior  life,  then,  by  way  of  preparation,  you  must  disencumber  your 
soul  of  everything  that  is  not  God.  All  true  piety  of  life  must  have 
this  for  its  single  purpose :  That  nothing  whatsoever  shall  taste  good  to 
thy  soul  but  God  alone,  whether  in  thinking  or  in  loving.  Such  is  thy 
glorious  vocation;  for  that  aloiie  has  G^d  called  thee  into  this  order. 
For  that  has  He  called  thee  away  and  freed  thee  from  a  deceitful, 
wicked  world,  and  drawn  thee  into  this  holy  penitential  life ;  because  by 
our  sins  we  are  by  nature  children  of  wrath  and  of  everlasting  death 
and  damnation.  St.  Augustiae  says :  ''Man  is  formed  of  ccirupt  mate- 
rial, as  if  he  were  made  of  rotten  wood  and  vile  earth,  and  his  end  is 
eternal  death."  Then,  for  his  salvation,  there  is  granted  him  a  life 
of  penance,  the  same  to  which  God  has  called  you,  by  no  merits  of  yoivrs, 
but  only  by  His  free  and  loving  gift 

And  what  is  that  life  of  penance  in  very  truth  and  in  its  essential 
quality?  Nothing  else  thaii  a  whol'?-hearted  turning  away  from  all 
that  is  not  God,  and  an  equally  sincere  turning  to  all  tlipt  leads  to  God 
and  means  God.  The  more  one  answers  to  that  requirement  the  more 
penance  he  does  and  the  better.  In  this  spirit,  dear  children,  must  you 
gladly  thank  God  that  He  has  called  you  to  this  order.  Your  vocation 
should  fill  you  with  confidence  that  He  will  finally  bring  you  to  His 
holy  company  for  all  eternity;  for  He  has  gathered  you  together  here 
out  of  a  deceitful  world,  that  He  might  make  you  His  own  chosen 
friends  and  spouses,  and  introduce  you  into  most  intimate  union  with 
Him.  It  is  the  plainest  sign  that  God  is  present  in  us,  when  in  our 
early  youth  he  has  visited  us  by  our  vocation  and  touched  our  young 
hearts  with  His  love.  We  were  by  nature  inclined  to  worldly  joys, 
and  yet  we  bridled  our  appetites  and  passions,  we  turned  away  from 
the  world  and  all  created  things,  and  we  followed  after  God.  What  if 
we  have  no  great  sensible  feeling  of  devotion,  nor  lively  consciousness  of 
God's  indwelling  presence !  This  one  fact  stands  plain :  I  gladly  suffer 
pain  for  His  sake.  Now,  that  could  not  be  if  God  were  not  with  me,  in 
however  hidden  a  manner  it  may  be. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  215 

O,  dear  children,  bend  all  your  energies  to  make  sure  of  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  Divine  festival  day  in  your  souls,  when  God  shall  manifest 
Himself  to  your  inner  perceptions.  Let  all  prayer  and  work  of  yours 
minister  to  preparation  for  that  close,  personal  possession  of  God ;  for 
in  any  other  way  you  cannot  feel  that  you  possess  Him,  He  who  pos- 
sesses God  in  that  true  way,  him  also  does  God  possess,  and  never  does 
He  allow  him  to  leave  His  holy  presence.  Is  not  this  a  happy  lot?  Is 
not  this  the  soul's  festival  day?  Is  not  our  life  blessedly  happy  when 
we  are  thus  in  God  and  God  in  us,  as  well  in  time  as  in  eternity?  May 
God  grant  us  this.     Amen. 


216  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


l^^artttg  mh  Mkthxn^  for  (JWinat 

Synopsis — The  way  of  Christ  is  that  of  His  disciples:  self-immolation 
and  obedience  to  the  Father — This  is  His  teaching;  hoiv  we  hear  it 
with  the  hearing  of  the  heart — How  Christ's  word  affects  the  vari- 
ous powers  of  the  soul — Hearing  His  word  with  an  inferior  hear- 
ing, and  the  good  that  may  come  of  it — Bleeding  for  Christ  is  hy 
prudent,  penitential  works  hy  suffering  patiently  all  of  life's  ills, 
and  hy  sadness  for  Christ's  sake  at  the  sight  of  sin — A  joyful 
hloodshedding  is  granted  in  the  hliss  of  divine  interior  union. 


FIRST    SERMON    FOR    PASSION     SUNDAY. 
He  that  is  of  God  heareth  the  words  of  God. — John  viii,  47. 

I  beg  you,  my  dear  children,  to  give  me  your  close  attention,  and  to 
turn  your  hearts  and  minds  to  this  discourse,  which  will  show  you  your 
present  state  of  soul,  and  instruct  you  what  to  long  for  and  what  to 
strive  after.  Our  Redeemer  says :  "He  that  is  of  God  heareth  the  words 
of  God.  Therefore,  you  hear  them  not  because  you  are  not  of  God." 
And  then  He  added :  "If  any  man  keep  My  word,  he  shall  not  see  death 
forever." 

Children,  this  is  the  time  of  year  when  we  contemplate  the  holy  pas- 
sion of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Let  none  of  us  now  give  himself  up  to 
rest,  but  rather  let  him  open  and  read  this  holy  book  of  Calvary,  in 
which  he  will  find  all  comfort  and  all  truth,  all  knowledge  and  all  gift 
of  counsel.  Be  well  assured  that  whosoever  knows  how  to  study  the 
precious  book  of  Christ's  passion,  is  rightly  learned  and  understands  all 
books  whatsoever.  And  whosoever  cannot  do  so  walks  in  twilight.  Let 
our  rule  and  our  pattern  be  the  life  and  death  of  Jesus  Christ,  whom 
we  are  called  on  by  God  to  follow.  Therefore  does  St.  Paul  teach  us 
in  today's  epistle :  "But  Christ,  being  come  an  High  Priest  of  the  good 
things  to  come,  by  a  greater  and  more  perfect  tabernacle  not  made  with 
hands,  that  is,  not  of  this  creation ;  neither  by  the  blood  of  goats,  or  of 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  211 


calves,  but  by  His  own  blood,  entered  once  into  the  holies,  having 
obtained  eternal  redemption."  (Heb.  ix,  11-12.)  Children,  let  us 
follow  right  after  this  our  High  Priest,  as  vou  were  exhorted  to  do  yes- 
terday. Let  us  seek  His  honor  alone  in  all  things,  and  with  all  our  own 
heart  and  mind. 

Our  beloved  Lord,  our  High  Priest,  has  gone  before  us  with  both  the 
higher  faculties  and  the  lower  ones  of  His  nature.  With  the  high 
powers  of  the  Divine  nature,  to  which  He  was  united.  He  never  ceased 
to  regard  the  entire  race  of  mankind  and  all  their  words,  works  and 
thoughts.  He  never  lost  sight  of  any  one  of  the  human  beings  made  by 
His  heavenly  Father,  and  all  the  happenings  of  their  lives,  whether 
past,  present  or  to  come.  He  heard  the  word  of  God  that  1  now  speak 
to  you.  He  saw  all  our  faces  here,  looked  into  our  deepest  souls  and 
saw  all  our  thoughts  and  all  our  inclinations,  with  every  one  of  the 
differences  that  characterizes  us.  And  all  this,  even  of  the  entire  race, 
did  He  offer  up  to  His  Father,  from  Whom  He  had  received  it  all,  not 
excepting  the  very  least  thing;  for  in  everything  without  exception  He 
sought  but  the  glory  of  His  Father.  Now,  in  this  our  Lord's  return  to 
His  Father  of  all  that  was  His,  His  true  friends  should  faithfully  imi- 
tate Him.  They  should  not  make  an  exception  of  a  single  gift;  no,  not 
the  very  least;  but  they  should  give  back  to  God  for  His  glory  alone, 
even  though  it  may  be  a  painful  thing  to  do,  everything  whatsoever  that 
is  theirs,  making  no  reservation  at  all. 

The  other  way  in  which  our  High  Priest  has  gone  before  us,  is  that  of 
His  inferior  or  human  faculties.  And  this  is  the  way  of  His  practicing 
all  virtues,  especially  that  of  sufferiug  so  bitterly  for  sins  of  which  He 
was  wholly  guiltless,  because  He  was  determined  to  seek  His  Father's 
glory.  It  was  for  this  cause  that  He  patiently  bore  the  persecutions  of 
the  Pharisees— men  who  esteemed  themselves  righteous.  So  must  all 
of  Christ's  followers  suffer  pain,  especially  those  who  have  sworn  and 
vowed  to  seek  Him  and  serve  Him,  suffering,  as  they  must,  from  the 
persecution  of  those  who  have  fallen  away  from  Him.  The  followers 
of  Christ  seek  after  nothing,  keep  nothing  in  view  in  their  conduct,  but 
God.  They  do  not  confine  themselves  to  particular  ways  of  serving 
Him,  but  in  every  way  that  is  God's,  and  always  as  He  guides  them  do 
they  go  forward,  making  no  choice  for  themselves.  It  is  for  this  reason 
that  they  must  suffer  from  those  who  seek  themselves,  and  will  hear  of 
no  way  of  serving  God  except  their  own  chosen  way.  These  do  not 
understand  men  who,  not  in  any  particular  or  favorite  way,  but  in  any 
way  and  in  all  ways  whatsoever  serve  God. 


218  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Notice  that  our  Lord  said :  "He  that  is  of  God  heareth  the  Word  of 
God."  St.  Gregory  comments  on  this  in  a  lesson  of  this  day's  matins, 
bidding  every  one  of  us  search  his  conscience  as  to  where  he  stands  and 
to  whom  he  belongs,  and  whether  or  not  he  hears  God's  Word  with  the 
hearing  of  the  heart.  God  commands  us  to  cherish  thoughts  of  our 
heavenly  fatherland,  and  to  banish  the  concupiscence  of  the  flesh,  and 
to  shun  the  honors  of  this  world.  Hence,  insists  St.  Gregory,  each  one 
should  examine  whether  it  is  his  heart  that  hears  and  heeds  the  Word 
of  God;  for,  he  says,  there  are  some  whose  lives  are  so  unworthy,  that 
they  are  incapable  of  interiorly  understanding  God's  word,  and  are 
hardly  able  to  listen  to  it  with  their  bodily  ears. 

God  spoke  two  words  for  men's  hearing:  First,  the  heavenly  Father 
spoke  His  eternal  Word  in  the  Godhead  itself.  How  closely  the  human 
soul  is  related  to  that  Word  in  that  life  of  the  soul  which  extends 
beyond  space  and  time,  no  human  understanding  can  grasp.  The  soul 
of  man  is  exceedingly  close  to  God  and  kindred  to  Him  in  the  soul's 
deepest  depths,  hidden  in  that  inner  and  Divine  stillness.  There  it  is 
that  the  heavenly  Father  utters  His  Word,  a  hundred  times  quicker 
than  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  There  that  Word  is  understood,  more 
plainly  or  less,  in  proportion  as  the  interior  ear  of  the  soul  is  turned 
more  or  less  intently  to  listen,  in  proportion  as  the  soul  abides  in 
greater  or  less  interior  quiet  and  union  of  spirit  with  the  Word. 

But  however  deeply  hidden  in  the  soul  that  Word  may  be,  it  yet 
rises  and  spreads  upward  and  outward  into  those  powers  of  the  soul 
that  are  above  the  imagination;  that  is  to  say,  into  the  will  and  the 
understanding.  Therefore  might  God  say  that  His  Word  was  not  His, 
but  ours  as  well  as  His.  Now,  when  the  will  is  made  aware  of  the 
Word  within  the  soul,  it  quickly  starts  up,  but  does  not  know  what  it 
has  heard.  And  then  it  exclaims :  I  do  not  know  what  I  should  do,  or 
whether  I  should  do  anything.  But  the  understanding  now  comes  to 
the  aid  of  the  will,  for  it  also  has  heard  the  Word,  and  it  says  to  the 
will :  Follow  me  carefully,  for  I  can  teach  thee  and  guide  thee.  And 
the  understanding  forthwith  teaches  the  will  what  to  do  and  what  not 
to  do.  And  then  the  Word  is  sounded  within,  deeper  and  farther; 
namely,  into  the  soul's  power  of  desire,  teaching  the  soul  detachment 
from  all  created  things  that  can  hinder  God's  work  in  it;  teaching 
temperance  in  the  use  of  all  things  innocent ;  not  in  restraint  of  nature's 
real  necessities,  but  of  superfluities.  And  then  the  Word  is  heard  in 
what  philosophers  call  the  soul's  irascible  faculty,  the  faculty  by  which 


of  John  Tauler,  the  liluminated  Doctor  219 

a  man  resents  and  avoids  what  is  injurious;  herein  the  Word  teaches 
us  patience  and  meekness,  virtues  which  more  than  any  others  will 
transform  thee  into  what  God  would  have  thee.  Search  thy  soul  dili- 
gently as  to  what  effect  God's  Word  has  had  on  thee,  first  in  thy  inner- 
most soul,  and  then  in  its  different  powers.  This  will  be  a  sign  to  thee 
as  to  whether  thou  art  of  God  or  not,  as  truth  itself  has  spoken :  "He 
that  is  of  God  heareth  the  W^ords  of  God.  Therefore,  you  hear  them 
not  because  you  are  not  of  God." 

How  shall  one  continue  in  this  Word,  that  he  may  always  hear  it  and 
understand  it?  The  first  way  is  found  in  the  interior  of  the  soul,  where 
it  hears  the  Word  in  a  state  raised  above  time  and  space.  Does  the 
soul  there  obey  the  Word  with  inward  detachment  of  spirit?  That  is 
the  question.  Those  noble  souls  whose  external  life  has  been  well 
trained  in  devout  practices,  never,  as  long  as  body  and  soul  hang 
together,  consider  themselves  well  enough  advanced  in  virtue.  Such 
a  one  the  moment  he  hears  the  Word  spoken  within  him,  must  draw  in 
to  his  interior  consciousness  all  his  exterior  faculties,  and,  soaring 
above  space  and  time,  he  must  direct  his  gaze  into  eternity.  Thus  says 
St.  Augustine:  "When  a  man's  interior  spirit  is  turned  toward 
eternity,  forthwith  he  has  nothing  to  do  with  time."'  Even  the  active 
life  and  that  of  the  senses,  to  such  chosen  spirits  as  these,  is  almost 
wholly  raised  above  this  temporal  existence,  and  it  is  only  those  who 
have  arrived  at  this  state,  who  hear  the  Word  and  receive  it  in  their 
interior  souls.  As  to  the  others,  they  hear  the  Word  in  their  less 
spiritual,  that  is  to  say,  their  inferior  faculties.  Their  response  is 
given  by  a  service  of  mortification  and  suffering,  totally  submissive  to 
God's  visitations  and  good  pleasure.  Yet  be  cautious;  be  not  impru- 
dent; thou  are  not  allowed  to  overburden  thyself.  But  yet  bend  thy 
back  obediently  under  all  afliictions  comi-ng  from  God,  whether  direct 
or  through  men,  suffering  with  all  willingness,  as  under  His  chastening 
hand.  Carry  all  burdens  back  again  to  Him.  Lay  every  sorrow  at  His 
feet  with  unfeigned  gratitude.  Our  High  Priest  has  not  entered  in 
without  the  shedding  of  blood;  He  shed  His  blood  for  us;  nay,  He 
poured  it  all  out  most  generously ;  and  there  are  four  ways  in  which  we 
can  shed  our  blood  for  Him. 

The  first  is  by  true  penitential  works,  both  of  the  spirit  and  of  the 
flesh.  When  a  man  has  departed  from  God  by  his  disorderly  pleasures 
and  his  indulgence  in  this  world's  joys,  he  must  turn  back  and  away 
from  such  things  and  wean  himself  from  them,  turning  now  to  God; 


220  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

and  this  is  the  essential  thing  about  true  penance — a  true  turning 
away  from  sin  and  a  true  turning  back  to  God.  This  is,  indeed,  to  shed 
one's  blood ;  and  it  is  hard  and  bitter  in  proportion  to  the  joy  we  have 
had  in  creatures  while  we  were  turned  away  from  God;  our  blood  is 
now  spilt  in  the  death  struggle  against  sin.  As  one  begins  this  combat, 
his  body  is  fair  and  strong;  if  his  penance  is  genuine,  his  blood  is 
gradually  consumed  in  God's  service,  and  his  body  becomes  pale,  weak 
and  crippled. 

The  second  bloodshedding  is  in  the  outward  senses ;  for  these  are  so 
tamed  by  penance,  that  their  disorderly  use  dies  out  of  a  man,  and 
pleasure  in  such  things  as  are  heard  or  seen  quite  ceases;  a  man  then 
readily  constrains  himself  to  look  and  listen  for  inward  joys  alone. 
Part  of  this  bloodshedding,  is  in  the  persecution  God's  friends  suffer 
from  those  who  live  without  taking  God  into  account,  and  who  pierce 
them  through  and  through  with  their  ill-treatment.  This  affliction,  if 
they  cannot  escape  it,  they  must  suffer  with  all  mildness.  And  now  a 
question  is  asked  by  strong-souled  men,  at  once  pious  and  bold,  but 
overeager  in  their  own  opinion :  Should  we  avoid,  should  we  endeavor  to 
escape,  any  suffering  that  overtakes  us?  As  to  themselves, they  never  do 
so,  for  they  are  not  rightly  guided  and  do  not  know  from  what  and  when 
to  fly,  for  their  souls  are  full  of  impressions  which  have  entered  in  from 
the  outward  world.  But  the  true  friend  of  God  knows  well  what  trials 
to  fly  from  and  how  long  to  avoid  them.  For  example :  As  often  as  my 
presence  wounds  my  neighbor's  sensibilities  rather  than  helps  to  sanc- 
tify him,  then  I  must  leave  him.  How  bright  an  example  have  we  in 
our  beloved  Lord,  as  we  have  several  times  read  in  the  lessons  of  this 
week,  as  He  repeatedly  fled  from  among  the  Jews  and  hid  Himself ! 

The  third  bloodshedding  is  a  great  one.  It  is  that  God's  friends  must 
stand  by  and  behold  their  God,  whom  they  love  better  than  life  itself, 
grossly  dishonored  by  His  creatures,  the  very  souls  whom  He  purchased 
at  so  dear  a  price.  Sometimes  it  seems  to  them — O,  what  agony ! — that 
the  whole  world  cares  nothing  for  God  or  ever  thinks  of  Him,  not  only 
laymen,  but  sometimes  even  clergymen  dishonoring  Him.  This  is  a 
two-edged  sword,  and  it  cuts  through  their  very  heart  and  soul.  They 
love  their  neighbor  most  sincerely,  and  literally  as  deeply  as  they  love 
themselves,  and  here  they  behold  them  doing  themselves  deadly  injury 
and  caring  very  little  about  it.  One  longs  to  cry  out :  If  thou  art  bap- 
tized a  thousand  times,  and  if  thou  wearest  a  hundred  different  religious 
garbs,  it  all  avails  thee  nothing  if  thou  dost  those  things  that  are  not 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  221 

right.  It  is  cause  of  the  deepest  sorrow  that  holy  Church,  God's  blessed 
flower  garden  of  virtue,  is  in  many  lands  laid  waste  by  such  evil  men. 
And  it  is  a  fortunate  thing  that  so  many  of  God's  friends  are  not  father 
confessors,  for  their  hearts  would  be  broken  with  the  knowledge  of  this 
misery. 

The  fourth  bloodshedding  is  very  delightful.  It  happens  when  God, 
the  Supreme  and  Blessed  Good,  takes  possession  of  the  soul  in  its  inner- 
most being,  withdrawing  it  from  its  own  self  and  from  all  created 
things  and  fixing  it  in  Himself  most  blissfully.  Then  does  a  man  at 
last  behold  the  infinite  and  mosi  sweet  Good  that  God  is,  that  no 
created  being  can  fully  comprehend.  Then  does  he  know  that  all  the 
praise  and  love  that  is  due  to  the  saincs  and  angels,  is  as  nothing  com- 
pared to  the  glory  that  is  due  to  the  Being  that  is  now  present  to  his 
soul.  Ah,  when  the  spirit  of  a  man  thus  learns  the  superessential 
infinity  of  God,  how  utterly  sinks  away  out  of  his  sight  the  pettiness 
of  self  and  of  all  creatures!  Now,  at  last,  he  is  able  to  say:  I  hold' 
back  nothing  from  God.  The  soul  stripped  of  everything  that  is  not 
God,  is  immersed  in  the  abyss  of  the  Godhead ;  self-existence  is  lost  and 
gone,  as  it  were,  and  the  soul  dwells  in  God  alone,  and  God,  in  turn, 
loves  and  praises  the  soul  and  has  His  delight  in  it.  This  blood- 
shedding, — is  it  not,  indeed,  delightful  when  the  creature  is  thus  im- 
mersed in  God  the  Creator?  That  we  may  all  attain  to  this  happy  end, 
may  our  good  God  grant  us.    Amen. 


222  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — The  sin  of  disliking  spiritual  doctrine — Desire  of  perfection 
is  in  itself  a  grade  of  perfection — Contentment  with  present  spir- 
itual conditions  is  apt  to  be  sinful — Unrest  is  often  a  sign  of  vig- 
orous spiritual  health. 


SECOND    SERMON   FOR   PASSION    SUNDAY. 

He  that  is  of  God  heareth  the  words  of  God. — John  viii,  47. 

Dear  children,  although  you  may  not  live  up  to  God's  word,  yet  you 
should  none  the  less  hear  it,  and  then  you  should  speak  about  it.  For 
as  long  as  you  continue  to  love  it  and  wish  to  possess  it,  it  is  in  a  way 
yours,  and  you  will  yet  be  made  eternal  partakers  of  it.  We  meet  with 
those  who  turn  away  from  high  spiritual  doctrine,  because  they  cannot 
comprehend  it,  and  they  think  they  have  no  concern  with  it ;  and  at 
last  they  have  an  aversion  either  to  speak  about  it  or  hear  others  do  so. 
I  have  no  notion  of  these  things,  one  will  say,  and  it  is  best  that  I  have 
nothing  to  say  or  hear  about  them,  for  I  am  better  without  them,  and 
so  I  wish  to  remain ;  and  then  they  even  try  to  turn  others  away  from 
high  spiritual  thoughts,  as  if  they,  too,  had  better  avoid  them.  But 
meanwhile,  though  pretending  to  be  well  satisfied  with  their  own  way, 
they  know  in  their  hearts  that  it  is  not  the  best.  All  this  indicates 
plainly  that  they  will  never  reach  their  best  interior  state,  nor  partake 
of  the  infinite  Good,  except  God  leads  them  through  a  season  of  grief 
and  mental  trial. 

St.  Bernard  says :  "O  man,  dost  thou  yearn  for  a  noble  and  holy  life, 
and  dost  thou  beg  this  favor  of  God  ?  If  thou  dost,  then  persevere  faith- 
fully in  this  state  of  soul,  and  thy  prayer  shall  be  granted  thee  a  single 
day,  yea,  even  one  hour  before  thy  death;  and  if  God  does  not  grant  it 
thee  in  this  life,  then  all  the  more  surely  will  He  do  so  in  eternity  in 
union  with  Himself."  Therefore,  never  give  up  thy  hopes  and  thy 
prayers  because  they  are  not  immediately  heard  and  fulfilled  or  are 
heard  only  for  an  occasional  moment.    And  be  not  disheartened  Hecause 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  223 

this  holy  purpose  easily  escapes  from  thy  mind.  To  lose  it  totally  were 
a  great  misfortune,  but  that  shall  not,  we  hope,  be  thy  sad  lot.  When 
thou  hearest  God's  word  cleave  fast  to  it  as  if  for  all  eternity,  resolve 
to  keep  it  and  live  by  it  forever  and  ever,  sinking  it  deep  into  thy  soul. 
It  may  happen  that  thou  shalt  afterwards  quite  cease  to  think  of  it ;  but, 
for  all  that,  the  love  of  it  and  the  longing  to  observe  it  with  which  thou 
didst  first  receive  it,  shall  always  shine  brightly  in  God's  sight,  and  in 
His  own  good  time  He  will  make  His  word  efficacious  for  thy  eternal 
welfare. 

What  we  can  actually  do  may  not  amount  to  much,  but  we  can  always 
desire  to  do  great  things.  A  man  may  not  play  a  great  part  in  act,  but 
he  always  can  have  great  good  will;  and  whatsoever  he  would  wish  to 
be,  supposing  that  his  whole  heart  and  soul  and  mind  are  in  his  wish, 
that  as  a  matter  of  fact — in  some  true  way,  at  least — he  actually  is. 
We  have  little  strength  to  do,  much  strength  to  desire  to  do,  and  that  it 
is  that  constantly  grows  within  us,  and  finally  goes  forth  from  us  into 
the  heart  of  God.  Of  course,  we  do  not  mean  that  a  man  should  idlj" 
dream  that  he  would  like  to  be  equal  to  such  or  such  a  saint  or  angel, 
but  simply  this:  I  long  most  earnestly  to  give  myself  entirely  and 
exclusively  to  God — to  God  alone.  If  a  man  cannot  be  God's  as  much 
as  he  would  gladly  wish  to  be,  yet  let  him  be  as  much  God's  as  he  can  be. 
Whatever  a  man  is,  let  him  be  that  to  God  wholly;  and  what  he  cannot 
be  to  God,  let  him  wish  earnestly  yet  to  become,  by  God  and  in  God. 
And  it  may  well  happen,  that  we  have  God  more  in  this  state  of  priva- 
tion than  in  some  states  of  possession.  Therefore,  be  thou  God's  man ; 
wait  patiently  on  God;  hold  God  to  thee  and  in  thee  and  with  thee; 
nothing  will  now  ever  go  wrong  with  thee. 

Do  not  for  a  moment  suppose  that  our  Lord  God  will  grant  thee 
special  favors,  such  as  perfect  spiritual  contentment,  enlightenment  or 
warmth  of  love,  as  He  sometimes  does  in  the  beginning  of  conversion. 
That  thought  is  only  a  sort  of  alluring  snare,  such  as  the  falconer  uses 
to  capture  his  hawk.  Our  Lord  deals  with  His  own  thus:  First,  He 
teaches  them,  and  then  He  lets  them  work  for  themselves.  Just  as  He 
caused  Moses  to  make  his  tables  of  the  law  after  the  pattern  He  Him- 
self had  set.  So  God  allows  a  man  to  stand  by  himself,  and,  having 
awakened,  enlightened  and  attracted  him,  after  a  time  he  does  so  no 
more;  He  leaves  us  now  to  utilize  His  graces.  We  must  arouse  our  own 
slothfulness,  awaken  our  consciences  and  perceptions,  light  up  the  fires 
of  energetic  action,  and  serve  God  diligently  at  our  own  cost.    While 


224  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

children  are  yet  quite  young  their  father  helps  them  in  everything,  giv- 
ing them  all  that  they  need  and  turning  them  out  to  their  play,  happy 
and  contented  and  well  provided  for — all  at  the  father's  expense  and 
care.  When  they  are  grown,  he  gives  them  a  share  of  his  property  and 
bids  them  care  for  themselves;  all  playtime  is  now  over  and  done,  and 
they  must  learn  how  to  become  rich  men  by  their  own  exertions. 

God  treats  us  the  same  way.  The  beginning  of  a  devout  life  is  all 
joy  and  sensible  devotion,  for  He  is  now  alluring  us  by  His  gifts. 
He  so  manages  that  we  find  His  will  in  everything  that  we  do ;  His  will 
coincides  with  ours  entirely.  But  presently  all  this  is  changed.  Now 
God  insists  that  we  shall  give  up  our  own  will  in  spite  of  ourselves ;  in 
fact  go  against  our  own  will — a  very  hard  and  unpleasant  task,  indeed. 
We  must  learn  to  sufifer ;  and,  besides,  we  must  grope  along  in  the  dark ; 
and,  although  we  are  quite  willing,  yet  it  is  not  by  our  natural  will,  but 
in  spite  of  it,  that  we  yield  all  guidance  to  Him.  Thus  did  our  Lord 
prophesy  to  Peter:  "Amen,  amen,  I  say  to  thee,  when  thou  wast  younger 
thou  didst  gird  thyself,  and  didst  walk  where  thou  wouldst.  But  when 
thou  shalt  be  old,  thou  shalt  stretch  forth  thy  hand  and  another  shall 
gird  thee,  and  lead  thee  whither  thou  wouldst  not."     (John  xxi,  18-19.) 

Thus  in  the  beginning  we  fettered  ourselves  with  God's  will  by  the 
help  of  His  loving  and  sweet  influences,  and  we  went  by  His  leave 
whithersoever  we  would,  our  will  and  His  being  perfectly  in  harmony. 
And  now  it  is  altogether  different;  He  will  bind  us  all  unwilling  and 
lead  us  whither  we  do  not  want  to  go.  Against  all  our  natural  incli- 
nations He  will  lead  us  by  dark  paths  into  Himself.  This  He  will 
continue  till  He  has  stripped  us  of  our  natural  will,  wholly  brought  it 
under  subjection  and  totally  consumed  it.  His  purpose  is  that  finally 
to  will  and  not  to  will  shall  not  any  longer  be  considered  by  us,  nor 
giving  and  keeping,  nor  having  and  lacking.  The  end  will  be  to  forget 
all  things  created,  and  let  them  go  from  us  and  let  them  stay  away  from 
us,  and,  instead,  to  accept  and  possess  God  alone,  to  have  Him  alone  in 
all  joy  and  sorrow.  We  become  most  dear  children  of  God  only  when 
neither  happiness  nor  misery,  pleasure  nor  pain  can  keep  us  back  from 
God.  What  all  this  means  in  the  soul  cannot  be  described,  but  this 
much  is  plain  :  It  is  incomparably  better  than  if  one  were  all  afire  with 
devotional  sentiment,  accompanied  with  a  lesser  degree  of  thorough- 
going self-renunciation,  having  more' self -chosen  spiritual  methods  with 
pious  feelings,  and  at  the  same  time  less  true-hearted  loyalty  to  God. 
May  God  help  us  to  the  better  state  of  His  love.     Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  22S 


g^liurt  (tixts  to  I|oltttf00 

Synopsis — One  is  the  way  of  public  shame;  another  is  by  a  call  to 
extraordinary  penances,  accompanied  by  deep  humility — Herein 
is  danger  of  self-righteousness. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  PALM  SUNDAY. 

It  is  expedient  for  you  that  one  man  should  die  for  the  people. — John  xi,  50. 

St.  John  adds  that  Caiaphas  spoke  not  of  himself  when  he  said  these 
words,  but  that  he  was  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to  prophesy ;  and  you 
will  notice,  dear  children,  that  this  last  prophesying  was  just  before 
our  Saviour's  death.  The  chief  priests  had  said :  "What  do  we,  for  this 
Man  doth  many  miracles.  If  we  let  Him  alone  so,  all  will  believe  in 
Him,  and  the  Romans  will  come  and  will  take  away  our  place  and 
nation."  Children,  let  us  admire  the  deep  and  unspeakable  love  of 
Jesus  for  us,  shown  by  the  wonderful  sufferings  He  endured  in  all  His 
powers  of  body  and  of  mind,  in  His  inner  and  in  His  outer  life. 

Now,  children,  many  men  enquire  for  the  shortest  road  to  the  highest 
truth.  Mark  well  that  to  answer  this  our  Lord  calls  three  kinds  of 
men  to  perfection.  One  kind  He  calls  to  suffer  public  humiliation,  in 
order  that  they  may  turn  to  God  and  maintain  entire  purity  of  inten- 
tion; and  such  as  these,  if  they  but  accept  their  lot  humbly,  will  experi- 
ence wonderful  effects  of  Divine  grace.  To  our  outward  senses  such 
souls  may  seem  deserving  of  condenmation,  for  appearances  are  often 
against  them.  But  if  we  do  condemn  them,  we  shall  only  hurt  our  O'.^-n 
selves. 

Another  kind  of  men  God  draws  to  Himself  by  works  of  penance. 
But  let  us  ask,  What  is  true  penance?  It  is,  for  example,  that  when  a 
man  would  gladly  talk,  he  yet,  for  God's  sake,  keeps  silence;  and  when 
he  would  with  much  pleasure  enjoy  looking  at  something  or  indulging 
any  of  his  other  senses,  he  yet  will  not  allow  himself  to  do  it,  but,  for 
God's  sake,  shuts  himself  away  from  it.  The  third  kind  of  men  our 
beloved  Lord  draws  by  His  own  self. 

Mark  this  well,  children  :  Every  man  must  die  if  all  shall  go  well  with 
him.     And  what  "man"  do  we  mean  bv  this?     W^e  mean  a  man's  own 


226  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

will,  his  spiritual  sense  of  proprietorship;  that  is  what  must  die.  And 
to  what  things  must  a  man  die?  Be  assured  of  this,  children :  If  thou 
hadst  suffered  all  the  pains  of  the  martyrs  and  of  the  other  saints,  and 
hadst  done  the  good  that  all  Christendom  has  done  or  shall  do  to  the 
end  of  the  world,  unless  this  has  entered  into  thy  soul  and  has  done  its 
work  within  thee,  it  will  profit  thee  nothing,  and  thou  hast  not  died  to 
thyself;  no,  nor  unless  thou  hast  wholly  renounced  everything  to  which 
thou  hast  cleaved  for  thy  own  satisfaction. 

And  what  sign  shall  a  man  have,  that  he  has  thus  spiritually  and  in 
very  truth  died?  Be  it  known  to  thee  that  if  thou  wert  dead  and 
raised  to  life  a  thousand  times  over,  and  if  thou  hadst  fed  daily  only  on 
rocks  and  thorns,  and  been  broken  on  the  wheel,  yet  all  this  would  not 
be  the  true  sign  of  dying  to  self.  But  rather  this,  and  this  alone :  If 
thou  hast  bowed  thyself  down  beneath  the  infinite  mercy  of  God  with 
all  humility  and  self-renunciation,  yea,  and  under  the  feet  of  all  crea- 
tures, then  know  for  certain  that  Christ,  entirely  out  of  His  loving  kind- 
ness and  compassion,  has  granted  thee  His  gift. 

And  here  shines  forth  Christ's  teaching:  "So  you  also,  when  you  shall 
have  done  all  these  things  that  are  commanded  you,  say :  We  are 
unprofitable  servants."  (Luke  xvii,  10.)  And  if  it  should  happen 
that  a  man  comes  to  the  end  and  expires  fixed  fast  in  his  own  will, 
then  the  Romans  shall  come  and  take  away  his  place  and  nation.  For, 
as  the  Empire  of  Rome  was  the  greatest  power  in  the  world,  so  is 
spiritual  pride  the  greatest  among  all  the  vices,  holding  possession,  as  it 
does,  of  the  very  highest  powers  of  the  soul — those  that  God  alone 
should  possess  by  His  grace.  It  is  this  terrible  enemy,  pride,  that 
destroys  the  whole  virtue  of  a  man  in  all  his  powers,  from  the  highest 
to  the  lowest,  as  the  Romans  smote  and  destroyed  the  Jews. 

Children,  be  on  your  guard,  for  there  are  many  men  who  seem  to  be 
something  wonderful,  and  who,  with  all  their  great  knowledge  and  fame, 
go  astray  from  this  one  only  way  to  God.  As  long  as  self-guidance  and 
self-will  rules  in  us  and  is  not  exterminated,  it  will  go  right  onward  in 
its  fatal  course,  till  all  that  Christ  has  done  within  our  souls  is  destroyed. 
How  many  men  are  there  not — men  of  fair  appearance  spiritually,  and 
with  whom  God  in  the  beginning  worked  wonders — who  have,  neverthe- 
less, finally  failed?  It  was  because  they  did  not  accept  this  truth  in 
single-hearted  sincerity,  but  rested  upon  self,  inwardly  and  outwardly, 
in  mind  and  body.  Look  at  King  Solomon  as  an  example  of  this ;  God 
once  spoke  familiarly  with  him.    Look  at  Samson,  who  received  God's 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  227 

messages  by  a  holy  angel.  And  upon  both  of  these  fell  God's  wrath 
and  condemnation,  because  they  were  not  willing  to  die  to  themselves 
in  spirit  and  in  act,  as  they  ought  to  have  done.  They  rested  and  dwelt 
on  God's  gifts  for  their  own  self's  sake;  they  took  His  favors  with  a 
sense  of  personal  ownership,  and  with  unbridled  enjoyment  of  them; 
and  they  failed  in  thankfulness  to  God.  And  now  how  stands  it  with 
them  in  the  final  judgment  of  the  Most  High?  Holy  Church  knows  not 
whether  they  are  saved  or  lost,  and  we  must  blindly  leave  them  to  the 
goodness  of  God. 

And  now  come  yet  another  class — men  rich  in  the  treasures  of  their 
own  natural  understanding  and  puffed  up  with  self-importance,  and 
they  would  boast  that  they  have  acquired  all  spirituality.  No,  children, 
their  spirit  is  false;  go  not  after  them.  For  all  that  our  poor  fallen 
nature  gives,  it  exacts  again;  and  what  Christ  gives,  He  also  exacts 
again.  Yet  these  men  often  seem  to  bear  pain  more  courageously  than 
really  spiritual  men,  to  whom  they  speak  and  say:  God  have  mercy  on 
us !  What  an  unmortified  man  art  thou !  Thus  they  mock  a  man  who 
is  really  mortified  in  spirit  as  well  as  in  outward  behavior.  But  some- 
times those  really  good  men  do  not  appear  mortified,  for  God  grants 
them,  as  a  sign  of  their  genuine  and  interior  self-denial,  the  grace  of 
being  cheerful  and  hopeful  toward  God  and  toward  all  men,  good  and 
bad ;  they  are  gentle  and  kindly  and  happy  in  their  manners.  Creatures 
can  neither  give  nor  take,  in  their  case ;  for  what  they  long  to  possess, 
namely,  God's  holy  will,  that  they  ever  have,  whether  in  pain  or  ease, 
weal  or  woe.  That  alone  they  desire  in  time  and  eternity,  whether  they 
reckon  for  themselves  or  think  of  created  things.  Children,  waste  no 
time  with  self-righteous  men,  led  only  by  reason's  light.  About  them 
Christ  has  taught  us:  "Every  plant  which  My  heavenly  Father  hath 
not  planted,  shall  be  rooted  up."  (Matt,  xv,  13.)  This  fate  is  visited 
upon  them  because  they  will  not  repent  and  turn  to  better  ways.  Thor- 
oughly good  men,  on  the  other  hand,  are  instructed  by  the  example  of 
our  Lord  in  the  garden.  When  His  bitter  agony  came  upon  him.  He 
sweat  blood,  so  great  was  His  anguish  of  soul;  and  in  this  awful  pain 
of  heart  did  He  continue,  till  He  lovingly  gave  up  His  life  for  us. 
Every  man  must  do  in  like  manner.  He  must  suffer  death  in  soul  and 
body,  in  what  he  does  and  what  he  leaves  undone.  Children,  learn  our 
Saviour's  lesson :  It  is  to  give  yourselves  up  to  all  suffering  for  His 
sake;  it  is  to  be  wholly  subject  to  God  and  to  all  His  creatures,  even 
unto  death,  both  in  spirit  and  in  body.     God  grant  us  this.     Amen. 


228  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


(EljriBt'B  Olleaitatng  of  tly?  Etmpk  of  tij?  Boni 

Synopsis — Who  are  the  traffickers — All  who  deal  with  God  not  purely 
out  of  love — Danger  of  counting  too  surely  on  a  recompense  for 
virtue — Beauty  of  holiness  all  freed  of  mercenary  motives — Reve- 
lations of  Jesus  to  a  soul  devoid  of  selfhood. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  PALM  SUNDAY. 

And  Jesus  went  into  the  temple  of  God,  and  cast  out  all  them  that  sold  and 
bought  in  the  temple. — Matt,  xxi,  12. 

And  when  Jesus  had  done  this  He  spoke  to  those  who  sold  doves  and 
said :  ''Take  these  things  away."  It  was  His  will  to  cleanse  His  temple. 
It  was  as  if  He  had  said :  I  am  the  owner  of  this  temple,  and  I  alone 
shall  dwell  in  it  and  be  master  of  it. 

And  what  is  this  temple  in  which  God  alone  shall  rule  with  all  power 
and  according  to  His  own  will?  It  is  man's  soul,  which  He  has  created 
in  close  resemblance  to  Himself,  according  to  His  word :  "Let  us  make 
man  after  Our  image  and  likeness."  (Gen.  i,  26.)  And  this  likeness 
of  man's  soul  to  God  is  so  close,  that  nothing  else  is  to  be  compared  with 
it  for  close  resemblance  to  Him  in  Heaven  or  on  earth.  This  is  why 
God  will  have  our  soul  free  and  clear  of  everything  but  Himself  alone, 
and  v/hen  that  is  done  He  is  well  pleased  to  make  His  abode  there  alone. 

Who  were  those  that  bought  and  sold  in  the  temple,  and  who  are  they 
that  do  so  now?  And  take  notice  that  I  am  to  speak  only  of  those 
buyers  and  sellers  in  the  temple  who  are  good  people,  and  who  are  never- 
theless scourged  out  of  His  temple  by  the  Lord;  not  gross  sinners  or 
such  as  are  consciously  in  a  state  of  mortal  sin ;  and  yet  they  are  buyers 
and  sellers.  They  are  souls  who,  indeed,  guard  against  grievous  sins, 
and  would  do  good  works  for  God's  glory ;  they  fast  and  pray  and  keep 
vigils  and  do  other  good  things.  But  what  is  their  motive?  It  is  that 
God  would  in  return  do  good  things  to  them,  bestow  on  them  the  favors 
they  wish.  They  are,  therefore,  self-seekers;  they  are  merchandisers 
with  God,  as  anyone  can  see.  They  give  that  they  may  get.  They 
must  traffic  with  our  Lord.     And  meanwhile  in  all  their  trading  with 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


229 


God  they  are  self-deceived.  For  what  is  there  of  all  they  possess  and 
trade  with  but  God  has  given  it  to  them?  God  owes  them  nothing,  no 
matter  what  they  may  give  Him  or  do  for  Him.  Whatever  they  are, 
they  are  from  God;  whatever  they  have,  they  have  from  God,  and  are 
nothing  and  have  nothing  of  themselves. 

Hence  I  say  again,  God  owes  them  nothing  for  all  they  may  do  for 
Him  or  give  Him.  He  has  given  them  all  they  have  willingly  out  of  His 
free  grace,  not  on  account  of  their  works  or  gifts.  They  have  nothing 
of  their  own  to  give  Him ;  no  power  of  their  own  bestowal  wherewith  to 
work  for  Him,  as  Christ  says:  "Without  Me  you  can  do  nothing." 
(John  XV,  5.)  How  dull  and  foolish  are  such  men,  to  think  that  they 
really  trade  with  the  Lord !  They  perceive  the  truth  of  Divine  things 
scarcely  at  all,  and  hence  the  Lord  scourges  them  out  of  His  temple. 
Light  and  darkness  can  have  no  fellowship,  God  in  His  very  essence  is 
truth  and  light,  and  when  He  enters  His  temple  He  drives  ignorance 
and  darkness  out  of  it,  revealing  Himself  in  all  His  brightness.  When 
truth  enters  in  and  is  recognized,  then  trafficking  must  go  out;  truth 
can  tolerate  no  trafficking  with  God.  God  is  not  selfish,  but  in  all  His 
works  He  is  free,  being  directed  wholly  by  perfect  love.  And  thus  acts 
every  man  who  is  united  to  God.  In  all  that  he  does  he  is  free  and 
unselfish,  acting  purely  from  love,  never  asking  why  and  wherefore; 
that  is  to  say,  never  seeking  his  own,  but  only  God  and  His  glory ;  and 
in  all  this  God  is  working  in  him. 

And  let  me  insist:  As  long  as  a  man  in  all  his  good  works  seeks  or 
desires  as  his  controlling  motive  what  God  may  give  him  as  a  recom- 
pense, so  long  is  he  like  the  traffickers  in  the  temple.  If  thou  wilt  be 
quit  and  done  with  all  such  trafficking,  then  do  all  the  good  that  thou 
dost  for  God's  praise  alone,  and  stand  as  entirely  free  as  if  there  were 
to  be  no  return  made  thee.  Then  thy  good  deeds  become  entirely  spir- 
itual and  Godlike.  Then  are  all  traffickers  driven  out  of  the  temple  of 
thy  soul.  God  alone  dwells  in  the  soul  of  a  man  that  in  his  good  works 
takes  Him  and  Him  alone  into  account.  This  is  then  the  purifying  of 
the  soul  from  all  self-seeking,  God  and  His  honor  becoming  the  end  and 
purpose  of  all. 

But  this  Gospel  points  out  to  us  a  yet  higher  grade  of  distinterested- 
ness.  For  there  are  some  who  have  a  pure  intention  in  their  well- 
doing, and  yet  are  hindered  from  attaining  a  high  state  of  perfection ; 
namely,  those  who  keep  up  a  less  blameworthy  traffic  with  creatures, 
like  those  dealers  in  doves  whose  chairs  the  Lord  overthrew  in  the 


230  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

temple.  The  traffic  in  doves  was  well  meant  at  first,  and  yet  it  was 
unseemly ;  and  it  became  the  occasion  of  avarice  rather  than  a  help  to 
the  worship  of  God  in  the  temple.  So  it  is  with  some  men,  who  have 
an  upright  intention  and  serve  God  without  self-seeking.  Yet  they  still 
yield  to  a  feeling  of  ownership  in  their  good  deeds.  They  insist  on 
doing  them  in  a  certain  sense  mechanically,  and  strictly  according  to 
time  and  place  and  number  and  routine,  and  according  to  specified 
plans,  and  this  hinders  their  coming  to  the  best  spiritual  state.  They 
should  hold  their  souls  free  from  all  such  things,  just  as  our  Saviour 
Himself  did,  and  be  ever  ready  to  begin  anew,  without  waiting  for  cer- 
tain times  or  going  to  certain  places.  They  should  give  themselves  over 
to  the  guidance  of  the  heavenly  Father  just  as  Christ  did;  yea,  obedient 
to  the  least  intimation  of  His  holy  will,  determined  on  one  thing  only — 
to  be  perfectly  under  the  loving  influence  of  His  fatherly  heart.  Thu;^ 
one  is  led  to  a  life  of  the  truest  perfection,  unhindered  by  methods  and 
arrangements  of  his  own,  only  anxious  to  yield  instantly,  and,  as  it 
were,  to  the  beck  and  nod  of  God's  will ;  and  in  the  same  spirit  to  return 
God's  gifts  back  again  into  the  heart  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  all 
praise  and  thanksgiving.  Then  it  comes  to  pass  that  all  hindrances  to 
spiritual  progress  are  taken  away;  from  such  a  soul  even  the  doves 
and  their  venders  are  expelled — all  sense  of  proprietorship  whatsoever, 
even  that  which  is  least  blameworthy,  is  done  away,  and  a  man  seeks 
himself  in  nothing  at  all.  Our  Lord  is  determined  that  no  one  shall 
make  any  disturbance  in  His  temple ;  He  will  permit  no  running  about 
here  and  there,  as  St.  Matthew  tells  us.  Which  means  that  a  spiritual 
man  must  purify  his  motives,  until  they  are  clear  of  every  obstacle  that 
may  divert  him  from  advancing  even  a  single  step  in  perfection. 

And  when  this  purification  of  the  temple  of  the  soul  has  been  accom- 
plished, and  all  ignorance  and  proprietorship  are  cleansed  away,  then 
.  God's  work  in  it  shines  so  beautiful  and  so  bright  that  it  excels  the 
glory  of  any  other  of  His  creations.  No  beauty  can  outshine  that  of  such 
a  soul,  save  only  the  uncreated  beauty  of  God  Himself,  whom  it  resem- 
bles more  than  any  other  creature  can.  No  angel  can  be  like  it;  not 
even  the  highest  of  them ;  for,  though  it  have  much  resemblance  to  it, 
it  is  yet  not  quite  like  it.  For  to  the  progress  of  an  angel  there  is  now,  in 
a  certain  sense,  a  limit  fixed  as  to  the  beatific  vision,  whereas  this  soul 
can  continue  to  grow  more  and  more  perfect  as  long  as  it  lives  in  time. 
Suppose  a  man  who  is  still  in  this  life  gifted  with  the  virtue  of  a  certain 
angel ;  his  freedom  and  his  opportunities  are  such  as  to  enable  him  to 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  231 


advance  every  instant  beyond  the  angel  in  perfection.  God  alone  is 
free  with  uncreated  liberty,  and  so  is  the  soul  free,  but  not  in  uncreated 
liberty;  and  herein  is  there  a  peculiar  resemblance  between  God  and 
the  soul.  And  when  the  soul  departs  this  life,  it  is  absorbed  in  light 
uncreated — in  God — then  it  must  attain  to  union  with  Him  by  full 
knowledge  of  Him.  And  this,  as  we  have  already  shown,  is  begun  by 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  He  enters  the  soul  and  drives  out  of  it  the 
buyers  and  sellers,  and  begins  intimately  to  speak  to  it. 

Dear  children,  rest  assured  that  if  any  one  undertakes  to  speak  in  the 
temple — that  is,  in  our  soul — except  Jesus  alone,  then  does  Jesus  imme- 
diately become  silent.  He  no  longer  feels  at  home  there;  indeed,  it  is 
now  not  His  home,  for  it  entertains  strange  guests  and  holds  converse 
with  them.  Not  only  so;  but  if  Jesus  is  to  speak,  the  soul  itself  must 
be  silent,  and  do  nothing  but  listen  to  Him.  The  moment  it  sits  still  and 
listens.  He  begins  to  speak.  What  does  He  say  He  says,  I  am :  I  am 
the  Father's  Word.  And  then  in  the  same  Word  thus  spoken  the  Father 
Himself  speaks,  the  entire  Divine  nature  is  heard — all  that  is  God,  all 
that  God's  Word  is  to  God's  self,  perfect  in  self-knowledge  and  infinite 
in  power.  God  is  infinitely  perfect  in  His  utterance  to  the  soul,  for  the 
W^ord  He  utters  is  Himself;  it  is  the  Second  Divine  person  of  the  God- 
head, of  the  same  nature  with  the  Father. 

And  in  speaking  this  Divine  Word  God  utters  all  reasonable  beings  in 
created  existence,  thus  forming  them  like  unto  His  uncreated  Word,  as 
It  ever  dwells  within  Him.  All  the  brightness  of  created  intelligences, 
is  made  after  the  image  of  the  glory  of  this  uncreated  Word  of  Go,!. 
And  this  resemblance  consists  essentially,  in  the  capability  the  ereaicd 
soul  has  of  receiving  by  Divine  grace  God's  uncreated  Word;  yea,  even 
the  very  Word  that  is  God,  receiving  It  as  It  is  in  Itself.  This  was  all 
uttered  by  God,  when  He  divinely  spoke  His  infinite  Word  in  the  God- 
head. Now,  one  might  enquire:  Since  the  Father  has  thus  spoken  His 
Word,  what  does  Jesus  speak  in  the  soul?  Dear  children,  I  answer  you 
by  recalling  what  I  have  already  said  of  the  manner  of  His  communica- 
tion :  He  speaks  and  reveals  His  own  self,  and  that  includes  all  (hat 
the  Father  has  spoken  in  the  Divine  act  of  uttering  the  Word,  all  being 
now  addressed  to  the  soul  according  to  its  capacity  to  receive  it. 

First,  He  reveals  the  Father's  supreme  majesty  in  the  soul,  in  His 
sovereign  and  immeasurable  power.  And  when  the  soul  feels  and  per- 
ceives this  almighty  power  in  God's  Son— feels  itself  made  a  partaker 
of  that  power  in  all  virtue  and  in  perfect  purification,  so  that  neither 


232  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

joy  nor  sorrow  nor  any  other  created  force  can  unsettle  its  peace; 
then  in  that  Divine  power  it  rests,  strong  against  all  adversaries,  great 
or  little. 

In  addition  to  this,  the  Lord  reveals  Himself  in  the  soul  in  infinite 
wisdom — in  the  very  Divine  wisdom  that  He  is  Himself,  that  in  which 
the  Father  knows  Himself  with  His  almighty  paternity;  and,  again, 
the  Word  that  is  wisdom  itself  and  is  one  essence  with  the  Father. 
When  this  wisdom  is  united  to  the  soul,  all  doubting  and  all  straying 
away  is  stopped,  and  all  spiritual  darkness  vanishes,  and  the  soul  is 
placed  in  the  clear  light  that  is  God's  self.  It  is  now  as  the  prophet 
said:  "In  Thy  light  we  shall  see  light."  (Ps.  xxxv,  10.)  That  is  to 
say :  Lord,  all  light  is  seen  in  the  soul  in  the  light  that  Thou  art.  Thus 
is  God  known  in  the  soul  by  the  light  that  God  Himself  is.  And  thus  is 
Wisdom  known  by  the  light  of  Wisdom  Itself;  and  with  it  the  soul 
knows  itself  and  all  things  else  that  it  knows.  Thus,  again,  by  this 
wisdom  is  known  God's  fatherhood  in  majesty.  His  essential  unchange- 
ableness,  and  His  Divine  and  indivisible  unity. 

Thirdly,  Jesus  reveals  Himself  within  the  soul  with  infinite  love,  with 
sweetness  and  abundance  of  love  welling  forth  from  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  overflowing  into  the  heart,  all  docile  and  receptive  of  its  rich 
streams.  Yes,  it  is  by  means  of  the  Love  that  Jesus  is  that  He  reveals 
Himself  to  the  soul  and  unites  it  to  Himself.  It  is  this  sweetness  that 
causes  the  soul  to  flow  into  itself,  and  then  to  overflow  beyond  all  crea- 
tures— melted  by  Divine  grace,  given  power  to  return  again  into  God 
its  first  fountain  and  origin.  Then  the  outward  man  bows  down  obe- 
dient to  the  inward  man — obedient  unto  death;  then  are  both  the 
inward  and  outward  faculties  at  peace  with  each  other  in  God's  service. 
May  God  grant  us  this  happy  state ;  may  He  expel  and  destroy  all  hin- 
drances in  us  in  both  soul  and  body,  so  that  we  may  be  made  one  with 
Him  in  time  and  in  eternity.     Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  233 


Synopsis — His  nakedness  makes  voluntary  poverty  a  divine  virtue — 
His  being  placed  between  two  thieves  shows  the  splendor  of  broth- 
erly love — His  pity  for  His  enemies  tells  us  of  God's  mercy  to 
sinners — Obedience  is  taught  by  His  resignation  to  His  fathers 
will  even  unto  death — Holy  friendship  is  illustrated  by  His  treat- 
ment of  His  mother  and  St.  John — Patience  and  perseverance  are 
inculcated  by  the  nailing  of  His  holy  body  to  the  cross — Con- 
stancy in  prayer  is  shown  by  His  ending  His  life  with  a  sigh  of 
prayerful  hope. 


FIRST    SERMON    FOR    GOOD    FRIDAY. 
With  Christ  I  am  nailed  to  the  cross. — Gal.  ii,  19. 

Thus  speaks  the  apostle,  teaching  us  that  we  must  never  permit  the 
sacred  passion  of  our  Lord  to  be  absent  from  our  thoughts,  but  that 
with  deep  emotion,  sympathy  and  gratitude,  we  must  ever  meditate  on  it. 
There  is  no  surer,  easier  or  better  way  to  be  freed  from  our  sins  and  to 
acquire  all  virtues,  graces  and  joys  than  this  devout  practice.  Nay, 
there  is  no  other  way  to  go  to  God;  it  is  the  one  only  way  that  all  the 
saints  have  trodden.  0,  how  much  is  to  be  said  on  this  holy  theme,  one 
which  surpasses  the  angels'  powers  of  understanding:  Of  how  God 
became  man  out  of  His  great  love  for  us,  and  then  for  such  vile  sinners 
humbled  Himself  even  to  the  bitter  cross ! 

And  if  the  everlasting  Lord  and  God  of  all,  suffered  such  shame  and 
such  torment  for  us,  should  not  all  who  claim  to  be  His  friends  willingly 
suffer  whatsoever  God  allots  them,  whether  they  be  guilty  or  innocent? 
Should  they  not  esteem  themselves  honored,  thus  to  be  made  like  Him 
and  allowed  to  follow  after  Him  in  this  His  chosen  way  of  the  cross? 
Hence  the  holy  apostle  St.  Peter  admonishes  us:  "Christ,  therefore, 
having  suffered  in  the  flesh,  be  you  also  armed  with  the  same  thought." 
(I  Peter,  iv.  1.)  And  so  does  our  holy  and  faithful  mother,  the  Church, 
tell  us  that  this  thought  should  never  be  absent  from  our  hearts.     This 


234  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

she  does  not  only  by  the  holy  scriptures  and  in  her  public  worship,  but 
also  she  would  help  our  weakness  with  pious  pictures  and  statues  of 
our  Lord's  sufferings.  She  never  ceases  to  exhort  us  to  praise  and 
thank  God  for  His  infinite  love,  most  perfectly  proved  by  His  blessed 
death  for  our  souls.  This  is  also  holy  Church's  reason  for  giving  us 
the  pictures  and  other  representations  of  her  saints.  These  are  offered 
us  to  make  us  imitate  their  holy  lives,  to  help  us  battle  manfully  against 
evil,  and  suffer  patient!}'  for  God's  sake,  to  strengthen  us  in  our  faith, 
to  arouse  our  sleeping  energies  to  the  faithful  service  of  God.  Above 
all  these  emblems  is  the  figure  of  Jesus  crucified — above  all  to  be  prized, 
most  often  to  be  venerated,  and  interiorly  to  be  contemplated.  Let  us 
now  study  the  lessons  that  our  beloved  Lord  has  written  upon  His  cru- 
cified body,  and  let  us  print  them  indelibly  in  our  hearts. 

The  first  lesson  is  taught  by  the  nakedness  of  His  body  on  the  cross; 
it  is  voluntary  poverty.  So  must  we  learn  to  be  poor  for  His  sake, 
since  He  became  poor  for  our  sakes.  Out  of  all  His  rich  kingdoms.  He 
kept  not  so  much  as  would  serve  to  cover  Him  as  He  hung  on  the  cross. 
He  had  said :  "Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the  Kingdom 
of  Heaven."'  (Matt,  v,  3.)  Is  not  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  a  rich  treas- 
ure to  him  who  is  so  fortunate  as  to  possess  it?  And  it  is  a  blessed 
lot  for  more  reasons  than  its  riches.  Voluntary  poverty  bestows  more 
upon  a  man  than  he  can  desire.  What  he  has  contents  him ;  he  is  satis- 
fied in  his  poor  estate,  so  much  so  that  he  does  not  feel  himself  poor  at 
all.  The  covetous  man  ever  covets  to  gain  yet  more,  ever  dreads  to  be 
robbed ;  the  poor  man  of  Christ  is  ever  thinking  that  he  has  more  than 
enough.  Therefore  is  he  rightly  called  blessed  and  happy,  because  he 
has  all  that  he  desires ;  for  all  he  desires  is  to  be  poor,  and  to  suffer  want 
is  his  purpose — very  willingly  and  for  God's  sake.  Such  men  have, 
indeed,  learned  by  heart  and  in  their  hearts  how  to  be  poor.  They  have 
always  before  their  eyes  the  spectacle  of  Jesus  crucified.  His  blessed 
humanity,  poor  and  in  want  all  His  days  on  earth,  is  printed  on  their 
heart's  tablets.  Blessed  are  these  men ;  no  man  can  rob  them,  for  they 
own  nothing  worth  stealing.  Again  they  are  blessed,  because  they  have 
been  granted  a  foretaste  of  Heaven's  blessed  freedom,  owning  all  and 
more  than  all  that  is  needful  even  in  and  by  their  poverty;  for  that 
gives  them  a  sweet  contentment  of  mind,  to  be  rewarded  after  death  by 
the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  itself. 

The  second  lesson  of  Jesus  crucified  is  perfect  brotherly  love,  for  you 
know  that  He  was  hung  between  two  thieves;  and  this  was  His  own 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  235 

choice,  for  He  desired  to  bear  the  penalty  of  their  guilt.  How  could 
He  ever  have  better  shown  that  His  love  was  perfect,  than  by  bearing 
the  burden  of  the  guilt  of  His  enemies  on  His  own  shoulders,  having  it 
struck  and  cut  into  all  His  members?  If  He  had  but  died  for  His 
friends  alone,  even  so  it  were  a  mark  of  mighty  love;  but  that  He  died 
for  His  enemies  is  a  mark  of  perfect  love.  In  this  He  teaches  us  that  we 
should  love  our  enemies,  and  that  we  should  do  so  by  serving  them  in  all 
their  necessities.  Our  Lord  would  be  put  to  death  not  only  for  His 
friends  and  for  good  people ;  He  would  suffer  all  His  bitter  passion  and 
His  cruel  death  for  the  wicked  and  for  His  enemies.  And  if  He  showed 
such  love  to  His  very  enemies,  what,  think  you,  must  be  His  love  for  His 
friends,  who  have  so  faithfully  followed  Him?  St.  Paul  tells  us :  "When 
as  yet  we  were  enemies,  according  to  the  time,  Christ  died  for  us;  much 
rather  therefore  now,  being  justified  by  His  blood,  shall  we  be  saved 
from  wrath  through  Him."      (Roni.  v,  9.) 

The  third  lesson  of  Jesus  crucified  is  His  overflowing  mercy.  See 
how  He  treated  the  thief  that  hung  all  justly  for  his  crimes  alongside  of 
Him  on  the  cross,  and  who  had  reviled  and  blasphemed  Him.  (Matt, 
xxvii,  44.)  But  when  this  malefactor  repented  and  begged  a  grace  of 
Jesus,  He  instantly  pardoned  him,  and  He  granted  him  a  greater  boon 
than  he  had  asked.  He  said :  "Lord,  remember  me  when  Thou  comest 
into  Thy  kingdom."  Jesus  gladly  hearkened  to  him,  and  answered : 
"Amen,  I  say  to  thee,  this  day  thou  shalt  be  with  Me  in  Paradise." 
Jesus  not  only  thought  of  him  kindly  and  spoke  a  good  word  to  him, 
but  He  joined  the  poor  wretch  very  closely  to  Himself,  Who  is  the  true 
and  living  paradise  of  eternal  joy.  And  you  know  how  our  Lord,  as 
soon  as  He  died,  descended  in  His  human  soul  joined  to  His  Divine 
nature  into  the  Limbus  of  the  just,  and  announced  to  all  those  God- 
fearing souls  there  the  near  approach  of  their  eternal  happiness.  In 
that  happy  journey  the  good  thief  was  our  Lord's  companion,  and  his 
paradise  was  to  see  Jesus  then  amid  His  chosen  friends.  Was  not  this 
a  proof  of  a  heart  overflowing  with  mercy?  And  if  He  treated  an 
enemy  thus,  will  not  His  love  overflow  yet  more  generously  toward  His 
friends?  But,  besides  adoring  His  mercy,  let  us  be  sure  to  imitate  it 
in  our  conduct  toward  friends  and  foes,  and  especially  the  latter. 

The  fourth  lesson  learned  beneath  the  cross  of  Christ  is,  perfect  and 
devout  obedience.  Obedience  it  was  that  nailed  Him  to  the  cross,  and 
that  virtue  did  He  especially  show  when  He  bowed  His  head  and  gave  up 
the  ghost.    Herein  piety  and  obedience  are  both  shown  forth.     For  it 


236  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

was  an  act  of  absolute  obedience  to  His  Father,  when  He  accepted  death 
and  gave  up  His  soul  out  of  His  body ;  and  that  He  reverently  bowed 
down  His  head,  was  a  mark  of  the  devout  feeling  with  which  His  heart 
was  filled.  And  listen  to  His  last  words :  "Father,  into  Thy  hands  I 
commend  My  spirit."  (Luke  xxiii,  46.)  As  if  to  say:  Father,  I  have 
obeyed  Thee  even  unto  death,  and  all  of  Thy  holy  will  I  have  com- 
pletely accomplished:  "It  is  consummated"  (John  xix,  30)  ;  and,  bow- 
ing His  sacred  head,  He  gave  up  the  ghost.  Learn  from  this  to  be  not 
only  obedient,  but  devoutly  obedient,  as  our  Lord  was.  Whatever  is 
commanded  us,  or  advised,  or  counselled,  let  us  receive  it  with  a 
devoutly  bowed  head.  Thus  will  men  know  that  we  have  gentle  hearts 
and  a  devout  spirit  in  our  obedience;  for  the  devotional  spirit  is  always 
gentle  and  yielding. 

Let  me  tell  you  what  is  true  piety  toward  God.  It  is  that  one 
interiorly  realizes  for  whose  sake  we  give  up  our  body  and  our  goods 
in  holy  obedience — namely,  for  God's  sake.  And  when  one  receives 
directions  from  a  superior,  let  him  say  in  his  own  mind :  My  Lord  and 
Father  and  Eedeemer,  I  gladly  accept  this  obedience  out  of  love  for 
Thee ;  receive  this  the  submission  of  my  will  as  a  sacrifice  to  Thy  glory. 
And  let  us  maintain  this  devout  obedience  to  the  end,  even  unto  death ; 
for  St.  Paul  teaches  what  Christ  did  for  us:  "He  humbled  Himself, 
becoming  obedient  unto  death."  (Phil,  ii,  8.)  We  should  often  medi- 
tate on  Christ's  obedience,  gaining  thereby  strength  to  practice  obedi- 
ence ourselves.  For  whosoever  comes  to  the  end  of  his  life  and  is  not 
found  in  a  state  of  holy  obedience,  cannot  hope  to  share  in  the  merits  of 
Christ's  obedience  on  the  cross. 

The  fifth  lesson  of  Jesus  crucified  is  that  of  respect  and  friendship. 
Mark  well  His  treatment  of  His  beloved  mother.  As  she  stood  beneath 
His  cross.  He  would  not  allow  her  to  suffer  her  dreadful  sorrow  without 
any  solace.  However  sad  His  own  desolation  as  He  hung  there.  He  yet 
did  not  forget  her.  He  could  not  speak  much  with  her,  so  great  was 
His  pain.  But  the  few  words  He  did  say,  proved  to  her  how  boundless 
was  His  love  and  His  respect  for  her.  All  sweetly  did  He  address  her, 
as  best  He  might  in  His  state  of  torture,  being  nigh  unto  death.  His 
bodily  forces  wasting  fast  away :  "Woman,  behold  thy  son !"  How 
mindful  was  He  of  His  beloved  mother,  even  amid  such  bodily  torments. 
He  committed  her  to  the  care  of  His  beloved  disciple  St.  John,  as  if  He 
would  say :  You  perceive,  dear  mother,  to  what  a  pass  I, thy  only  Son,  am 
come.     I  know  that  My  sufferings  pierce  thy  soul  with  a  sharp  sword  of 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  237 

agony,  beholding  Me  hanging  here  before  thy  eyes,  all  dripping  with 
blood;  but  behold  John,  thy  son!  Let  him  comfort  thee  in  My  place. 
How  well  this  teaches  us  to  honor  and  reverence  our  father  and  mother, 
and  not  only  our  natural  parents,  but  also  our  spiritual  parents — our 
fathers  and  mothers  in  religion ;  yea,  and  our  brothers  and  sisters,  too — 
all  for  the  sake  of  God  and  in  God,  just  as  our  Lord  has  commanded  us, 
so  that  it  may  be  well  with  us  in  the  land  He  will  give  us. 

The  sixth  lesson  of  Jesus  crucified  is  the  virtue  of  patience.  For  our 
Lord,  in  allowing  Himself  to  be  nailed  fast  to  the  cross,  as  much  as 
said  to  His  torturers:  Inflict  on  Me  all  the  sufl'ering  you  wish;  I  will 
gladly  bear  it  all.  In  his  whole  life  He  never  did  anything  that  merited 
the  least  punishment.  And  yet,  now  that  He  is  so  cruelly  treated,  He 
is  so  patient  that  He  has  not  a  single  bitter  thought,  not  one  word  of 
reproach.  For  what  did  He  say?  "Father,  forgive  them"— these  men 
who  are  torturing  Me;  ''forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do." 
This  teaches  us  to  willingly  accept  unjust  punishment,  to  patiently 
suffer  wrong,  never  forgetting  how  patient  the  Lord  was  as  He  allowed 
Himself  to  be  nailed  to  the  cross.  What  else  does  this  mean  but  that  we 
should  suffer  miseries  visited  on  us  rightly  or  wrongly,  with  equal  and 
entire  submission,  accepting  meekly  whatever  God  permits  to  happen 
to  us. 

The  seventh  lesson  of  Christ's  cross  is  steadfast  perseverance.  Mark 
that  he  allowed  His  feet  to  be  nailed  to  the  cross,  as  if  to  say :  I  will 
stand  fast  here  in  My  obedience  to  My  Father;  I  will  not  move  one  step 
away ;  here  stand  I  till  death.  Thus  should  we  stand  fast  in  a  good  life, 
bearing  the  cross  of  penance  to  the  end,  hands  and  feet  nailed  to  the 
cross  of  a  dying  life,  never  harboring  a  single  thought  except  that  of 
following  Jesus  crucified,  crucifying  all  our  vices  and  concupiscences 
with  great  good  will,  and  so  persisting  even  unto  death.  If  Jesus  finds 
us  thus  fastened  to  the  cross.  He  will  forgive  us  every  evil  thing  that  we 
ever  did.  To  stand  fast  in  good— that  is  our  purpose;  for  if  one  had 
lived  a  good  life  for  a  thousand  years,  and  afterwards  fell  away  but  for 
one  hour  and  thus  died,  then  in  sj)ite  of  all  his  former  goodness  he  would 
be  lost.  Therefore,  let  us  persevere  with  all  steadfastness,  and,  as  it 
were,  nailed  hands  and  feet  to  the  cross,  even  unto  the  end ;  for  as  we  are 
found  at  the  moment  of  death  so  shall  we  be  judged. 

The  eighth  lesson  of  Christ's  cross  is  constant  prayer,  for  you  know 
that  our  Lord,  amid  all  his  pains,  prayed  without  ceasing.  A  certain 
teacher  surmises  that  He  recited  a  hundred  and  fifty  verses  of  the 


238  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

psalms,  a  verse  for  every  psalm  in  the  psalter.  According  to  this,  He 
began  with  the  twenty-first  psalm,  ''O  God,  My  God,  look  upon  Me ;  why 
hast  Thou  forsaken  Me?"  and  ending  with  the  sixth  verse  of  the  thirtieth 
psalm,  ''Into  Thy  hands  I  commend  My  spirit."  And  with  these  last 
words  He  gave  up  the  ghost.  Now,  just  consider  that  Jesus  the  Son  of 
God,  who  was  all  innocent  and  guileless,  was  so  desolate  in  His  last 
agony  as  to  exclaim,  "My  God,  My  God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  Me !" 
When  we  consider  that,  must  we  poor  sinners  not  shrink  in  dismay  from 
the  thought  of  our  own  last  agony?  What  shall  we  then  say  to  God? 
Jesus  prayed  to  His  Father  thus  humbly,  and  as  if  He  had  been  a  life- 
long sinner,  and  He  did  so  to  set  us  an  example,  so  that  now  and  always 
until  death  we  should  meekly  appeal  for  pardon  to  our  Heavenly 
Father.  Such  should  be  our  constant  prayer,  for  prayer  is  always  nec- 
essary, and  if  diligently  persevered  in,  as  death  comes,  when  it  is  most 
necessary,  we  can  easily  turn  our  heart,  with  all  its  emotions  and 
affections,  perfectly  to  God.  Then  shall  we  be  granted  deep  and  humble 
confidence  in  God's  blessed  mercy ;  we  shall  be  enabled  with  this  prayer 
to  beat  off  all  evil  spirits,  who  will  then  assail  us  more  fiercely  than 
ever  before,  in  order  to  bring  us  to  eternal  ruin.  May  God  grant  that 
they  shall  have  no  power  to  hurt  us.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  289 


Sum  (&oh  Bramfi  S>oulfl  ta  l^una^ If 

Synopsis — This  drawing  is  essentially  inward — Xeed  of  detachment  if 
this  drawing  is  to  be  felt — How  adversity  and  suffering  should 
turn  us  towards  God's  inward  draioing,  and  even  more  the  sense 
of  desolation. 


SECOND    SERMON    FOR    GOOD    FRIDAY. 

And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  things  to  Myself. — John 
xii,  32. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  means  that  He  will  draw  all  men  to  Himself 
when  He  is  lifted  up;  for  man  has  a  share  of  all  things  in  himself — in 
common  with  the  stones  of  the  earth  he  has  existence,  life  with  the  trees 
and  plants,  sense  with  animals,  and  reason  with  angels. 

But  someone  might  say,  O  Christ.  Thou  eternal  truth,  I  do  not  feel 
Thy  drawing,  I  am  not  attracted  to  Thee.  St.  Augustine  answers : 
"Then  pray  that  thou  mayst  be  drawn  to  Him."  The  fisherman  casts 
his  baited  hook  that  the  fish  may  seize  it,  and  if  it  does  not  do  so,  then 
the  fisherman  does  not  get  the  fish ;  if  it  does,  then  the  fisherman  is 
sure  of  it  and  draws  it  in  to  the  shore.  So  has  God  cast  his  hooks  and 
his  nets  toward  us  and  all  around  us;  they  are  His  angels  and  all  His 
other  creatures,  by  which  He  would  draw  us  to  Him  most  gladly  by  our 
eyes  and  our  ears  and  our  hearts.  By  joyous  things  he  draws  us  to 
Him,  and  by  painful  things  as  well.  Whosoever  is  not  caught  and 
drawn  to  God  has  only  himself  to  blame,  for  he  has  wilfully  avoided 
the  angels'  drawing — he  will  not  receive  God's  baited  hook  nor  enter 
His  net.  If  he  had  done  so,  God  would  have  surely  captured  him ;  we 
have  only  to  reach  a  hand  toward  God,  and  He  will  never  fail  to  grasp 
it  and  draw  us  to  Himself.  Suppose  you  are  at  the  bottom  of  a  deep 
well  and  someone  comes  and  lets  down  a  rope  to  you ;  ought  you  not  to 
grasp  it  and  be  saved  ? 

The  soul  is  like  a  feather  blown  about  by  the  wind ;  but  if  a  weight 
is  attached  to  it,  it  rests  idly  on  the  ground.  So  does  a  soul  freed  from 
all  weight  of  sinfulness  easily  soar  aloft  to  God  on  the  wings  of  holy 


240  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

meditation.  Such  a  soul  is  lightened  and  cleansed  of  all  thoughts  about 
bodily  things,  and  set  at  rest  in  all  stillness  of  spirit.  Its  intentions 
and  aspirations  cleave  close  to  the  unchangeable  Good  that  God  is. 
God's  praises  are  unceasingly  sounded  in  that  soul.  And  this  happens 
because  the  soul  is  self-denying  in  all  things,  as  far  as  its  state  of  life 
will  allow.  Whosoever  is  for  God's  sake  far  removed  from  love  of 
earthly  things,  becomes  transformed,  and,  like  an  angel,  he  is  drawn 
deep  into  God.  And,  being  so  closely  joined  to  Him,  then  whatever 
happens  to  that  soul  in  its  outward  life  is  received  in  God  and  on 
account  of  God — eating  or  drinking,  sleeping  or  waking,  or  whatsoever 
else  he  does,  that  man  does  all  for  the  best  honor  of  God. 

A  man's  highest  perfection  consists  in  interior  tranquillity,  all  his 
faculties  drawn  in  by  an  indescribably  powerful  detachment  from 
created  things,  producing  an  angelic  state  of  soul.  Such  a  one  is  freed 
from  what  is  offensively  unlike  God,  and  is  granted  a  foretaste  of  that 
Divine  union  which  he  shall  enjoy  in  eternity.  Therefore,  retire  into 
thyself  and  be  at  rest  from  all  outward  and  inward  stirring,  as  far  as 
God's  law  will  allow  thee;  give  thyself  up  to  Him  in  that  state  of  mind, 
receiving  His  communication  with  thee  directly  or  otherwise,  according 
to  His  good  pleasure.  And  whatever  then  comes  to  thee  from  God, 
accept  it  in  entire  self-renunciation,  as  being  wholly  from  His  hand,  and 
be  sure  to  return  it  back  to  Him  in  deep  gratitude;  receive  all  as  a  loan 
from  Him,  for  it  is  His  and  not  thine,  and  ever  so  remains.  Thus  wilt 
thou  give  God  His  glory,  and  thy  own  nature  and  heart  and  mind  will 
abide  in  holy  poverty  in  His  sight. 

When  a  man  is  thoroughly  detached  from  all  transitory  things,  and 
is  rightly  ordered  in  self-renunciation,  he  is  in  the  first  degree  of  his 
progress  toward  God.  The  second  degree  is  when  his  soul  is  established 
in  peace  and  rest.  The  third  degree  is  when  he  receives  all  things,  pleas- 
ant or  unpleasant,  from  God's  hand  in  equal  contentment  of  mind  and 
is  wholly  resigned  to  God.  This  happens  when  a  man  lives  in  self-for- 
getfulness,  in  forgetfulness  of  all  created  things,  and  is  lost  in  God. 
This  degree  is  the  highest  perfection  of  purity  of  heart. 

But  let  no  man  presume  to  take  up  this  high  and  holy  work  of  God 
of  his  own  initiative.  Rather  let  him  humbly  await  God's  guidance, 
abandoning  himself  in  all  peacefulness  and  in  total  detachment  to  the 
Divine  influence,  whenever  and  however  it  may  come  to  him.  This  will 
be  all  that  God  requires  of  him — that  he  stand  before  Him  meekly  and 
as  a  poor  sinner,  and  await  in  entire  self-denial  the  working  of  Divine 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  241 

grace  in  his  soul.  The  man  who  thus  passively  yields  himself  up  to 
God's  hidden  operations  of  grace,  him  will  the  power  of  the  Almighty 
Father  visit,  and  the  light  of  the  only  begotten  Son  will  shine  within 
him,  and  the  infinite  love  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  proceeding  from  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  will  be  poured  out  upon  him,  and  the  heavens  will  rain 
down  on  him  the  dew  of  divine  sweetness,  and  the  earth  and  all  crea- 
tures will  minister  to  his  happiness. 

The  lowest  grade  of  these  men  are  drawn  close  into  God ;  those  of  the 
higher  grade  are  illuminated  and  strengthened;  the  highest  are  elevated 
into  union  with  Him.    Yet  be  it  known,  that  the  entrancing  joy  and  the- 
quiet  stillness  of  God's  peace  is  not  always  perceptible  to  one's  natural 
faculties;  the  soul  is  often  placed  in  a  state  of  poverty  of  feeling.     In 
that  state  let  one  remain  content  in  all  self-renunciation, for  God  reveals, 
Himself  only  in  a  supernatural  manner.    What  if  a  man.  who  has  given 
himself  up  entirely  to  God  as  the  source  of  all  his  being  and  is  lost 
entirely  in  the  Divine  will— what  if  he  does  not  always  experience  the 
sensible  emotions  of  piety  and  of  love ;  he  is  none  the  less  pure  of  heart, 
none  the  less  pleasing  to  God.     The  more  God  leaves  a  man  in  a  state  of 
natural  desolation  of  spirit,  the  stronger  does  He  establish  him  in  super- 
natural grace.     The  more  a  man  is  tried  by  natural  feelings  of  dread 
and  of  anguish — as  long  as  these  are  not  quite  intolerable — the  more  do 
these  very  sufferings  become  an  element  of  security  in  his  spiritual  life 
by  nourishing  holy  humility.     They  hold  him  back  from  ruin;  they  are 
like  a  stout  wall  built  up  between  him  and  the  danger  of  losing  all  the 
graces  that  have  been  granted  him.    These  trials  hinder  him  from  rash- 
ness and  over-security.     May  God's  eternal  love,  overflowing  and  ever 
faithful,  thus  be  given  to  us.     Amen. 


242  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Imntt  Wxtl}  (^ob 

Synopsis — Our  natural  yearning  for  unity — Multiplicity  is  a  trait  of 
fallen  nature — Dying  to  self  is  followed  by  rising  into  union  with 
God — Many  ways  shown  of  thus  dying  and  rising  again — After 
that  created  things  may  he  more  safely  used — Marvellous  effects 
on  the  deeper  interior  life. 


SERMON   FOR  EASTER   SUNDAY:   FIRST  PART. 

That  they  all  may  be  one,  as  Thou,  Father,  in  Me,  and  I  in  Thee  *  *  *  and 
I  in  them,  and  Thou  in  Me;  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one. — John  xvil, 
21-23. 

To  this  union  St.  Paul  had  attained,  for  he  says :  "And  I  live,  now 
not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  (Gal.  ii,  20.)  Let  us  ask  how  we,  too, 
may  be  made  one  with  God.  Not  otherwise  than  by  losing  ourselves 
and  forgetting  ourselves,  and  then  by  being  made  over  again  in  God  by 
God's  spirit.  For  as  long  as  a  man  is  self-conscious,  even  though  he 
have  God  and  is  even  conscious  of  Him,  just  so  long  is  He  not  one,  but 
two — he  has  not  become  one  with  God:  this  is  multiplicity  and  not 
perfect  unity.  In  unity  a  man  loses  multiplicity.  True  unity  is  the 
state  in  which  a  man  finds  himself  solely  in  One,  the  One  that  is  called 
and  is  God.  In  this  state  a  man  has,  as  it  were,  lost  his  selfhood  in 
God ;  so  that  he  has  no  joy  in  self,  no  thought  of  self,  no  outward  life  of 
self.  Nor  does  it  seem  to  him  that  it  is  his  own  self  that  knows  and 
loves  either  God  or  creatures  —all  seems  done  by  God.  Self  is  absorbed 
as  it  were  in  God. 

All  creatures  seek  after  this  unity;  all  multiplicity  struggles  toward 
it — the  universal  aim  of  all  life  is  always  this  unity.  Every  creature 
comes  forth  from  this  unity  by  an  immediate  creative  act,  and  each  one 
tends  again  to  be  absorbed  in  its  entire  existence  into  indivisible  unity, 
according  to  each  one's  capability.  All  activity  of  mind  and  body,  and 
all  love,  as  well  as  all  unrest,  has  an  end  and  purpose;  it  all  tends 
toward  entire  rest;  and  this  rest  is  to  be  found  nowhere  but  in  the  one, 
indivisible  unity  that  is  God.     All  that  flows  outward  is  to  flow  back- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  243 

ward  into  its  source — God.  And  when  this  has  happened,  and  not 
before,  do  we  find  rest  and  tranquillity.  When  all  that  goes  to  make 
up  a  man's  being  has  become  lovingly  one  with  God,  then  all  the  soul's 
cries  are  hushed,  and  the  unrest  of  longing  and  of  acting  has  ceased. 
Nature  itself  universally  craves  this  unity,  and  consumes  everything, 
even  its  own  life,  in  its  strivings  to  attain  to  it;  but  to  true  unity  can 
nature  never  come  except  in  God,  the  only  being  wholly  one.  And  O 
how  anxious,  how  uncertain  is  the  soul  of  man  whilst  deprived  of  this 
union !  How  can  he  abide  out  of  it  a  single  instant !  How  can  he  find 
in  himself  aught  worth  knowing  or  loving  as  long  as  he  is  out  of  God ! 

What  is  the  best  way  to  enter  into  God  and  to  be  made  one  with  him? 
Certainly  there  is  but  one  way:  To  die  to  self;  to  totally  give  up  all 
self-seeking,  all  multiplicity.  If  thou  wilt  be  made  white,  thou  must 
wash  off  the  black;  the  less  black,  the  more  white.  The  less  thou  art 
multiplied,  the  more  shalt  Ihou  be  single-minded  and  single-hearted. 
God  does  not  work  in  thee  rightly  and  by  Himself  alone,  as  long  as  thou 
art  multiplied;  His  living  work  in  thee  must  be  one.  The  more  the 
soul's  powers  are  detached  from  outward  things  and  gathered  into  one 
in  the  interior  life,  all  the  stronger  grows  God's  action  inwardly,  and  all 
the  diviner  and  more  perfect.  This  state  no  man  can  achieve  except 
by  dying  to  himself.  The  sooner  and  the  more  truly  and  the  more 
perfectly  he  dies  to  himself,  the  sooner,  the  more  truly  and  the  more 
perfectly  will  he  find  his  life  made  one  with  God's.  Therefore,  Christ 
died  a  physical  death  that  He  might  show  us  the  way  to  die  a  spiritual 
death.  That  He  might  rise  from  the  dead  into  immortality.  He  must 
die  to  mortality.  If  we  would  reach  a  condition  of  unity,  we  must  die 
to  multiplicity;  we  must  die  to  all  mortality,  to  all  self-ownership,  to 
all  divisibility.  Unity  has  no  division;  division  is  lost  and  so  is  multi- 
plicity— all  made  one  in  unity.  Of  Christ  we  read  that,  "Kising  again 
from  the  dead,  He  dieth  now  no  more ;  death  shall  no  more  have  domin- 
ion over  Him."  (Rom.  vi,  9.)  Out  of  death  comes  life  that  dies  no 
more.  There  is  no  true  and  undying  life  in  us  except  the  life  that  comes 
forth  from  death.  If  water  is  to  become  hot,  then  cold  must  die  out 
of  it.  If  wood  is  to  be  made  fire,  then  the  nature  of  wood  must  die. 
The  life  we  seek  cannot  be  in  us,  it  cannot  become  our  very  selves,  we 
cannot  be  itself,  unless  we  gain  it  by  first  ceasing  to  be  what  we  are; 
we  acquire  this  life  through  death. 

In  very  truth  there  is,  rightly  speaking,  but  one  death  and  one  life. 
However  many  deaths  there  may  seem  to  be,  they  all  are  but  one. 


244  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

namely,  the  death  a  man  dies  to  his  own  will,  to  his  sense  of  proprietor- 
ship, to  division  and  multiplicity  and  activity — in  so  far  as  this  is  pos- 
sible to  a  creature.  And  there  is  one  life,  and  only  one,  namely,  the 
one  ineffable,  incomprehensible,  uncreated,  essential,  divine  life. 
Toward  this  life  all  other  life  hurries  on,  is  driven  forward,  streams 
along,  being  irresistibly  drawn  to  possess  it.  The  nearer  our  life  comes 
to  this  essential  life,  and  the  more  it  is  likened  to  it,  the  more  truly  do 
we  live,  for  in  this  and  from  this  life  is  all  life,  and  not  otherwise. 
Any  life  that  lives  apart  from  this,  to  it  may  be  said  these  words: 
"Thou  hast  the  name  of  being  alive,  and  thou  art  dead."     (Apoc.  iii,  1.) 

Whosoever  will  have  this  Divine  life  living  within  him,  made  most 
essentially  and  most  truly  his  own,  such  a  one  must  most  essentially 
and  most  truly  die  to  himself.  Whosoever  fails  to  die  will  fail  to  live. 
And  whosoever  totally  dies  to  self,  such  a  one  is  wholly  made  alive  in 
God  and  without  any  separation.  And  this  death  has  many  degrees, 
just  as  life  has.  A  man,  for  example,  may  die  a  thousand  deaths  in  a 
single  day,  and  each  is  instantly  followed  by  a  joyous  life  in  God — death 
is  no  longer  death.  This  happens  perforce,  because  God  cannot  refuse 
the  offering  of  death  nor  resist  its  plea  for  life.  And  the  stronger  death 
is  and  the  more  complete,  so  is  the  life  that  responds  to  it  all  the 
stronger  and  more  integral;  just  as  death  is,  so  shall  life  be.  And  as 
life  succeeds  to  death,  so  does  life  prepare  a  man  to  die  a  more  perfect 
death  to  himself. 

And  it  is  thus  that  a  man  dies  to  himself:  if  he  meekly  accepts  an 
insult  for  God's  sake,  if  he  curbs  his  inclination  for  inner  or  outward 
joy  for  the  same  Divine  motive;  if  in  any  way  whatsoever,  in  pleasure 
or  in  pain,  he  bridles  his  wayward  will  for  God's  sake  in  words  or  deeds, 
in  labor  or  rest,  in  seeing  or  tasting;  if  he  bears  unjust  reproof  in  silence 
and  in  all  patience;  if  in  any  of  his  unmortified  tendencies  he  dies  to 
self,  he  begins  to  live  to  God.  At  first  he  yields  to  this  holy  death  of 
selfhood  reluctantly  and  with  much  pain ;  later  on  he  grows  used  to  it, 
and  to  die  to  self  and  to  live  to  God  grows  into  a  holy  habit.  No  mat- 
ter how  small  the  death  an  .earnest  man  dies  to  himself,  it  wins  him  a 
great  life,  and  this  great  life  heartens  him  to  die  another  and  a  yet 
greater  death.  And  soon  it  comes  to  pass  that  the  most  joyous  thing 
in  life  is  to  die  to  oneself,  far  more  joyous  than  any  life  that  is  lived  for 
self's  sake.  For  life  is  now  found  only  in  death,  and  light  shineth  only 
in  darkness.  In  outward  things  a  man  may  so  constantly  die  to  self, 
that  in  course  of  time  there  is  nothing  left  in  him  of  anv  inclination  to 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  245 


them  that  is  not  dead.     Then,  Indeed,  he  hath  fought  a  good  fight ;  and 
jet  in  his  interior  life  there  is  much  that  must  die. 

When  one  is  truly  mortified  or  dead  to  his  selfhood,  then  all  things 
are  his  and  he  can  use  them  moderately  without  danger.  Indeed,  no 
man  has  real  and  reasonable  joy  in  created  things,  until  he  has  first  gone 
forth  out  of  all  joy  in  them  for  the  love  of  God— until  he  has  died  to 
them  and  they  have  died  to  him.  Only  after  that  canst  thou  turn  again 
to  their  use,  without  feeling  anxiety  lest  thou  misuse  them.  No  man 
truly  loves  his  father  and  mother,  his  sisters  and  brothers  and  all  his 
other  friends,  with  the  love  that  is  in  God,  until  he  has  first  given  them 
up  and  wholly  died  to  them  out  of  love  for  God ;  until  that  happens  they 
are  rather  enemies  to  his  spiritual  welfare  than  friends.  Therefore,  our 
Lord  teaches:  "For  I  came  to  set  a  man  at  variance  against  his  father, 
and  the  daughter  against  her  mother,  and  the  daughter-in-law  against 
her  mother-in-law.  And  a  man's  enemies  shall  be  thev  of  his  own  house- 
hold."    (Matt.  X,  35-36.) 

But  it  is  only  a  lesser  death  when  one  has  died  to  outward  things; 
for  when  a  man  has  sincerely  renounced  the  world  and  all  its  superflui- 
ties, and  entered  upon  an  interior  and  divine  life,  it  is  an  easy  matter  to 
be  quite  dead  to  external  enjoyments.  To  him  the  death  he  has  yet  to 
die  is  hidden.  What  bitterness  can  he  suffer  who  is  full  of  the  sweet- 
ness of  a  devout  life?  What  battle  can  he  have  to  fight  who  has  escaped 
from  the  clutches  of  his  enemy,  and  is  journeying  safely  along  the  way 
of  peace?  If  a  man  be  truly  converted  to  lead  a  perfect  life  inwardly, 
no  matter  what  outward  things  cross  his  path,  they  do  not  touch  his 
interior  life.  Mary  was  turned  to  Christ  in  all  her  inner  faculties,  and 
hence  she  sat  at  His  feet  unconcerned  about  the  many  things  that 
troubled  Martha,  who  complained  about  her.  Mary  thought  not  at  all 
of  justifying  herself — quite  other  things  absorbed  her  thoughts  and  her 
feelings  and  her  love.  So  does  it  happen  with  any  soul  that  is  turned 
inward  to  God  and  away  from  all  transitory  things— turned  to  God, 
revealed  within  him,  and  by  no  intermediary,  but  directly.  Whether 
such  a  soul  wills  it  or  not,  it  must  forget  everything  but  God.  All 
images  of  things  created  are  gone;  such  a  man  has  within  him  that 
which  is  the  original  of  all  things.  He  is  liberated  from  creatures ;  he 
has  no  room  in  his  soul  for  figures  and  types,  and  strange  happenings 
and  contradictions  make  no  impression  on  him. 

Such  men  as  these  St.  Paul  may  have  had  in  view  when  he  said :  ''For 
you  are  dead,  and  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God."     (Col.  iii,  3.) 


246  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

But  now  it  is  to  be  remarked,  that  they  may  progress  to  a  yet  closer 
union ;  for  they  are  hid  icith  Christ,  and  are  therefore  two  and  not  one 
with  Him.  On  the  other  hand,  our  Lord  prayed  to  His  Father  thai 
"they  may  be  one,  as  Thou,  Father,  in  Me,  and  I  in  Thee."  As  if  it  were 
not  in  what  made  Father  and  Son  different  persons,  but  rather  in  what 
made  them  one  essence,  one  life,  one  Divine  operation — as  if  He  prayed 
that  this  union  might  be  granted  us  and  perfected  in  us,  as  far  as  we  are 
capable  of  it.  Is  it  not  true  to  say  that  to  bring  about  this  unity  with 
God's  being.  His  life  and  operation,  a  thousand  times  more  perfect  death 
to  self  and  to  creatures  must  be  experienced?  If  God  is  to  go  into  the 
soul,  nature  must  go  out  totally,  even  to  the  last  atom ;  fire  and  water 
cannot  dwell  together  in  one.  He  whose  life  is  to  be  made  God's  life, 
must  quickly  and  entirely  die  to  any  other  life.  If  a  man  be  already 
averse  to  the  things  of  this  earthly  existence,  then  he  more  easily  dies 
to  himself;  but  whether  or  not  this  be  so.  the  man  who  will  have  God 
to  live  within  him  and  be  his  only  support  and  only  comfort,  must  be 
dead  to  all  transitory  things  and  they  dead  to  him,  absolutely  stri[)ped 
of  their  support  and  void  of  their  comfort.  Life  has  its  hiding  i)lace 
in  death ;  consolation  has  its  hiding  place  in  desolation.  When  the  out- 
ward man  is  hushed  still,  then  the  inward  man  begins  to  live;  then  does 
he  begin  truly  to  speak  his  happy  words,  according  to  the  prophet : 
"My  soul  refused  to  be  comforted ;  I  remembered  God  and  was  delighted 
and  was  exercised,  and  my  spirit  swooned  away."  (Ps.  Ixxvi,  3-4.) 
The  outward  craves  the  outAvard  life  in  everything.  It  is  true  that  the 
outward  life  longs  for  God's  help  in  some  exterior  form,  as  the  Psalmist 
says:  "It  is  good  for  me  to  adhere  [that  is  to  say,  exteriorly]  to  my 
God."  (Ps.  Ixvii,  28.)  But  even  this  comfort  has  a  savor  of  self- 
seeking,  and  it,  too,  must  die  out  of  the  soul. 

The  death  of  self  and  the  union  with  God  that  we  have  been  consider- 
ing, affects  all  the  powers  of  the  soul,  even  the  most  interior  ones.  The 
will  must  efface  its  symbols  and  images  and  rest  motionless;  the  under- 
standing, including  knowledge  and  memory,  and,  indeed,  all  mental 
powers,  must  set  aside,  as  far  as  possible,  the  objects  of  their  activity. 
Listen  to  our  Lord's  words:  "He  that  findeth  his  life,  shall  lose  it; 
and  he  that  shall  lose  his  life  for  Me,  shall  find  it."  (Matt,  x,  39.)  It  is 
a  hard  death  to  the  soul,  when  all  natural  lights  in  it  and  all  its  facul- 
ties go  out  in  darkness;  and  a  yet  harder  death  when  even  the  bright 
rays  of  light  shed  by  God's  own  gifts,  must  be  quenched  in  darkness; 
for  these  are  not  God,  and  God  alone  must  finally  content  the  soul.  All 
these  are,  as  it  were,  but  a  part  of  God  and  not  God  one  and  indivisible. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  247 

But  in  truth  it  is  only  when  all  that  lives  within  a  man,  and  all  that 
gives  him  light  has  died  out  and  gone  from  him — it  is  then,  and  only 
then,  that  he  finds  his  real  soul — never  otherwise.  Does  he  not  find  it? 
Can  you  say  that  in  such  a  state  he  rather  has  utterly  lost  it?  No,  by 
no  means;  for  freedom  of  the  will  yet  remains,  and  responsibility  for 
choosing  to  act  or  not  to  act.  Does  he  not  now  stand  in  control  of  his 
spiritual  powers  to  will  and  to  act,  and  how  to  choose?  See  how  our 
Saviour  and  our  model  acted  in  His  agony  :  ''Father  ♦  ♦  •  not  as 
I  will,  but  as  Thou  wilt."  (Matt,  xxvi,  39.)  As  if  to  say:  I  have  no 
will ;  but  Thou,  Father,  shalt  have  My  will,  for  I  am  stripped  of  My 
will  and  dead  to  it,  and  now  in  Thy  will  I  am  absorbed  and  restored 
to  life. 

Union  with  God  is  not  action,  in  the  human  meaning  of  the  term,  nor 
knowing,  nor  loving  with  diversity ;  for  in  God  all  is  one  and  all  is  rest 
and  peace.  Knowing  and  loving, 'bringing  forth  and  being  brought 
forth,  and  all  manner  of  simply  human  activity,  is  the  product  of  diver- 
sity. In  God,  in  this  One,  is  all  action  ended  and  unified,  and  we  are 
made  one  in  God  through  Christ.     Amen. 


248  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Itttnn  With  %tih 

Synopsis — Self-surrender  precedes  union  with  God — The  light  of  God 
shines  in  souls  united  to  Him — The  scene  of  this  union  is  the 
depths  of  the  soul — It  resembles  and  partakes  of  the  union  of  the 
Persons  of  the  Holy  Trinity — The  high  kind  of  brotherly  love  it 
produces. 


SERMON  FOR  EASTER  SUNDAY :  SECOND  PART. 

That  they  all  may  be  one,  as  Thou,  Father,  in  Me,  and  I  in  Thee  *  *  *  and 
I  in  them,  and  Thou  in  Me;  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one. — John  xvii, 
21-23. 

Herein  our  Lord  and  Saviour  teaches  that  wheu  a  man  has  left  all 
things  of  his  outward  life,  father  and  mother,  and,  indeed,  all  multi- 
plicity totally  surrendered  for  God's  sake,  then  must  he  turn  inward 
and  do  in  like  manner  in  his  inward  life.  He  must  surrender  his  soul 
to  God  in  total  forgetfulness  of  whatsoever  is  native  to  his  inner  life, 
his  soul  to  be  dismantled  and,  as  it  were,  taken  to  pieces,  that  it  may  be 
rebuilt  and  newly  adorned,  in  a  life  wherein  all  images  find  their  proto- 
types, namely,  in  God.  If  one  loves  in  a  human  spirit,  there  is  danger 
of  one's  hating ;  if  he  hopes  in  that  spirit,  he  can  scarcely  be  entirely  hum- 
bled. But  if  one  willingly  has  nothing  even  that  is  lowly,  he  can  scarcely 
be  ambitious  of  the  high  things  of  this  life.  Let  him,  then,  die  to  all  and 
enter  into  God  in  search  of  the  highest.  This  means,  as  I  have  said,  that 
God  will  dismantle  him,  and  then  build  and  adorn  him  over  again.  All 
virtuous  imaginings,  may  lead  to  selfish  picking  and  choosing  this  or  that 
way  to  gain  virtue;  but  when  the  end  is  reached,  the  way  is  not  needed 
and  should  be  forgotten — the  end  is  God.  Virtues  will  never  be  so 
much  our  own,  so  true  and  so  deep-seated  in  us,  as  when  we  have  been 
stripped  of  their  images  and  joined  in  unity  with  God.  It  then  comes 
to  pass  that  these  virtues  are  not  for  this  or  that  place  or  time,  nor  for 
any  manner  of  self-seeking  whatsoever;  for  they  act  within  us  for 
virtue's  own  sake  and,  as  it  were,  by  their  own  holy  force.  God  is  the 
essence  of  all  virtues,  which  without  Him  are  non-existent ;  possess  Him 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  249 

\¥^^  \ 

m  holy  unity  of  life,  and  good  is  done  in  thee  for  the  sake  of  the  Supreme 
Good,  with  no  other  why  or  wherefore  but  that  essential  Good  and 
because  of  it.  Thou  shalt  then  love  for  the  sake  of  love  itself  be  true 
for  the  sake  of  truth  itself,  righteous  for  the  sake  of  this  supreme 
holiness. 

We  ask  why  Christ  did  not  answer  Pilate  when  he  inquired,  ''What 
IS  truth?"  And  the  usual  explanation  is  that  Pilate  was  unworthy  of 
an  answer.  So  is  it  here.  W^hosoever  departs  from  Divine  unity  of  life 
IS  not  worthy  to  know  what  truth  is.  Such  a  one  can  sav  nothincr  but 
this:  Truth  is  truth.  He  can  neither  take  nor  give  on  sich  a  subject. 
The  true,  the  good  are  indivisible  and  one  in  God— simple  unity  \ 
creature  possesses  good;  as  we  say  a  good  angel,  a  good  man,  a  good 
heaven— all  these  have  good  in  them,  as  they  have  also  truth  and  beln-- 
but  It  IS  not  with  them  as  with  God,  for  they  have  these  as  a  manner  of 
existence,  all  in  place  and  measure  and  all  with  limitation.  God  has 
good  because  He  is  esential  good. 

But  if  thou  wouldst  have  all  the  true  and  the  good  and  all  essential 
being,  thou  shalt  find  them  in  their  fountain  and  origin,  whollv  without 
limitation.  Pass  over  man  and  angel  and  Heaven  into  the  indivisible 
and  limitless  good  and  true.  All  else  mav  but  hide  God's  unitv  of 
goodness  and  truth  from  thee,  and  may  become  a  prison  to  thee.  Unity 
looks  not  outward;  it  covets  nothing  foreign  to  itself  whether  far  or 
near;  it  is  not  measurable  as  broad  or  long;  it  is  one,  it  is  God,  who  has 
all  good  m  Himself,  and  there  is  none  out  of  Him.  It  is  He  who  ♦'ive^ 
being  and  its  good  to  creatures-not  they  to  Him.  Anv  spiritual 
method,  in  so  far  as  it  is  Divine,  is  not  outside  of  God,  for  all  that  is 
indivisible  and  true  and  good  is  in  Him. 

A  man  in  whom  all  manner  of  self-seeking  has  quite  perished  away 
and  been  replaced  by  love,  and  who  has  God  in  him  and  is  himself  in 
God— whatsoever  that  man  does  in  and  through  God  is  the  best 
and  done  in  the  most  perfect  manner.  And  this  perfection  is  inherent 
in  the  work  and  not  borrowed  from  without;  it  is  not  from  length  and 
breadth,  but  from  the  unity  of  purpose  with  God;  and  so  little  works 
and  great  ones  become  in  a  way  equally  good  in  such  a  state  of  soul 
from  the  uniform  greatness  of  their  origin.  Say  an  Ave  Maria  with 
God  s  holy  unity,  and  it  wins  as  much  as  a  whole  psalter  less  perfectly 
said;  one  step  with  God  is  equal  to  a  pilgrimage  beyond  the  seas  without 
Him.  Great  works  with  upright  intention  shall  be  granted  great 
reward;  but  the  real  worth  of  a  good  deed  is  in  the  disinterested  love 


250  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

with  which  it  is  done ;  its  value  is  intrinsic.  One  grain  of  gold  has  all 
the  nature  of  gold  that  a  thousand  golden  marks  have.  Therefore,  if  we 
desire  more  than  one  gold  piece,  it  is  because  we  desire  something  besides 
the  essence  of  gold.  But  as  to  Divine  things,  all  the  good  in  them  is  in 
their  essential  nature  and  not  in  their  quantity,  and  there  is  as  much 
good  in  the  least  as  in  the  most  that  we  do,  when  we  act  entirely  united 
to  God. 

The  external  is  but  a  symbol  of  the  internal,  as  a  sign  may  tell  us 
that  there  is  wine  in  a  cellar;  yet  there  may  be  wine  where  no  sign  is 
hung  out,  and  it  is  then  of  none  the  less  worth  to  its  owner.  The  main 
thing  is  to  have  a  good  will  to  serve  God ;  that  being  made  secure,  my 
soul  ranges  free  over  the  good  deeds  of  all  men,  including  the  saints,  all 
their  sufiferings  for  religion,  their  alms  to  the  poor.  Of  these  I  think 
with  a  longing  heart  to  do  and  to  suffer  them  all  for  God's  sake,  and 
that  most  gladly — but  I  lack  the  opportunity.  In  God's  eyes  it  is  as  if 
I  had  done  them  all.  I  fail  in  none  of  the  merit,  if  my  good  will  is  equal 
to  the  efifort  that  would  be  required  for  their  actual  accomplishment. 
And  as  I  read  of  the  holy  men  of  the  past,  and  keep  my  heart  fixed  on 
their  marvels  of  virtue,  my  good  will  gives  me  a  share  in  their  merit; 
to  God  a  thousand  years  are  as  a  day  that  is  passed. 

St.  Augustine  says:  'Turn  into  thyself;  there  alone  shalt  thou  find 
God."  And  as  thou  turnest — so  we  may  add — thou  turnest  in  God 
Himself,  with  whom  thou  hast  been  made  one.  In  God  is  life  and  all 
things;  and,  as  St.  John  tells  us,  "He  came  into  His  own,  and  His  own 
received  Him  not.  But  as  many  as  received  Him,  He  gave  them  power 
to  be  made  the  sons  of  God."  (John  i,  11-12.)  Now,  God's  Son  is  of 
one  nature  with  His  Father,  and  a  Godlike  man  is  not  by  nature,  but  by 
grace,  one  with  Him,  by  Whom  he  is  made  Godlike;  and  if  there  be  any- 
thing in  him  that  is  not  Godlike,  in  just  so  far  is  he  out  of  God.  Truly 
is  he  God's  son,  and  one  with  Him  after  the  image  of  the  sonship  of  the 
only  begotten  Son ;  so  that  God  out  of  him  acts  not,  nor  does  he  act  out 
of  God.  And  as  God  does  not  separate  Himself  from  His  only  begotten 
Son,  so  neither  does  He  separate  Himself  from  a  Godlike  man,  unless 
because  this  man  has  first  separated  himself  from  God.  A  certain 
master  exclaims:  "I  do  not  envy  all  the  good  that  God  has  given  to 
His  only  begotten  Son,  because  I  can  by  the  mystery  of  grace  become 
unified  with  that  same  Son,  out  from  Whom,  through  Whom  and  in 
Whom  are  all  things — so  truly  one  with  Him  that  no  part  remains  not 
united." 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  231 

Philosophers  say  that  God  does  nothing  out  of— that  is,  outside  of— 
Himself.  In  the  same  way  a  man  who  is  truly  good  and  Godlike,  does 
all  things  he  does  in  God,  having  Him  as  the  only  end  of  all ;  yet  further, 
we  may  say  that  a  Godlike  man  never  thinks  of  God  outside  of  his  own 
self,  for  when  and  where  and  in  whatever  manner  he  considers  God,  he 
finds  himself  one  with  Him. 

Since  God  works  all  through  the  man  with  whom  He  is  one,  it  follows 
that  not  the  man,  but  God,  does  the  works  that  the  man  seems  to  do. 
As  Jesus  taught :  "The  Father  who  abideth  in  Me,  He  doeth  the  works." 
(John  xiv,  10.)  To  this  Godlike  man,  therefore,  his  own  works  are 
very  strange  to  him,  and  seem  to  him  as  if  they  were  not  his  own ;  he  is 
so  deeply  one  with  God  that  it  is  He  who  is  in  him  and  He  who  works 
in  him,  and  not  the  man  himself — so  does  he  feel.  If  this  fails  and  he 
appropriates  his  works  to  himself  in  distinction  from  God,  so  does  he 
instantly  cease  to  be  enveloped  in  God's  unity. 

Our  Saviour  said :  "I  am  not  alone,  but  I  and  the  Father  that  sent 
me"  (John  viii,  16);  and  again:  ''Believe  you  not  that  I  am  in  the 
Father  and  the  Father  in  me?"  (John  xiv,  11.)  Therefore  does  St. 
Augustine  teach:  "God  became  man  that  I  might  become  God;  He 
became  the  Son  of  man  that  I  might  become  the  son  of  God."  And 
David  says :  "I  have  said,  you  are  gods,  and  all  of  you  sons  of  the  Most 
High."  (Ps.  Ixxxi,  6.)  What  God  gave  to  His  only  begotten  Son  made 
man,  that  is  He  ready  to  give  to  His  Son's  brethren,  each  in  his  place 
and  measure.  If  they  refuse  to  receive  it,  then  God  is  not  to  blame; 
just  as  the  sunlight  is  not  to  blame  if  a  room  is  dark  at  midday— the 
owner  of  the  house  has  shut  the  blinds. 

The  nature  of  man  which  our  beloved  Lord  assumed,  is  as  much  mine 
as  it  is  His;  although  the  case  is  infinitely  different  in  regard  to  His  per- 
son, which  is  wholly  Divine.  He  took  to  Himself  m.y  very  nature,  and 
thereby  He  took  me  to  Himself  wholly.  Now,  what  remains  for  my 
part  ?  That  I  give  myself  to  Him  personally.  If  I  hold  back,  what  can 
He  do  about  my  perversity?  Did  He  not  take  our  nature  so  fully  as  to 
be  as  truly  man  as  He  is  truly  God's  own  Son  and  the  Eternal  Word? 
Hence  we  must  truly  say  that  the  virgin's  Son  is  God,  precisely  as  we 
say  the  same  of  the  Only  Begotten  of  the  Father;  and  this  comes  from 
the  unity  of  person  in  the  Son  of  Mary  and  the  Son  of  God.  In  this 
manner  He  has  shared  with  me  by  grace  all  that  the  Father  gave  Him 
by  nature,  making  it  all  mine,  just  as  it  is  all  His.  But  woe  to  me  if, 
having  been  made  one  with  Him  by  community  of  our  human  nature,  I 


252  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

yet  refuse  to  join  with  Him  in  a  loving  personal  union.  Do  I  not  know 
that  I  am  by  nature  one  with  all  men  and  as  near  of  kin  to  them  as  to 
my  ownself — to  the  Sultan  of  Turkey  as  well  as  to  my  next-door  neigh- 
bor— one  with  the  wisest  and  with  the  simplest,  the  least  and  the 
greatest  ?  Do  I  not  know  that  all  men  stand  together  and  alike  one  in 
nature?  Thus  does  our  Lord  stand  as  near  to  me  as  I  do  to  myself; 
and  I  stand  likewise  as  near  to  Him  as  He  does  to  Himself — all  this  in 
His  human  nature.  But  woe  to  me  if  I  am  far  removed  from  personal 
union  with  Him  by  my  own  self-love  and  self-seeking,  removed  from 
Him  and  joined  to  self  in  His  despite ;  or,  again,  if  I  am  by  my  selfish- 
ness removed  from  a  loving  union  with  any  man  and  all  men,  even  if 
they  be  a  thousand  miles  distant  from  me.  For  all  of  us  men  are  of  one 
nature  and  should  be  as  one  man  in  love ;  we  should  be  one  in  personal 
union  of  love.  To  all  men  should  my  heart  be  given,  and  their  welfare 
should  be  as  dear  to  me  as  my  own,  their  misfortune  as  bitter  to  me  as 
my  own.  In  this  way  do  I  go  out  of  myself,  if  I  am  true  to  the  unity  of 
nature  Ood  has  made  among  men ;  until  at  last  1  think  of  my  own  and 
enjoy  my  own  no  more  and  no  less  because  it  is  mine,  than  if  it  belonged 
to  a  man  whom  I  have  never  seen. 

But  from  this  we  must  not  suppose  that  this  common  love  is  to  be 
equally  distributed  over  all  men ;  for,  though  God  loves  all  equally.  He 
yet  bestows  His  favors  unequally.  First  come  parents,  children, 
friends  and  neighbors;  begin  to  bestow  thy  love  on  these,  and  then  go 
forth  with  thy  loving  service  to  others  as  best  thou  canst.  One  must 
consider  those  committed  to  his  nearest  care  by  Providence,  as  entitled 
to  the  perfect  and  immediate  overflowing  of  love,  not  exactly  because 
one  is  a  father  and  mother  and  friend,  but  because  God  has  made  them 
such.  For  it  might  be  that  God  would  lead  thee  away  over  the  seas,  to 
•serve  with  equal  love  men  whom  thou  hadst  before  never  heard  of;  love 
is  equal  within  the  soul,  and  shown  by  God's  will  unequally  in  outward 
act.  It  is  the  man  who  has  gone  out  of  self  in  all  things,  and  been 
made  one  with  God  in  Christ,  who  does  all  this  wisely.  Being  one  in 
God  and  with  God,  then  it  follows  that  whatsoever  all  men  and  angels 
have  of  joy  and  bliss,  is  also  his  in  God;  and  whatsoever  others  may 
have  of  badness  or  punishment,  that  is  not  his,  but  their  own,  for  it  is 
not  in  God. 

In  very  truth,  in  proportion  as  a  man  goes  out  of  selfhood  does  he 
enter  into  oneness  with  God.  Yet  he  must  not  have  regard  to  himself 
in  this  relation,  for  the  less  he  regards  himself  the  more  does  he  find 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  253 

himself  in  God.     Whosoever  totally  gives  up  self  achieves  total  union 
without  any  doubt.    All  things  now  come  to  him  consciously  from  God, 
and  all  are  alike  to  Him,  whether    for    joy  or  sorrow.      Hence  our 
Saviour's  teaching:    ''Take  up  my  yoke  upon  you."     (Matt,  xi,  29.) 
That  means  that  His  will  shall  always  dominate  ours  and  be  infinitely 
dearer  to  us  than  our  own.     It  was  in  giving  up  His  will  to  His  Father 
that  Jesus  saved  us,  for  nothing  is  dearer  to  a  man  than  his  own  will.      ■ 
Thus  it  is  that  a  man  stands  in  indifference  to  all  things;  it  is  because 
he  has  passed  out  of  self,  as  if  he  were  become  quite  as  different  to  him- 
self as  to  the  Sultan  of  the  Turks  and  had  merged  his  selfhood  in  God's 
unity.     Not,  of  course,  that  he  is  the  equal  of  God,  but  that  in  uniting 
himself  to  God  he  has  become  oblivious  to  what  equality  means,  so 
absorbed  has  he  become  in  the  Divine  unity.     It  is  unity  and  not 
equality  that  he  has  attained  to  in  God.     When  emptying  himself  of 
all  self-seeking,  he  has  given  himself  up  to  God  to  be^ne  with  Him. 
Nor  does  he  lose  his  natural  existence;  but  in  all  his  thoughts  and  deeds 
he  does  not  perceive  himself  or  consciously  consider  himself,  but  only 
God.    As  the  prophet  says :   ''For  my  heart  hath  been  entlamed,  and  my 
reins  have  been  changed,  and  I  am  brought  to  nothing,  and  I  knew  not." 
(Ps.  Ixxiii,  21-22.)     He  knows  not  how  to  describe  this  change  of  his 
soul  into  God's  life,  for  it  has  no  description,  no  image;  all  his  interior 
representations  are  covered  by  the  one  uncreated  being  of  God  taking 
the  place  of  all.     He  himself,  so  it  seems  to  him,  knows  not,  acts  notl 
God  knows  and  acts  in  him  and  through  him,  according  to  His  Divine 
will  and  without  any  obstacles,  in  a  manner  above  what  the  soul  can 
understand.     And  now  it  is  needful  that  I  should  cease  to  speak  on  this 
subject,  recalling  only  our  Lord's  words,  and  begging  Him  to  fulfill  in 
blissful  unity  what  He  said  to  His  Father:  "That  thev  all  may  be  one 
as  Thou,  Father,  in  Me,  and  I  in  Thee     *     *     •     and  I  in  them,  and 
Thou  in  Me;  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one."    Amen. 


254  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


01j?  i^gr^FB  of  EntJ? 

Synopsis — The  first  is  active  love,  full  of  pious  exercises  and  good 
works — The  second  is  persevering  love,  shown  in  Magdalene,  who 
was  faithful  unto  Calvary — The  third  is  the  fiery  love,  and  is  very 
fervent — The  fourth  is  a  penetrating  love,  which  has  a  peculiar 
gift  of  understanding  God — The  fifth  is  overflowing  love,  which 
casts  the  soul  out  of  itself  into  the  Beloved. 


SERMON  FOR  EASTER  MONDAY. 

And  they  said  one  to  another :  Was  not  our  heart  burning  within  us  whilst  He 
spoke  in  the  way,  and  opened  to  us  the  scriptures? — Luke  xxiv,  32. 

Dear  children,  one  of  these  two  disciples  of  our  Lord  was  named 
Cleophas,  and  the  other,  as  some  think,  was  St.  Luke,  the  evangelist, 
who  tells  of  this  apparition  of  our  Lord  the  evening  of  the  resurrection. 
Their  eyes  were  held  as  the  Lord  appeared  to  them,  and  He  was  dis- 
guised as  a  pilgrim;  they  did  not  recognize  Him  at  first.  St.  Gregory 
says  that  He  appeared  to  them  because  they  loved  Him,  and  that  yet  He 
concealed  who  He  was,  because  they  were  still  doubtful  about  His  resur- 
rection. Hence  He  upbraided  them  fo  •  their  incredulity  and  hardness 
of  heart  and  their  want  of  understai  ding,  and  opened  to  them  the 
hidden  meaning  of  the  scriptures.  Their  faith  was  mingled  with 
doubt,  and  yet  they  had  been  speakinj.^  affectionately  about  Him ;  and 
when  He  joined  in  their  conversation,  His  words  made  their  hearts  burn 
within  them. 

St.  Dionysius  tells  us  that  love  has  five  degrees.  The  first  degree  is 
the  active  one,  and  is  less  closely  joined  to  God  than  the  others.  In  this 
degree  the  soul  begins  to  turn  to  God  and  to  cherish  Him  with  a  kind 
of  anxious  love.  It  practices  certain  devout  exercises  very  earnestly, 
is  afraid  that  it  will  cool  in  its  ardor,  and  would  seek  its  beloved  and 
ever  follow  Him.  Its  voice  is  that  of  Ihe  bride:  "In  my  bed  by  night 
I  sought  Him  whom  my  soul  loveth."  (Cant,  iii,  1.)  But  the  Bride- 
groom finds  this  couch  of  active  love  too  narrow,  and  this  state  is  not 
according  to  His  will.    But  the  soul  docs  not  give  Him  up ;  on  the  con- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  255 

trary,  it  seeks  to  possess  Him  with  mu(  h  distress  of  mind,  as  Zacheus 
eagerly  climbed  a  tree  in  order  to  behold  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Such 
an  undersized  man  is  every  lover  of  Jesus,  when  first  he  turns  in  all 
seriousness  to  the  love  of  God.  Like  Zacheus,  he  avows  himself  a  great 
sinner,  overcomes  his  shame  in  a  good  confession  and  reveals  all  his 
wickedness.  He  says  with  St.  Paul :  "Christ  Jesus  came  into  this  world 
to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  the  chief."  (I  Tim.  i,  15.)  And  this 
sinner  is  enriched  with  grace,  for  as  in  him  sin  did  abound,  so  now  does 
grace  superabound.  Let  every  one  aspire  to  enter  this  first  degree  of 
love,  as  Zacheus  climbed  the  tree  to  behold  Jesus;  let  none  despair 
because  his  sins  are  grievous.  This  is  the  degree  of  active  love  in  which 
the  soul  diligently  practices  all  sorts  of  meritorious  works,  its  sins  not 
only  being  forgiven,  but,  as  St.  Augusstine  teaches,  many  great  gifts 
bestowed  upon  it. 

The  two  disciples  who  journeyed  toward  Emmaus,  had  this  sort  of 
love,  meanwhile  conversing  about  their  beloved  Master  with  afflicted 
hearts.  Although  every  lover  of  Christ  is  in  this  world  like  a  sojourner 
in  Egypt,  and  is  bowed  down  under  a  heavy  burden  of  fear  and  of 
anguish,  yet  he  has  the  privilege  of  this  degree  of  love.  And  the 
thought  of  the  eternal  life  hereafter,  now  and  again  fills  his  soul  with 
deepest  joy.  Yet  there  are  brief  intervals,  during  which  he  overflows 
with  spiritual  happiness  and  says  with  Sarah:  ''God  hath  made  a 
laughter  for  me;  whosoever  shall  hear  of  it  will  laugh  with  me."  (Gen. 
xxi,  6.)  But  presently  all  is  changed  and  the  soul  exclaims:  "Woe 
is  me,  that  my  sojourning  is  prolonged!"  (Ps.  cxix,  5.)  And  again 
with  Job :  "Who  will  grant  me,  that  I  :might  be  according  to  the  months 
past,  according  to  the  days  in  which  God  kept  me,  when  his  lamp  shined 
over  my  head  and  I  walked  by  His  light  in  darkness?  *  ♦  ♦  When 
I  washed  my  feet  in  butter,  and  the  r(tck  poured  me  out  rivers  of  oil  ?" 
(Job.  xxix,  2,  3,  6.)  What  else  is  the  soul's  lamp  but  Divine  grace, 
and  what  is  its  shining,  but  the  bright  rays  of  that  same  grace  enlighten- 
ing our  mind?  The  lamp  is  over  our  heads  and  guides  us  forward  in 
the  darkness,  till  we  pass  out  of  and  beyond  this  first  degree,  namely, 
that  of  active  love.  We  may  also  compare  the  soul's  faculties  of  desir- 
ing and  seeking,  to  a  man's  spiritual  feet,  which  are  now  to  carry  him 
into  the  more  interior  regions  of  the  spiritual  life.  The  oil  that  flowed 
from  the  rock,  may  be  taken  to  mean  the  tears  of  sweet  joy  shed  by  the 
Boul  in  its  love  of  God. 


256  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

The  second  degree  of  love  is  perseverance.  By  this  love  we  continue 
to  hold  fast  and  firm  to  God  in  joy  and  sorrow,  nay,  even  when  we  are 
groping  in  darkness ;  what  we  began  with,  that  we  keep  on  even  to  the 
end,  just  as  Mary  Magdalene  outstayed  all  the  disciples  at  the  Saviour's 
tomb.  And  as  her  perseverance  in  love  was  rewarded  with  the  first 
apparition  of  the  risen  Lord,  so  shall  we  be  likewise  blest  if  we  remain 
steadfast  in  His  grace.  The  worth  of  perseverance  and  the  perfect 
completeness  of  our  task  of  love,  was  typified  in  the  old  testament  by 
the  law  that  no  beast  that  had  been  deprived  of  his  tail  was  to  be  offered 
in  sacrifice  to  God.  Joseph's  coat,  so  long  as  to  reach  to  his  feet,  had 
the  same  signification  of  steadfastness  in  our  devout  exercises  of  love, 
no  matter  what  our  darkness  of  mind.  To  the  same  effect  is  the  word 
of  the  bride  in  the  Canticle :  "My  soul  melted  when  He  spoke;  I  sought 
Him  and  found  Him  not;  I  called,  and  He  did  not  answer  me.  The 
keepers  that  go  about  the  city  found  me;  they  struck  me  and  wounded 
me;  the  keepers  of  the  walls  took  away  my  veil  from  me."  (Cant,  v, 
6-7.)  The  veil  is  perseverance  in  love.  And  then  the  bride  heartens 
herself  to  renewed  seeking  for  her  Beloved  :  "T  adjure  you,  O  daughters 
of  Jerusalem,  if  you  find  my  Beloved,  that  you  tell  Him  that  I  languish 
with  love!"     (Ibid.,  8.) 

The  third  degree  of  love  is  fervor,  by  which  the  heart  receives  a  grace 
which  sets  it  on  fire.  Thus  Job  asks:  "Art  not  thy  garments  hot  when 
the  south  wind  blows  upon  earth?"  (Job  xxxvii,  17.)  Then  it  is  that 
both  of  the  soul's  powers,  those  of  loving  and  understanding,  are 
aroused  and  enflamed.  Therefore,  Hugo  of  St.  Victor  teaches :  "When 
thou  dost  not  seek  thy  Beloved  with  ardor,  thou  remainest  apart  from 
His  true  lovers,  dull  and  heavy."  And  St.  Augustine :  "O  love,  ever 
burning  and  never  extinguished,  how  late  have  I  come  to  know  thee! 
Thou  wast  within  me  and  I  sought  thee  out  of  me ;  thou  wast  with  me 
and  I  was  not  with  thee."  Love,  like  the  burning  bush  that  Moses  saw, 
is  always  burning  and  never  consumed.  For  however  much  the  lover  is 
tormented  by  his  love,  he  is  also  comforted  by  it  and  well  pleasea  with 
it,  as  witness  the  two  disciples :  "Was  not  our  heart  burning  within  us 
whilst  He  spoke  in  the  way,  and  opened  to  us  the  scriptures?"  And 
they  partook  of  the  second  grade  of  love,  for  with  strengthened  faith 
they  turned  back  to  Jerusalem;  and  also  of  the  first  grade,  for  they 
showed  the  active  zeal  of  love  in  constraining  Christ,  whilst  they 
thought  Him  only  a  pilgrim,  to  accept  their  hospitality. 

The  fourth  grade  of  love  is  its  penetration.    This  was  granted  to  the- 
patriarch  Jacob:   "I  have  seen  God  face  to  face,  and  my  soul  has  been. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  257 

saved."     (Gen.  xxxii,  30.)     This  means  that  my  soul  has  been  granted 
love's  gift  of  knowledge,  by  which  I  know  my  beloved  by  love's  sweet 
way  of  understanding,  and  in  the  same  way  I  know  that  I  am  known  by 
Him.     This  was  St.  Augustine's  petition :   "Lord,  help  me,  that  I  may 
know  Thee  and  myself."    And  it  was  thus  that  the  two  disciples  knew 
the  Lord  after  their  loving  conversation  with  Him,  in  the  breaking  of 
bread.    This  penetration  of  love  pierces  through  obstacles,  and  sheds  so 
clear  a  light  as  to  show  forth  its  own  glorious  brightness  in  the  soul 
relieving  the  lover  of  many  a  bitter  pain.     St.  Augustine  says  in  his 
confessions:  -O  Lord,  when  I  cling  to  Thee  with  all  my  might,  I  am 
unburdened  of  the  heavy  load  that  I  am  to  myself;  mv  life  is  full  of  Thee 
and  toil  and  distress  are  done.     O,  who  will  grant  me  to  have  Thee  dwell 
within  my  heart  and  so  to  inebriate  me  with  love  that  I  shall  forget  all 
my  pains!"     Hugo  of  St.  Victor  says:  -The  fire  of  love  bursts  forth  in 
flames  strong  and  consuming;  it  bums  until  the  lover  is  united  to  the 
beloved:  'I  found  him  whom  my  soul  loveth;  I  held  him,  and  I  will  not 
let  him  go  till  I  bring  him  into  my  mother's  house  and  into  the  cham- 
ber of  her  that  bore  me.' "     (Cant,  iii,  4.)     That  happens  when  the 
penetration  of  love  has  entered  into  the  deepest  depths  that  can  be 
explored,  a  state  of  love  beyond  what  one  can  understand— love  enters 
within  and  understanding  remains  without. 

The  fifth  degree  is  love  so  overflowing  as  to  obtain  a  gift  beyond  even 
that  of  penetration,  namely,  love's  freedom.     The  heart  is  like  a  vessel 
of  water  boiling  over  in  the  fire.     The  fire  of  love  in  the  heart  casts  the 
soul  out  of  Itself,  so  fierce  is  its  energy-a  force  all  hidden  and  known 
only  by  its  mighty  effects.     In  the  Book  of  Job,  Elihu  said-    "Behold 
my  belly  is  new  wine  which  wanteth  vent,  which  bursteth  the  new  ves- 
sels" (Job.  XXX,  19),  meaning  that  his  soul  was  overflowing  with  his 
message  to  Job.     And  thus  the  lover  in  the  Canticles :  "My  soul  melted 
when  he  spoke"  (Cant,  v,  6) ,  as  if  to  say :  As  molten  gold  is  poured  into 
Its  mold  and  takes  its  shape,  so  am  I  melted  and  poured  into  and 
shaped  by  my  beloved.     Hence  St.  Paul  says:    "For  whom  He  fore- 
knew. He  also  predestinated  to  be  made  conformable  to  the  image  of  His 
Son."     (Rom.  viii,  29.)     And,  again,  the  apostle  quotes  from  Moses: 
Our  God  IS  a  consuming  fire."     (Heb.  xii,  29.)     When  at  last  the  soul 
18  thus  melted  by  God  and  rests  at  peace  in  Him,  it  is  united  to  Him 
and  filled  with  His  light.     Love,  then,  gives  a  man  power  to  sav:   All 
things  are  common  with  Him  and  with  me,  for  I  have  nothing' of  my 
own;  we  two  have  but  one  house,  one  heritage,  one  table,  one  couch. 


258  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

But  if  any  weakness  in  such  a  soul  happens  to  intervene  between  it 
and  God,  then  it  is  instantly  in  anguish.  Ah,  it  says,  tell  ray  beloved 
that  I  languish  with  love;  for  that  soul  cannot  remain  separated  from 
Him.  This  painful  visitation  has  happened  to  the  soul  because  it  still 
harbors  some  remnants  of  self-love.  Yet,  in  all  its  pain,  the  soul  is  still 
faithful  to  its  beloved,  and  this  is  shown  by  its  diligence  in  keeping  up 
its  sweet  exercises  of  devotion  to  God.  Gilbert  says:  "Wheresoever 
love  is,  there  is  an  active  and  powerful  impulse  toward  the  beloved, 
especially  if  it  is  withdrawn  from  it."  The  holy  prophet  Daniel  suffered 
from  this,  for  "He  was  a  man  of  desires"  (Dan.  ix,  23)  ;  his  yearning 
for  Divine  things  made  him  weak  and  sick.  And  the  two  disciples  on 
the  way  to  Emmaus  were  likewise  greatly  distressed,  till  they  had  ques- 
tioned the  Lord  and  listened  to  Him,  and  finally  were  made  sure  of  His 
resurrection;  and  then  they  were  united  to  Him  in  the  breaking  of 
bread.     God  grant  us  the  same  favor.     Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  259 


®I|?  (f  ualttufi  of  2IotJ^ 

Synopsis— True  love  is  without  limits,  as  universal  as  Himself — It 
loves  God  without  rivals,  God  and  God  alone — It  loves  Him  un- 
ceasingly, either  hy  praises  or  hy  good  works — Meantime  God 
constantly  rewards  such  love  with  the  gift  of  greater  desire  and 
power  of  loving— A  summary  of  God's  worthiness  of  our  love. 


SERMON    FOR   THURSDAY    IN    EASTER    WEEK. 

She  turning,  saith  to  Him :  Rabboni  (which  is  to  say,  Master). — John  xx,  16. 

When  Jesus  rose  from  the  dead,  Marj  Magdalene  longed  with  all  her 
heart  to  behold  Him.  But  He  appeared  to  her  in  the  form  of  a  gar- 
dener, and  she  did  not  recognize  him.  Then  He  said  to  her:  "Mary!" 
She,  turning,  saith  to  Him  :  "Rabboni !"  (which  is  to  say,  Master.) 

You  will  notice  that  as  long  as  Mary  stood  gazing  into  the  empty 
tomb  and  looked  at  the  angels,  Jesus  stood  behind  her  and  concealed 
Himself  from  her.  This  means  that  our  Lord  God  hides  Himself  from 
those  who  are  busied  with  creatures,  absorbed  and  distressed  about 
created  things.  The  moment  the  soul  turns  away  from  them  and  goes 
in  search  of  God,  then  God  reveals  Himself.  And  the  meaning  of  our 
Lord's  word  "Mary"  is,  literally,  the  star  of  the  sea,  or  otherwise  the 
queen— queen  of  the  world  enlightened  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  shining  like 
a  star. 

Whosoever  longs  for  the  sight  of  God  must  soar  aloft  like  a  star, 
and  must  have  an  aversion  for  all  transitory  things;  he  must  be  much 
enlightened  by  God  if  he  would  behold  heavenly  sights.  Mary  recog- 
nized her  Lord  when  He  called  her  name,  and  she  answered  instantly, 
Rabboni  (Master).  That  was  the  name  she  and  His  other  disciples 
usually  addressed  Him  with,  for  He  had  approved  it:  "You  call  Me 
Master  and  Lord,  and  you  say  well,  for  so  I  am."  (John  xiii,  13.)  He 
is,  indeed,  the  Master  of  the  supreme  good,  and  as  such  we  must  love 
Him  supremely  and  above  all  things.  He  is  the  Master  of  all  truth, 
and  therefore  we  must  contemplate  Him.     He  is  Master  of  the  highest 


260  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

perfection,  and  therefore  we  must  follow  Him  without  ever  looking 
backward. 

Master  of  the  supreme  good :  such  is  his  true  name,  and  it  entitles 
Him  to  our  love  above  all  things.  But  you  might  say:  God  being 
infinite  good  and  the  soul  finite,  how  can  the  soul  love  Him  or  even 
know  him  ?  Ah,  mark  well  that,  although  God  be  infinite  good  and  the 
soul  finite,  yet  the  soul's  longing  is  an  abyss  without  limit ;  the  human 
soul  can  never  be  content,  except  with  the  possession  of  an  infinite  good. 
And  the  more  the  soul  longs  for  God,  the  more  does  it  yearn  for  deeper 
longings;  the  more  we  love  God,  the  more  we  yearn  to  love  Him  with 
yet  greater  intensity.  God  is  a  good  without  the  slightest  imperfec- 
tion; He  is  the  fountain-head  of  the  living  and  exhaustless  waters  of 
love.  The  soul  is  created  in  the  image  of  God,  and  even  for  that  reason 
is  made  capable  of  knowing  and  loving  Him  as  He  is ;  and  as  Christ  is 
the  Master  of  the  supreme  good,  so  must  the  soul  love  Him  supremely 
and  above  all  things.  He  is  love;  out  of  Him  floweth  love  into  us  as 
out  of  an  overflowing  fountain  of  life ;  the  fountain  of  life  is  love.  For, 
says  St.  John :  "He  that  loveth  not,  abideth  in  death."  (I  John  iii,  14.) 
Christ,  the  fountain  of  love  and  the  master  of  the  highest  good,  must 
have  our  perfect  love.  It  is  a  characteristic  trait  of  the  soul  to  have  a 
longing  to  love  Him  who  is  God,  who  is  Supreme  Good — to  love  Him 
without  limits  to  its  love.  Him  and  none  other  except  for  His  sake,  Him 
to  love  with  increasing  praise. 

Without  limits.  As  St.  Bernard  teaches :  "The  reason  why  the  soul 
should  love  God  is  God  Himself;  but  the  limit  of  this  love  is  without 
limits,  for  God  is  unlimited  good,  without  count  and  without  end."  And 
St.  Paul  says:  "And  this  I  pray,  that  your  love  may  more  and  more 
abound  in  knowledge  and  in  all  understanding."  (Phil,  i,  9.)  And  St. 
Bernard  again:  "In  loving  God  there  is  no  other  method  or  distinc- 
tion, than  that  we  should  love  Him  as  He  has  loved  us."  He  has  loved 
us  unto  the  end  in  order  that  we  should  love  Him  unto  the  end,  or  rather 
without  end.  Hence  all  through  our  earthly  existence,  our  desire  to  love 
God  should  constantly  increase  in  our  inner  life.  But  bear  in  mind 
that,  however  the  inner  work  of  loving  God  should  always  grow  stronger, 
yet  the  outward  exercise  of  that  love  should  be  regulated  with  prudence : 
we  should  choose  such  devout  practices  of  love  as  may  not  injure  our 
spirit. 

We  must  love  Him  without  rivals — God,  and  God  alone.  This  means 
that  in  that  degree  in  which  we  love  God,  no  created  being  shall  be 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  261 

allowed  to  enter.  Whatever  creature  we  may  love,  it  must  be  done  for 
God's  sake  alone ;  that  love  must  be  some  way  a  love  for  God  and  in  God ; 
for  God's  sake,  since  God  is  the  origin  and  only  reason  of  that  creature's 
existence;  a  love  of  the  creature,  yet  a  love  for  God,  who  is  the  sole 
good  that  any  creature  possesses  or  may  be  loved  for;  in  God, because  He 
is  the  only  joy  that  love  of  any  sort  can  minister  to  our  souls ;  and  He 
is  the  term  and  end  of  all  our  love.  This  is,  therefore,  how  we  love 
creatures  in  God  and  God  in  creatures.  Thus  did  our  Saviour  teach : 
"Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  thy  whole  heart,  and  with  thy 
whole  soul,  and  with  thy  whole  mind."  (Matt,  xxii,  37.)  St.  Augus- 
tine says  that  our  Lord  by  these  words  means  that  a  man  should  have 
no  idle  and  empty  power  in  his  soul,  but  all  should  be  occupied  with  the 
love  of  God  and  filled  with  Him ;  and  that  whatever  the  soul  cares  for  in 
its  outward  life,  is  to  be  referred  to  God's  love  and  be  used  for  God  love. 
God  loves  the  soul;  and  therefore  should  the  soul  love  God  without  a 
rival. 

In  the  third  place,  we  must  love  Him  with  unceasing  praise;  our  love 
must  never  be  silent,  but  must  forever  call  upon  our  beloved  and  beseech 
Him.  St.  Gregory  said  that  «ur  speaking  to  God  is  by  the  voice  of  the 
mouth  and  by  the  voice  of  good  works,  and  that  the  latter  has  more 
power  than  the  former.  Listen  to  the  Psalmist :  "I  have  labored  with 
crying."  (Ps.  Ixviii,  4.)  'Mt  is  a  trait  of  lovers,"  says  St.  Chrysostom, 
''not  to  be  able  to  conceal  their  love,  nor  ever  to  be  silent  while  with 
their  beloved,  to  whom  they  must  entrust  their  heart's  burning  affec- 
tions." So  do  God's  lovers  speak  to  Him,  revealing  to  Him  even  their 
faults;  they  do  this  over  and  over  again,  because  they  love  Him  too 
well  to  hide  their  sins  from  Him;  and  because  in  doing  so  they  are  com- 
forted and  encouraged.  The  voice  of  the  lover  by  outward  works  is  the 
utterance  of  the  inward  depths  of  love.  'The  proof  of  Divine  love," 
says  St.  Gregory,  "is  in  good  works.  Wherever  love  is,  love  acts;  if 
there  is  no  act,  there  is  no  love." 

Kightly  did  Magdalen  exclaim,  Master !  For  Christ  is,  indeed,  master 
of  all  good,  and  therefore  He  must  have  our  supreme  love.  But  over 
love  our  Saviour  has  a  triple  sovereignty.  For  as  our  sovereign  Master 
He  rewards  us  for  nothing  but  for  our  love  for  Him ;  he  rewards  us  on 
account  of  nothing  but  His  own  love  for  us;  and  He  rewards  us  with 
nothing  but  with  the  gift  of  His  love  for  us.  Every  way  we  look  at  His 
reward  to  us  it  is  love. 

Now,  one  can  serve  God  meritoriously  with  outward  works,  with 
inward  contemplation,  and  with  inward  longings.     Outward  works  are 


262  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

worthy  of  reward  only  when  done  from  motives  of  inward  love,  for  in 
themselves  they  are  transitory,  and  therefore  cannot  win  an  eternal 
recompense.  On  the  other  hand,  '%ove  never  falleth  away,"  says  St. 
Paul.  (I  Cor.  xiii.)  Works  done  apart  from  love  cannot  merit  eternal 
life,  and  hence  whosoever  loves  God  separates  himself  from  all  that  is 
not  God — craving  the  uncreated  good,  he  despises  all  created  good. 

And  God  rewards  us  on  account  of  nothing  but  His  own  love  for  us, 
and  that  reward  is  the  gift  of  Himself;  not  partly,  but  wholly  Himself, 
for  He  loves  us  with  an  eternal  love.  Remember  what  He  said  to  Abra- 
ham :  ''Fear  not,  I  am  thy  protector,  and  thy  reward  exceeding  great." 
(Gen.  XV,  1.) 

Again,  as  we  have  seen.  He  rewards  us  with  a  gift  of  love  or  of  loving, 
whereby  a  man  Clearly  and  without  any  medium  contemplates  God,  a 
love  which  enables  the  soul  to  enjoy  God  and  posses  Him  everlastingly. 
Hence,  Christian  soul,  say  to  Him  with  all  the  fervor  of  Mary  Magda- 
len, speaking  from  thy  inmost  heart :  O  my  Master,  Master  of  all  good, 
and  my  God,  draw  me  to  Thee  by  the  love  which  Thou  Thyself  art,  for 
I  crave  to  possess  Thee,  Thou  infinite  good,  and  to  prize  Thee  above  all 
things. 

Let  us  return  to  my  first  affirmation,  namely,  that  God  is  master  of 
the  supreme  good,  and  that  we  must  contemplate  Him  as  such.  Thou 
art  aware  that  thou  canst  contemplate  God  in  His  creatures,  even 
though  they  are  made  out  of  nothing,  for  thou  canst  learn  herein  that 
He  is  almighty.  His  infinite  wisdom  also  is  apparent  in  them,  as  thou 
studiest  their  laws  of  being  and  the  admirable  order  that  prevails  in 
them;  and  this  Divine  wisdom  is  attributed  to  the  Son  of  God.  And 
when  thou  observest  the  gentleness  and  affection  that  exists  more  or 
less  in  all  of  God's  creatures,  thou  mayst  learn  by  them  God's  loving- 
kindness,  which  is  attributed  to  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  this  is  what  St. 
Paul  teaches :  "For  the  invisible  things  of  Him,  from  the  creation  of  the 
world,  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that  are  made; 
His  eternal  power  also,  and  divinity."  (Rom.  i,  20.)  Divine  grace, 
too,  gives  the  soul  light  to  see  God :  ''and  in  Thy  light  we  shall  see  light" 
(Ps.  XXXV,  10),  says  the  Psalmist,  meaning  God  Himself,  a  light  in 
which  there  is  no  manner  of  darkness.  Finally,  we  shall  see  God  in  the 
light  of  glory,  knowing  Him  then  without  any  intermediary,  as  He  is 
in  Himself.     Truly  He  is  the  master  of  truth,  and  He  gives  us  all  truth. 

And  He  is  master  of  perfection,  requiring  us  to  give  up  everything  in 
arder  to  follow  Him  alone.     Man  finds  in  God  the  complete  and  unified 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


263 


assemblage  of  all  the  excellences  that  creatures  have  in  imperfection 
and  only  partially.  O  man,  wouldst  thou  be  perfect?  then  follow  God. 
Hence  our  Saviour  says:  ''If  any  man  come  to  Me,  and  hate  not  his 
father,  and  mother,  and  wife  and  children,  and  brothers  and  sisters, 
yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  My  disciple."  (Lukexiv,26.)  For 
does  it  not  often  happen,  that  one's  very  parents  and  brothers  and  sisters 
and  all  other  creatures  become  enemies,  when  he  loves  them  so  dearly  that 
they  stand  in  the  way  of  his  serving  God  and  his  neighbor?  Therefore 
do  thou  give  up  all  created  things  and  follow  after  the  Master  of  Per- 
fection, Jesus  Christ,  Who  is  blessed  forever.  May  He  grant  us  this 
privilege  by  His  holy  grace.     Amen. 


264  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — The  first  call  of  God  is  to  give  up  the  world,  leading  the 
soul  from  an  outward  to  an  inward  life — The  second  call  is  to  be 
transformed  into  the  living  image  of  Christ  hy  meditation  on  Him, 
perfected  by  Holy  Communion — The  third  call  is  more  rare,  and 
is  the  opening  of  a  door  which  leads  into  a  state  of  absolute  aban- 
donment to  God — The  privileges  of  this  call. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  LOW  SUNDAY. 
Jesus  said  to  them :  Peace  be  to  you. — John  xx,  19, 

*'Peace  be  to  you !"  exclaimed  our  beloved  Lord,  as  He  appeared  to  His 
disciples  after  His  resurrection.  All  men  long  for  rest  and  peace  by  a 
law  of  their  very  nature.  Toward  this  end  are  directed  all  their  striv- 
ings, all  their  manifold  labors,  their  devotions  and  spiritual  exercises. 
But  they  will  never  attain  to  true  peace,  no,  not  if  they  struggled  for  it 
for  all  eternity,  except  they  seek  it  where  alone  it  can  be  found,  namely, 
in  God.  What,  then,  is  the  way  to  this  true  peace,  as  it  is  in  most 
perfect  truth,  in  God  ?  We  may  learn  this  by  the  threefold  vocation  of 
St.  John  the  Evangelist,  for  in  this  way  does  God  call  all  men  to  eternal 
peace. 

The  first,  was  when  He  called  St.  John  from  the  world  and  made  hira 
an  apostle.  The  second,  was  when  He  drew  him  close  to  him  and  made 
him  rest  his  head  on  His  breast.  And  the  third  and  most  perfect,  was  on 
holy  Pentecost  day,  when  He  gave  the  apostle  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
opened  the  door  to  his  entrance  to  perfect  love. 

So  shalt  thou  be  first  called,  namely,  to  give  up  the  world.  This  means 
to  subject  all  thy  lower  powers  and  thy  appetites  to  reason ;  to  learn  to 
tnow  thyself  thoroughly  and  remain  at  home  with  thyself,  watching  all 
thy  words  carefully,  lest  thou  sayest  anything  different  from  what  thou 
wouldst  have  others  say  to  thee;  also  keeping  guard  over  all  thy  emo- 
tions and  scrutinizing  them,  as  to  whether  or  not  they  come  from  God, 
and  are  fit  to  be  directed  back  again  to  God;  over  thy  thoughts,  never 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  265 

harboring  evil  thoughts  or  occupied  with  idle  ones,  and  if  they  intrude 
themselves  against  thy  will,  struggling  manfully  against  them,  and  using 
this  conflict  as  a  preparation  for  better  things ;  finally  over  thy  works, 
so  that  in  all  of  them  thou  hast  God  alone  and  His  honor  in  view  and 
the  happiness  of  thy  fellow-men.  It  is  in  this  wise  that  the  Lord  calls 
thee  from  the  world  and  makes  thee  His  apostle;  thus  dost  thou  learn 
the  change  from  being  an  outward  living  man  to  becoming  an  inward 
living  one.     Of  such  a  kind  is  the  beginner  in  the  spiritual  life. 

The  second  call  is  to  repose  on  Christ's  bosom.  If  thou  wilt  enjoy 
this  privilege  with  St.  John,  thou  must  be  transformed  into  the  holy  and 
living  image  of  our  Saviour.  It  means  that  thou  shalt  cultivate  very 
diligently  the  study  of  His  blessed  meekness,  His  burning  love  for  friends 
and  foes,  and  His  wonderful  and  most  self-denying  indifference  to  all 
things  except  His  Father's  will,  in  all  methods,  states  and  ways  of  life. 

Consider  His  unbounded  kindness  to  all  our  race,  and  also  His 
blessed  poverty.  Heaven  and  earth  were  His  and  He  owned  it  all,  but 
He  was  in  it  as  if  He  owned  nothing  of  it.  Every  word  He  spoke,  every- 
thing He  did,  was  for  His  Father's  honor  and  the  happiness  of  all  man- 
kind. Look  yet  closer  upon  Him,  look  deeper  into  His  heart,  study 
Him  with  perfect  attention,  and  then  look  upon  thyself,  and  behold  how 
different  thou  art  from  Him;  acknowledge  thy  pettiness.  Now  it  is 
when  thou  has  honestly  done  this  that  our  Lord  draws  thee  to  Himself, 
and  makes  thee  rest  thy  head  upon  His  bOsom.  For  this  end  there  is 
nothing  so  useful  as  the  holy  sacrament  of  our  Saviour's  body  and  blood. 
And  thou  shalt  be  also  aided  by  the  counsel  of  one  whose  soul  has  been 
enlightened  by  Divine  grace  more  fully  than  thine  own.  Thou  shalt 
hereby  be  so  filled  with  the  sweetness  of  heavenly  consolation,  that  thou 
canst  easily  renounce  all  the  sweetness  of  this  world. 

These  two  calls  to  God  are  common  enough  among  men,  and  many 
sincerely  resolve  to  persevere  in  them.  But  it  often  happens  that  a 
certain  rashness  of  temperament  hinders  them  from  going  forward  in 
answer  to  the  third  call  of  God.  For,  although  St.  John  reposed  on  our 
Lord's  bosom,  yet  when  Christ  was  seized  by  His  enemies  he  deserted 
him  and  fled  away.  So  let  it  not  be  with  thee.  When  temptation  tries 
thee,  resist  all  self-seeking,  resolutely  stand  fast  by  thy  Saviour;  and, 
on  the  other  hand,  do  not  allow  any  impetuosity  of  temper  to  cause  thee 
to  make  a  false  step.  If  thou  hast  done  well  in  these  two  ways  and  wilt 
not  allow  the  love  of  created  things  to  lead  thee  astray,  God  will  then 
draw  thee  closer  to  Him.    When  thou  feelest  this  drawing,  let  no  pious 


266  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

method  or  practice  of  thine  own  devising  hold  thee  back,  but  yield  thy- 
self without  form  or  image  lovingly  to  Him  as  an  instrument  in  His 
hands.  If  He  is  allowed  His  way,  then  in  less  time  than  it  takes  to 
say  a  Pater  Noster  He  will  sanctify  thee,  and  thereby  give  honor  to  Him- 
self— more  than  thou  canst  do  by  a  hundred  years  of  thy  devotions  in 
the  two  former  ways.  But  one  might  at  a  certain  point  begin  to  ask 
himself :  Hast  thou  not  now  passed  beyond  thy  former  state  and  come 
into  the  higher  one?  Always  answer:  No !  For  no  man  can  go  forward 
otherwise  than  after  the  pattern  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Rather 
ask  thyself  this :  Hast  thou  progressed  beyond  the  spirit  of  self-love  in 
the  pious  exercises  that  thou  hast  practiced?  Diligently  examine  thy- 
self in  this  regard,  and  then  accept  God's  good  pleasure  as  He  leads  thee 
forward  from  one  devout  way  to  another. 

The  third  call  was  when  St.  John  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the 
heavenly  door  was  opened  in  his  soul.  This  happens  to  some  in  the  form 
of  an  ecstasy,  to  others  simply  by  absolute  abandonment  to  God.  Thus 
speaks  St.  Paul:  "Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  hath  it 
entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  what  things  God  hath  prepared  for  them 
that  love  Him."  (I  Cor.  ii,  9.)  But  one  must  never  presume  to  think 
that  he  can  reach  his  highest  degree  of  perfection  ;  it  only  happens  when 
the  outer  man  is  absorbed  in  the  inner,  for  only  then  is  a  man  fully 
mastered  by  God,  and  the  Divine  marvels  and  riches  are  revealed  in  him. 
And  you  must  understand,  children,  that  those  who  are  partakers  of 
this  privilege,  must  often  lie  abed  quite  enfeebled  and  helpless,  for 
nature  cannot  endure  such  a  strain ;  nay,  one  has,  as  it  were,  died  a 
painful  death  many  times  over  before  reaching  this  state — death  within 
and  death  without ;  but  a  death  that  means  eternal  life.  Nor  does  one 
day  bring  it  all  about,  nor  one  year  of  preparation.  But  be  not  fright- 
ened; for  if  it  takes  time  and  self-denial  and  purification  of  heart,  it  ia 
also  the  most  perfect  way  of  all. 

By  these  three  processes  does  a  man  acquire  that  purity  of  heart  that 
St.  John  had  in  a  superior  degree,  and  of  which  our  Lord  taught: 
"Blessed  are  the  clean  of  heart,  for  they  shall  see  God."  (Matt,  v,  8.) 
A  clean  heart  is  more  highly  prized  by  our  Lord  than  anything  on  earth. 
That  heart  is  very  noble,  splendidly  adorned  with  virtue,  the  golden 
temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  which  God  loves  to  dwell ;  it  is  the  oratory 
of  the  Divine  Son  in  which  He  intercedes  for  us  with  His  Father,  and 
in  which  He  daily  offers  His  Divine  sacrifice.  A  purified  heart  is  the 
thair  of  the  highest  judge;  it  is  the  chamber  of  rest  of  the  holy  Trinity; 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  267 

the  light  of  eternal  glory  shines  within  it ;  it  is  the  secret  council  hall 
of  the  three  Divine  persons;  it  is  the  treasure-house  of  all  Divine  riches; 
its  banquet  is  a  foretaste  of  the  sweetness  of  everlasting  joy  in  God ;  it  is 
the  symbol  of  eternal  wisdom ;  it  is  the  trysting  place  of  Divine  love 
and  confidence;  it  is  the  dispensation  of  all  the  graces  of  Christ's  life 
and  passion ;  it  is  the  heavenly  Father's  tabernacle  with  men ;  it  is  the 
spouse  of  Christ;  it  is  the  trusted  friend  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  it  is  the 
envy  of  the  saints  above ;  it  is  a  beloved  sister  of  the  angels ;  the  expecta- 
tion of  the  celestial  army ;  the  brother  of  all  good  men ;  the  terror  of 
evildoers;  the  complete  victory  over  temptation;  a  weapon  to  resist 
every  assault  of  the  enemy;  an  assemblage  of  all  good  gifts;  a  treasury 
of  all  virtues ;  an  example  to  all  men ;  a  restoration  of  all  that  was  ever 
lost. 

Who,  then,  has  such  a  heart  as  this?  He — we  have  already  described 
him — who  is  wholly  and  absolutely  content  with  God  and  intent  on  God; 
who  has  no  taste  for  anything  but  God;  who  fixes  his  thoughts  ever 
and  always  on  God ;  to  whom  all  that  is  not  God  or  has  not  God  for  its 
inspiration,  is  strange  and  remote  and  unwelcome;  who  holds  himself 
aloof  from  all  intruding  forms  and  images,  all  joys  and  sorrows  of  the 
outer  life,  as  far  as  he  may,  and  who  for  this  end  makes  the  best  of  every- 
thing that  happens ;  for  to  the  clean  all  things  are  clean,  and  to  the  meek 
and  humble  of  heart  nothing  is  bitter.    Amen. 


268  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — Prayer  of  every  kind  must  begin  by  an  act  of  retirement 
into  God — How  vocal  prayer  is  joined  with  this — An  illustration 
drawn  from  a  church  edifice — How  we  may  pray  the  Father  for 
the  Son. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  LOW  SUNDAY. 

And  now  glorify  Thou  Me,  O  Father.— John  xvii,  5. 

As  our  beloved  Saviour  uttered  these  words,  the  evangelist  tells  us 
that  He  lifted  up  His  eyes  to  Heaven,  thus  showing  us  how  we  should 
raise  our  eyes  and  hands  and  hearts  and  all  our  powers  upward  to 
Heaven,  and  with  Him  and  in  Him  and  through  Him  offer  our  prayers 
to  God.  The  homage  that  the  Son  of  God  paid  His  heavenly  Father 
was  the  greatest  of  His  works  on  earth — an  incomprehensible  mystery, 
far  surpassing  all  human  understanding,  known  only  to  the  Holy  Ghost. 
St.  Anselm  and  St.  Augustine  say  that  prayer  is  an  ascension  of  the  soul 
in  God. 

Children,  rich  men  come  to  you  and  give  you — as  you  may  be  poor  and 
needy  and  sick — five  or  six  pennies,  and  agree  with  you  for  many  genu- 
flections and  perhaps  a  hundred  Pater  Nosters  in  return.  What  the 
eternal  God  thinks  of  this  kind  of  barter  I  know  not;  only  this  I  say: 
When  you  pray,  turn  away  from  yourself  in  all  sincerity,  lift  up  your 
soul  above  all  created  things,  and  turn  your  thoughts  to  God  alone ;  do 
this  in  the  inmost  depths  of  your  being.  Sink  thy  soul  into  God's 
infinite  spirit,  abandoning  thyself  to  Him  in  all  thy  faculties,  high  and 
low,  all  thy  senses  and  understanding,  in  order  that  thou  mayst  be 
entirely  united  to  Him;  and  do  this  very  interiorly.  By  this  kind  of 
prayer  thou  shalt  attain  to  something  beyond  all  methods  and  practices 
of  devotion.  And  when  thou  art  placed  thus  with  God,  then  offer  all 
the  prayers  to  which  thou  art  obligated,  or  that  others  have  asked  of 
thee  and  that  God  wills  thee  to  offer.  And  be  well  assured,  that 
as  one  penny  is  to  a  hundred  thousand  golden  marks,  so  are  all 
external  forms  of  prayer  compared  to  this  prayer  of  thy  inner  soul. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  260 

For  it  is  real  union  with  God ;  it  is  the  absorption  and  melting  away  of 
the  created  spirit  of  man  into  the  uncreated  Spirit  of  God. 

Children,  if  this  kind  of  prayer  may  be  made  in  company  with  prayer 
of  the  lips  and  tongue,  then  join  them  together  without  hesitation ;  and, 
besides,  thou  mayst  have  promised  to  ofifer  vocal  prayers,  or  thy  vows 
may  require  thee  to  do  so.  But  as  thou  prayest  with  thy  lips,  be  sure 
to  do  with  thy  thoughts  what  Moses  did  with  his  flocks — lead  them  all 
into  the  wilderness.  But  if  any  of  thy  particular  methods  of  prayer 
hinder,  or  any  outward  occupations  interfere  with  this  interior  prayer 
of  the  spirit,  set  them  all  on  one  side,  and  I  will  take  the  responsibility; 
unless,  indeed,  these  happen  to  be  appointed  thee  by  lawful  authority. 
Vocal  prayer  of  all  kinds  is  good,  just  as  the  straw  is  good  to  ripen  the 
wheat.  Thus  Christ  taught :  "The  true  adorers  shall  adore  the  Father 
in  spirit  and  in  truth."  (John  iv,  23.)  It  is  in  the  spirit  of  a  man  that 
all  his  outer  devotions  are  perfected;  and  if  that  perfecting  of  the 
external  prayer  by  the  interior  spirit  has  not  yet  taken  place  in  thee, 
then  begin  diligently  to  bring  it  about;  for  one  moment  of  sincere 
and  inward  prayer  is  worth  all  external  devotions  whatever  that  are 
devoid  of  it — all  that  ever  were  offered  from  the  time  of  Adam  till  now. 

Behold  this  church  and  the  many  parts  that  go  to  make  it  compelte — 
foundation  and  walls  and  stones — and  you  know  that  it  is  all  built  for 
the  interior  life  of  prayer,  to  aid  men  in  offering  real  and  fruitful 
prayer  to  God ;  and  if  it  served  not  that  purpose  it  might  as  well  in- 
stantly be  swept  out  of  existence.  Our  Lord  once  said  to  His  Father : 
"I  have  finished  the  work  which  Thou  gavest  Me  to  do."  (John  xvii,  4.) 
And  He  did  not  refer  to  His  work  in  time,  but  rather  in  eternity,  for  He 
had  yet  much  to  accomplish  in  time :  He  was  to  suffer  and  die  and  rise 
again  from  the  dead.  He  meant  His  work  for  all  time  and  for  all 
eternity.  It  is  so  with  men  whose  spiritual  life  is  rightly  guided;  for 
their  outward  work  in  time  is  extended  in  spirit  into  eternity,  namely, 
in  God's  Spirit,  in  whom  they  pray  and  live  and  labor,  and  in  whom 
they  have  died  to  themselves.  No  man  can  be  transformed  until  he 
ceases  to  be  what  he  has  been.  If  he  would  pray  and  work  in  the  Spirit, 
he  must  be  born  again  where  the  Son  is  born  of  the  Father,  namely,  in 
the  inmost  depths  of  the  Deity ;  there  he  is  absorbed,  without  form  and 
image,  his  soul,  as  it  were,  stripped  of  forms  and  images  and  all  meth- 
ods. Such  a  state  of  prayer  obtains  all  things,  and  such  men  pray  the 
Father  for  the  Son — that  is  to  say,  for  the  extension  of  His  kingdom ; 
just  as  before  the  Son  had  prayed  His  Father  for  them. 


270  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

You  ask :  How  can  they  pray  the  Father  for  the  Son  ?  I  answer  that 
our  Lord  taught  us  to  pray  that  God's  name  might  be  hallowed.  These 
man,  therefore,  pray  that  it  may  be  made  known  and  reverenced  every- 
where and  dearly  loved  on  earth,  just  as  He  wills  it  to  be  honored  in 
Heaven  and  in  all  eternity,  and  that  His  precious  passion  and  death 
and  merits  may  be  made  fruitful.  And  they  pray,  besides,  for  all  the 
Christian  people,  and  their  prayer  is  always  heard.  They  accept, 
furthermore,  all  happenings  of  life  as  sent  from  God,  and  receive  them 
with  all  peace  of  mind ;  they  feel  neither  prosperity  nor  adversity.  Joy 
or  pain  is  all  the  same  to  them,  one  as  gladly  accepted  as  the  other.  And 
in  this  there  is  great  merit. 

Our  Saviour  also  prayed :  "That  they  all  may  be  one,  as  Thou,  Father, 
in  Me,  and  I  in  Thee."  (John  xvii,  21.)  Now,  this  union  is  brought 
about  in  two  ways,  for  it  is  external  and  internal,  by  intermediate 
influences  or  without  them,  in  spirit  and  in  nature.  But  this  is  some- 
times erroneously  understood,  for  the  Divinity  has  no  accidents;  nor 
can  we  understand  how  we  are  united  to  It.  But  this  is  no  wonder; 
for  can  we  understand  how  the  human  body  and  soul  are  united?  How 
can  the  soul  act  in  the  hands  and  feet?  If  this  is  incomprehensible,  no 
wonder  we  cannot  understand  how  the  human  soul  is  joined  into  unity 
with  God. 

But  we  know  that  those  who  come  to  the  state  we  are  considering 
act  in  time  and  outwardly,  and  yet  their  act  extends  into  eternity. 
Their  created  life  is  projected  into  the  uncreated  life,  their  multiplicity 
into  simplicity  of  being.  Amid  unrest  they  enjoy  peace,  and  with  deep 
longing  they  pass  into  the  depths  of  God,  drawing  with  them  all  things 
that  concern  them,  being  thereby  made  eternally  in  Him  as  He  would 
know  them  and  love  them  to  be.  This  is  to  come  nearer  to  God  than 
ordinary  prayer  can  bring  the  soul — very  much  nearer.  But  to  this 
state  those  cannot  attain,  whose  spiritual  life  has  been  developed  in 
exercises  framed  by  natural  reason  alone;  nor  those  who  have  been 
foolishly  self-guided ;  least  of  all  those  who  have  lived  in  the  enjoyments 
of  the  senses.  A  venerable  spiritual  teacher  formerly  discoursed  to 
you  on  this  subject,  and  you  have  misunderstood  him,  for  you  took  his 
meaning  in  a  temporal  sense,  and  he  was  instructing  you  from  the 
eternal  point  of  view.  Perhaps  I  have  gone  beyond  bounds ;  though  as 
God  sees  it,  it  is  not  so.  At  any  rate,  you  will  forgive  me,  dear  children, 
and  I  will  endeavor  to  do  better  in  future.  God  grant  that  all  this 
be  so.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  271 


Olljf  liintfr  of  tl)^  Bmi 

Synopsis — Turning  inward,  the  soul  sometimes  finds  a  wintry  land: 
the  heart  has  really  grown  cold  towards  God — Warmth  is  restored 
iy  courageous  j)enance  and  fervent  prayer — Sometimes  the  cold 
is  hut  an  illuMon:  the  soul  is  being  tried  hy  ivithdrawal  of  sensi- 
ble fervor — This  is  restored  hy  patient  waiting  upon  God — Re- 
marks on  the  friends  and  foes  of  Jesus  among  the  Jews,  and  in 
our  own  day. 


SERMON    FOR    THE    SECOND    SUNDAY    AFTER    EASTER. 

And  it  was  tbe  feast  of  the  dedication  at  Jerusalem,  and  it  was  winter.  And 
Jesus  walked  in  the  temple,  in  Solomon's  porch.  The  Jews  therefore  came  rouad 
about  Him.  and  said  to  Him  :  How  long  dost  Thou  hold  our  souls  in  suspense? 
If  Thou  be  the  Christ,  tell  us  plainly.  Jesus  answered  them :  I  speak  to  you,  and 
you  believe  not.  *  *  *  My  sheep  hear  My  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they 
follow  Me.  And  I  give  them  life  everlasting;  and  they  shall  not  perish  forever, 
and  no  man  shall  pluck  them  out  of  My  hand. — John  x,  22-28. 

All  this  took  place  in  the  temple  of  Solomon,  of  which  the  Psalmist 
spoke:  "His  place  is  in  peace."  (Ps.  Ixxv,  2.)  The  name  Solomon 
means  peaceful,  and  Christ  is  the  eternal  Solomon,  whose  abode  can 
be  none  else  than  that  of  peace,  interior  peace. 

The  temple  into  which  the  loving  Jesus  enters  is  the  purified  soul, 
the  soul  of  the  man  given  up  to  the  interior  life.  Upon  that  soul  God 
lays  more  store  than  on  all  His  other  creatures,  and  is  more  occupied 
with  it  than  with  all  else.  In  this  temple  is  the  feast  of  dedication, 
namely,  of  renewal.  And  how  does  this  renovation  take  place,  the 
renewing  of  that  temple  in  which  God  so  loves  to  dwell ;  yea,  rather  than 
in  any  temple  of  His  that  was  ever  built? 

We  call  anything  new  whilst  it  is  not  long  after  its  beginning;  and  a 
man  is  mad'e  new  when  he  turns  inward,  and  enters  into  the  temple  of 
his  own  soul  with  all  his  faculties.  There  he  finds  God  in  all  His  eternal 
truth,  dwelling  and  acting  there  very  perceptibly — not  as  the  bodily 
senses  perceive,  nor  even  as  the  mind  reasons,  nor  yet  according  to  what 
one  may  have  read  or  heard.     No ;  but  the  Divine  action  in  the  soul  i« 


272  The  Sermons  eind  Spiritual  Conferences 

perceived  by  the  soul's  spiritual  power  of  tasting  and  experiencing  the 
Divine  influences,  welling  up  in  its  depth  as  out  of  their  own  fountain — 
not  introduced  from  without.  A  fountain  is  better  than  a  cistern ;  the 
latter  is  easily  muddied  and  is  liable  to  dry  up;  but  the  fountain  ever 
bursts  forth  fresh  and  pure,  and  its  water  is  always  its  own.  Now,  in 
the  temple  of  the  soul  there  is  a  true  feast  of  dedication — that  is  to  say, 
of  renovation,  as  often  as  a  man  enters  his  interior  soul — even  a  thou- 
sand times  a  day,  if  that  were  possible.  And  at  every  dedication  there 
is  new  purity  of  intention,  new  light,  new  grace  and  new  virtues  be- 
stowed. O,  this  turning  inward  is  a  beautiful  act ;  to  do  it  and  to  do 
it  right,  all  external  devotions  and  all  good  works  serve  to  assist,  receiv- 
ing from  it  in  return  all  their  perfection.  Indeed,  without  this  interior 
movement  external  religious  practices  are  of  no  great  worth.  However 
active  one  may  be  in  all  pious  practices,  above  all  other  things  he  should 
constantly  practice  this  turning  inward  to  his  soul's  renewal. 

"And  it  was  winter."  Now,  when  is  it  really  winter?  It  is  when  the 
heart  has  grown  cold ;  when  it  has  within  it  neither  grace,  nor  God,  nor 
any  Godlike  things.  Snow  and  frost  are  those  miserable,  pitiable  created 
things  which  hold  the  soul  fast  bound  in  love  of  them  and  pleasure  in 
their  use.  They  quench  the  fire  of  the  Holy  Ghost  there;  they  freeze 
up  the  fountains  of  grace  with  a  dreadful  spiritual  coldness.  They 
destroy  all  spiritual  comfort  and  sweet  familiarity  with  God. 

But  there  is  yet  another  winter.  This  is  suffered  by  a  really  God- 
fearing man.  He  is  mindful  of  God  and  loves  Him,  and  is  careful  to 
avoid  all  sin.  But  God  seems  to  have  forsaken  him.  As  far  as  his  feel- 
ings go,  he  is  dry,  dark  and  cold,  devoid  of  all  heavenly  consolation  and 
spiritual  sweetness.  Our  Lord  Himself  suffered  this  spiritual  winter, 
being  deserted  by  His  heavenly  Father  and  deprived  of  His  help. 
Although  He  was  united  to  the  Divine  nature,  yet  His  poor  human 
nature  received  no  drop  of  comfort  from  the  Godhead  during  His 
unspeakably  bitter  passion — not  an  instant's  consolation  in  His  sorest 
need.  He  was  the  most  forsaken  and  helpless  and  agonizing  of  all  men. 
Now  this  is  a  lesson  to  His  chosen  friends.  These  must  with  all  joy  and 
entire  good-will  endure  this  state  of  abandonment  in  union  with  Christ. 
For  He  is  their  shepherd;  they  are  privileged  to  be  His  sheep;  they 
must  suffer  patiently  in  their  interior  souls,  and  show  all  patience  in 
their  outward  behavior,  in  imitation  of  Jesus  Christ.  If  they  are  but 
overjoyed  to  follow  Him  into  this  His  winter  time  of  desolation,  aban- 
donment by  God  and  all  creatures,  then  will  God  in  actual  reality  be 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  273 

present  with  them,  and  in  a  manner  far  more  to  their  advantage  than 
if  they  experienced  the  brightest  possible  summer-time  of  His  sensible 
favor.  No  one  can  fully  understand  all  the  good  that  lies  hidden  in  this 
stern  trial  of  desolation  of  spirit,  this  dark  and  frozen  spiritual  win- 
ter— supposing  always  that  one  holds  his  mind  steady  and  firm  in 
patient  endurance. 

The  gospel  tells  us,  further,  that  "the  Jews  came  round  about"  Jesus. 
There  were  among  them,  as  among  us,  some  good  and  some  bad.  Now, 
the  word  Jew  may  be  taken  to  mean  one  who  confesses  God.  And  when 
the  soul's  powers  turn  into  the  interior,  down  to  the  very  roots  of  life, 
using  natural  and  supernatural  means  of  perfection,  then  the  soul  con- 
fesses or  truly  acknowledges  God,  and  does  so  in  a  manner  full  of  feel- 
ing and  spiritual  enjoyment.  This  is  an  act  of  faith  so  true  and  living 
that  it  wins  all  that  is  born  of  faith.  Its  power  is  so  gi-eat  that  pro- 
claiming God  in  all  sincerity  absorbs  the  soul's  entire  life :  Interiorly, 
in  the  understanding  and  the  will;  outwardly,  in  every  external  human 
faculty;  in  deeds  and  words,  in  doing  and  refusing  to  do,  and  in  all 
sufferings.  A  man  now  feels  and  knows  nothing  in  act  or  in  contempla- 
tion except  the  confessing  of  God  in  perfect  truth.  This  may  have  been 
Christ's  meaning  when  He  said :  "Every  one,  therefore,  that  shall  con- 
fess Me  before  men,  I  will  also  confess  him  before  My  Father  Who  is  in 
Heaven."  (Matt,  x,  32.)  Be  well  assured  of  this:  Whatsoever  work 
thou  dost  in  which  thou  settest  before  thee  any  other  end  but  God,  in 
doing  that  work  thou  forgettest  God.  God  by  His  very  nature  must 
be  the  end  and  object  of  all  things,  and  of  all  thoughts  and  intentions ; 
and  if  thou  placest  any  other  object  before  thee,  it  is  as  if  thou  didst 
deny  God,  for  thou  givest  to  a  creature  what  belongs  to  God  alone  and 
that  by  prerogative  of  His  very  nature. 

And  there  were  bad  Jews  round  about  our  Lord,  hearts  full  of  bitter- 
ness, men  who  could  not  endure  to  look  on  Him  or  suffer  Him  for  a  mo- 
ment. They  were  stony-hearted  against  Him.  Alas,  do  we  not  see  the 
like  of  this  among  Christians  today?  We  meet  with  some  men  who  are 
enraged  against  God's  friends;  who  cannot  behold  their  good  deeds 
without  the  bitterest  opposition ;  who  do  their  utmost  to  hinder  their 
good  works  and  destroy  the  good  effects  of  them;  who  are  totally 
opposed  to  their  ways  and  their  lives,  and  are  ever  seeking  to  misin- 
terpret them — in  a  word,  they  act  toward  good  Christians  as  the  bad 
Jews  did  toward  our  Lord.  This  is  a  very  dangerous  state  to  be  in. 
No  sign  is  as  plain  of  having  no  part  with  God  and  His  friends  in 


274  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

eternity,  as  when  a  man  has  within  him  no  favor  for  what  is  good  and 
pleasing  to  God  in  other  men's  conduct.  Therefore  did  Christ  teach: 
"He  that  is  not  with  Me  is  against  Me."  (Matt,  xii,  30.)  On  the  other 
hand,  it  is  plainly  a  sign  of  God's  friendship  when  men  are  like  the 
good  Jews,  who  were  kind  to  our  Saviour.  These  praise  the  virtuous 
lives  of  fervent  Christians  in  all  candor  and  good  will,  without  false 
interpretations,  full  of  affection,  favor  and  uprightness  of  intention — a 
true  sign  that  God  dwells  in  their  inmost  souls,  and  that  they  shall 
finally  possess  eternal  joy.  The  others  are  altogether  different.  Of  them 
did  He  speak  on  that  same  occasion,  saying :  '*Ye  are  not  of  My  sheep,  for 
My  sheep  hear  My  voice." 

Now  let  us  ask  why  our  Lord  so  often  calls  His  friends  sheep.  Be- 
cause sheep  have  two  qualities  that  our  Lord  especially  loves,  namely, 
innocence  and  gentle  meekness.  We  read  in  the  Apocalypse  that  the 
pure  and  guileless  ''follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  He  goeth."  (Apoc. 
xiv,  4.)  The  meek  and  humble  of  heart  are  near  to  God,  and  they  hear 
His  voice ;  proud  and  haughty  men  never  hear  it.  Wben  the  wind  howls 
and  the  doors  and  windows  clatter, one  can  hardly  hear  the  voice  of  man. 
As  to  the  voice  of  God,  that  fatherly,  whispered,  secret  word,  uttered  in 
the  inmost  depths  of  thy  soul — if  thou  wilt  hear  it,  thou  must  be  deaf 
to  all  the  roar  of  the  world  without,  and  hush  all  the  voices  of  thy  own 
inner  life.  Thou  must  yield  thyself  up  like  a  meek  and  gentle  little 
sheep,  confess  thy  sins,  and,  all  humbly  hushed  and  quieted,  hearken  to 
this  voice  of  God ;  it  is  denied  to  all  who  are  not  thus  made  like  unto 
sheep.  It  was  to  His  sheep  that  the  Lord  spoke,  as  we  read  in  the  les- 
sons of  this  night's  office:  "I  will  give  thee  a  lovely  land,  the  goodly 
inheritance  of  the  army  of  the  Gentiles.  And  I  said :  Thou  shalt  call 
Me  Father  and  shalt  not  cease  to  walk  after  Me.''  (Jer.  iii,  19.)  And 
what  is  this  lovely  land  which  He  has  promised  His  chosen  sheep,  His 
beloved  friends?  That  land  is  their  own  body.  Our  bodies  are  by 
nature  full  of  concupiscence  and  rebellious,  but  He  enables  His  friends 
to  reduce  them  to  obedience,  and  they  find  much  joy  in  compelling  them 
to  do  their  will.  What  was  once  waste  and  barren  is  now  become  a 
fertile  and  well-tilled  land,  in  which  one  sows  and  reaps  in  all  abun- 
dance. 

And  what  is  the  goodly  inheritance?  O,  it  is  nothing  less  than  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  Himself,  for  He  is  the  heir  of  His  Father  and  we  are 
co-heirs  with  Him,  as  St.  Paul  tells  us :  "Heirs,  indeed,  of  God,  and  joint 
heirs  with  Christ."     (Rom.  viii.  17.)     The  Son  has  received  from  the 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  27;) 

Father  all  that  He  is  and  all  that  He  can  do;  and  into  His  hand  hath 
the  Father  given  all  things.  And,  in  turn,  the  Son  hath  given  back 
to  His  Father  all  that  He  received  from  Him,  even  to  the  very  least, 
seeking  the  Father's  glory  alone  in  all  things.  And  in  this  we  are  to 
imitate  God's  Son.  For  if  He  is  to  be  made  our  inheritance,  we  must 
restore  to  His  Father  everything  without  exception  that  we  are  and 
that  we  have  power  to  do,  holding  back  not  a  hair's  weight  of  all  that 
is  ours  in  our  interior  or  our  exterior  existence.  No  matter  how  it  has 
come  to  us,  direct  or  indirect,  everything  must  go  to  Him  Who  is  its 
owner:  do  thou  make  no  exception  whatever.  And  then  seek  God 
Himself.  Our  miserable  nature  is  greedy  and  selfish,  seeking  its  own 
in  everything,  and  hereby  our  lovely  inheritance  is  obscured;  for  to 
appropriate  to  self  what  is  God's  alone,  is  to  debase  the  Godlike  to  the 
state  of  the  creature,  and  is  to  obscure  the  glory  of  our  heavenly 
inheritance. 

And  what  does  He  mean  by  the  words :  I  will  give  thee  the  exercise  of 
the  heathen?  This  means  that  the  soul  shall  receive  God's  grace  with 
the  humility  of  a  converted  pagan.  Those  converts  received  grace  as 
grace,  having  no  pious  practices  to  help  them,  nor  any  holiness  to  begin 
with,  and  starting  without  any  merits;  whereas  the  Jews  were  more 
fortunate  in  having  their  law  and  their  ceremonies  and  their  good 
works,  and  many  other  helps.  The  heathen  had  nothing  whatever  to 
build  on  but  God's  grace  and  mercy  alone.  Now  in  that  spirit  should 
thy  devout  practices  be  offered  up,  trusting  to  God's  great  mercy  and 
kindness  and  nothing  else. 

Thou  must  not  place  too  much  confidence  in  thy  own  good  prepara- 
tions, or  take  much  account  of  thy  worthiness.  Many  men  follow  the 
Jews  in  this  respect,  building  on  their  own  methods,  and  trusting  (how- 
ever secretly  and  unconsciously  it  may  be)  to  their  own  works.  And 
if  it  happens  that  they  miss  doing  certain  pious  things,  they  think 
that  all  is  lost,  and  forthwith  they  lose  trust  in  God  and  man.  By 
saying  this  I  do  not  mean  that  one  should  give  up  his  devout  practices ; 
no,  let  him  do  them  well  and  punctually,  but  without  making  them — 
rather  than  God's  blessed  grace — the  foundation  of  his  hopes.  Such 
men  depend  wholly  for  their  union  with  God  upon  the  boast  that  they 
have  worn  haircloth  and  chains,  fasted  and  prayed  and  watched,  been 
poor  men  for  forty  years ;  and  apart  from  these  things  they  would  have 
no  solid  trust  in  God.  But  if  a  man  has  done  all  the  good  works  in  the 
world,  then  it  but  gives  him  the  occasion  to  be  detached  from  them  in 


276  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

his  soul,  and  to  stand  before  God  as  if  he  had  never  done  a  single  good 
deed  his  whole  life  long,  whether  great  or  small,  accepting  God's  grace 
for  its  own  sake  alone  and  as  a  gift  of  His  loving  mercy,  rejecting  every 
thought  of  trusting  in  his  own  personal  preparation  for  it.  This  is 
what  we  may  call  the  exercise  of  the  heathen.  May  God  help  us  to  what 
He  has  promised  in  the  prophecy  of  Jeremias :  "I  will  give  thee  a  lovely 
land,  the  goodly  inheritance  of  the  army  of  the  Gentiles.  And  I  said; 
Thou  shalt  call  Me  Father,  and  shalt  not  cease  to  walk  after  Me." 
Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  277 


Slj^  JpararUtP  B  Suligmf ut  Agatttfit  tl|f  Wot\^ 

Synopsis — We  here  mean  hy  the  ivorld  our  own  heart — The  Holy 
Spirit  loill  condemn  the  hidden  wickedness  of  refusing  to  avow 
our  sinfulness — Also  for  secret  self-righteousness  on  account  of 
our  good  works — Again,  for  sitting  in  judgment  upon  our  neigh- 
bor— //  we  meekly  accept  the  Paraclete's  judgment,  He  will  en- 
lighten us  and  cleanse  us  unto  perfection — How  this  is  done. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  THE  FOURTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  EASTER.* 

It  is  expedient  to  you  that  I  go;  for  if  I  go  not,  the  Paraclete  will  not  come  to 
you ;  but  if  I  go,  I  will  send  Him  to  you.  And  when  He  is  come,  He  will  convince 
the  world  of  sin,  and  of  justice,  and  of  judgment. — John  xvi,  7,  8. 

Children,  note  carefully  this  teaching,  which  tells  us  that  if  God's 
well-loved  friends  and  followers  shall  receive  the  Holy  Ghost,  then  Jesus 
must  first  depart  from  them.  Depart?  And  how  depart?  It  is  noth- 
ing less  than  leaving  us  in  utter  abandonment,  void  of  comfort,  inca- 
pable; so  that  w^e  become  dull,  heavy,  cold  and  dark  in  regard  to  all  good 
deeds.  That  is  what  is  meant  by  Christ's  going  away  from  us.  Whoso- 
ever is  thus  placed  by  God,  and  shall  learn  how  to  take  advantage  of 
his  state  will  find  it  exceedingly  profitable,  a  blessed  and  a  Godlike  gift. 
If  he  but  wisely  abandons  himself  to  God's  will,  then  all  his  multiplicity 
is  turned  into  unity ;  in  the  midst  of  suffering  he  finds  joy ;  he  is  patient 
of  all  shame,  peaceful  amid  strife,  and  he  extracts  sweetness  out  of  bit- 
terness. 

When  our  Lord  says  that  the  Holy  Ghost  at  His  coming  will  con- 
demn the  world,  He  means  that  He  will  show  us  clearly  whether  or  not 
the  world  lies  concealed  in  the  depths  of  our  soul.  If  He  finds  it  there. 
He  will  expose  it,  convict  it,  and  condemn  it.  And  what  is  the  world  in 
us  but  its  methods  and  works  and  images;  or  again,  its  comforts  and 
joys  and  sorrows,  its  fears  and  hopes  and  cares?  Hence  St.  Bernard 
tells  us :  "With  what  thou  art  made  joyous  or  sad,  with  that  thou  shalt 
be  judged."     Children,  this  is  what  the  Holy  Spirit  will  condemn  in 

•Tauler  left  no  sermon  for  the  third  Sunday  after  Easter. 


278  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

us — that  we  would  never  have  rest  nor  peace  except  when  possessed  by 
the  miserable  and  wicked  influence  of  the  world.  In  whatever  man 
this  tendency  is  found  unrepressed,  that  is  to  say,  joy  in  creatures,  in 
the  same  man,  whether  living  or  dead,  is  found  what  our  Lord  means  by 
the  world.  And  this  is,  again,  a  plain  sign  that  in  such  a  soul  the  Holy 
Ghost  has  not  taken  up  His  abode.  For  Christ  has  declared  that  when 
He  comes  He  will  condemn  all  such  things. 

He  will  also  condemn  the  world  for  its  sins.  And  what  sins?  Now 
you  know,  children,  that  the  eternal  God  made  all  things,  and  that  He 
hath  rightly  ordered  all  things  to  their  proper  end,  just  as  fire  is  made  to 
go  upward  and  the  stone  to  fall  downward.  And  in  our  own  nature  He 
has  made  our  eyes  to  see,  our  ears  to  hear,  our  hands  to  work,  our  feet 
to  walk,  and  these  and  all  our  members  to  be  obedient  to  our  will, 
whether  hard  or  easy,  bitter  or  sweet ;  yea,  even  for  life  or  death.  And 
this  will  power  is  perversely  used  by  many  lovers  of  this  world,  who 
gladly  give  up  all  their  goods  and  their  honor,  that  they  may  possess  and 
enjoy  what  ministers  to  their  fleshly  indulgence.  Now  sinners,  to 
excuse  their  sloth,  seem  to  address  the  Lord  and  say :  Who  is  there 
nowadays,  Lord,  that  obeys  Thee  truly  and  keeps  all  Thy  command- 
ments, who  does  it  willingly  and  is  content  in  his  inmost  soul  to  give 
up  all  self  and  all  transitory  things  at  Thy  behest?  Children,  this  sin 
will  the  Holy  Ghost  punish  when  He  comes;  it  is  the  sin  of  resisting  the 
Divine  will,  stifling  God's  warning  voice  within,  and  doing  it  over  and 
over  again — this  will  He  punish,  and  many  a  hidden  wickedness  besides. 
This  judgment  produces  in  the  soul  a  sudden  sense  of  being  condemned 
by  God,  a  pain  so  sharp,  a  woe  so  unbearable  that  it  is  like  the  torment 
of  hell,  a  feeling  the  like  of  which  is  almost  unknown  to  the  worldly 
minded,  or  to  men  who  blindly  follow  their  natural  instincts.  This 
feeling  is  the  plainest  sign  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is,  indeed,  present  in  the 
soul ;  and  it  gives  us  a  cause  of  real  confidence  in  God,  for  it  shows  the 
true  state  of  things.  For  if  a  man  has  committed  a  thousand  sins  and 
knows  them  and  sincerely  confesses  them,  it  is  infinitely  better  than  to 
be  guilty  of  one  single  ofifense  that  he  will  not  avow,  that  he  does  not 
admit  to  be  sinful,  and  to  which  he  continues  to  give  himself  up.  O, 
dear  children,  be  assured  that  any  so-called  spiritual  man  who  rests 
in  total  self-content,  who  is  well  pleased  with  his  state  of  soul  and  his 
manner  of  living,  is  really  in  great  danger  and  is  committing  offenses 
perilous  to  his  salvation.  He  is  a  self-willed  man  from  whom  nothing 
good  can  be  expected. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  279 

And  then  the  Holy  Ghost  will  convict  and  punish  us  for  the  sake  of 
justice  or  righteousness.  O  merciful  God,  how  poor  and  contemptible  is 
our  justice  in  Thy  sight !  Therefore,  says  St.  Augustine :  "Woe  to  all 
justice  and  woe  over  again,  if  God,  when  He  comes,  will  not  judge  our 
justice  according  to  His  mercy."  And  Isaias  says:  "All  our  justices 
are  as  the  rag  of  a  menstruous  woman."  (Isaias  Ixiv,  6.)  And  our 
I^rd  thus  taught  His  well-loved  disciples :  "When  you  shall  have  done 
all  these  things  that  are  commanded  you,  say:  We  are  unprofitable 
servants."  (Luke  xxvii,  10.)  What  deception  is  plainer,  children, 
than  that  by  which  a  man  reckons  himself  to  be  what  in  reality  he  is 
not.  Many  a  one  is  so  infatuated  with  his  own  way  of  acting,  that  he 
will  yield  to  neither  God  nor  man;  indeed,  such  men  very  carefully 
guard  against  giving  themselves  up  to  God.  When  the  Divine  warnings 
overtake  them,  whether  coming  from  God  direct  or  through  some  inter- 
niediary,  they  pay  no  heed  to  them— unmortified  men,  pleasing  neither 
to  God  nor  to  His  creatures.  But  it  may  happen  that  the  Holy  Ghost 
visits  them  with  the  judgment  and  condemnation  of  their  spiritual 
exercises  and  methods ;  and  then  such  a  man  confesses  his  faults  in  all 
sincerity,  learns  in  his  own  heart  the  lessons  of  self-denial,  humility, 
and  all  other  virtues  that  fit  him  for  eternal  happiness. 

Children,  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  our  Lord  tells  us,  will  convince  the 
world  of  judgment.  And  this  applies  to  any  man  who,  blind  to  his  own 
faults,  sits  in  judgment  upon  other  men's  faults.  Our  Saviour  teaches : 
"Judge  not,  that  you  may  not  be  judged.  For  with  what  judgment  you 
judge,  you  shall  be  judged,  and  with  what  measure  you  mete,  it  shall  be 
measured  to  you  again."  (Matt,  vii,  1-2.)  Children,  it  has  coiiie  to 
pass  nowadays,  that  everybody,  without  exception  is  wanting  in  this 
respect— clergy  and  laity,  bishops,  priests,  monks,  provincials,  abbots, 
nobles  and  common  people,  these  are  ever  judging  and  condemning  one 
another,  and  thereby  building  up  a  high  wall  between  themselves  and 
God.  Be  on  your  guard  against  this  failing,  as  you  love  God  and  His 
eternal  bliss.  On  the  contrary,  judge  and  condemn  yourselves.  That 
will  be  of  much  benefit  to  you,  and  will  save  you  from  being  condemned 
by  the  eternal  God  and  all  His  blessed  saints. 

Children,  never  condemn  anything  whatsoever,  unless  it  is  manifestly 
and  openly  a  grievous  sin.  Bite  your  tongue  till  it  bleeds  rather  than 
speak  words  in  condemnation  of  others,  be  it  in  matters  great  or  small. 
What  seems  evil  to  thee,  do  thou  silently  recommend  to  God's  eternal 
justice.     From  the  practice  of  judging  one's  neighbor  grows  up  a  habit 


280  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

of  self-righteousness,  pride  and  contempt  for  one's  neighbor,  the  seed 
of  Satan,  by  means  of  which  many  a  heart  is  defiled.  This  is  a  sign 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  not  really  present.  Who  would  guide  the  soul  to 
right  and  timely  judgment,  as  necessity  and  one's  office  would  require. 
It  sometimes  happens  that  in  healing  one  wound,  a  man  by  his  violent 
temper  inflicts  three  or  four  other  wounds.  Hard  words  should  not  be 
used  in  correction,  but  rather  those  of  affection.  One  should  not  crush 
another's  heart ;  love,  all  kindly  and  meek,  should  be  the  invariable  rule 
in  administering  correction,  whether  among  clergy  or  laity.  By  this 
spirit  one  keeps  his  own  soul  in  meekness;  he  never  loses  self-control, 
but  knows  in  all  calmness  of  mind  what  he  is  about,  whether  he  be 
addressing  many  or  few;  never  failing  to  treat  others  in  all  single- 
mindedness  as  he  would  be  treated  by  them;  setting  aside  in  silence  all 
that  does  not  strictly  belong  to  the  duty  in  hand. 

Children,  assume  no  airs  of  superior  wisdom.  Look  in  all  simplicity 
into  your  own  hearts  and  study  yourselves  in  body  and  soul.  Go  not 
astray  after  God's  deep  secrets,  such  as  Divine  emanation  and  Divine 
immanation,  the  difference  between  being  and  not  being,  or  essence  of 
being  in  the  soul.  Christ  has  taught  that  the  secret  things  of  God  are 
not  for  us  to  know.  Hold  fast  by  the  faith,  the  true  and  simple  faith ; 
believe  in  one  God  and  three  Divine  persons  without  a  multiplicity  of 
fine  distinctions.  Sabellius  and  Arius  had  wonderful  imaginings  about 
the  Trinity,  and  Solomon  and  Origen  have  transmitted  to  Holy  Church 
wonderful  disquisitions — and  what  has  been  their  eternal  fate?  We 
know  not.  Take  heed  to  yourselves;  permit  no  one  to  answer  for  you 
except  yourselves.  Have  regard  to  God  and  His  holy  will;  stick  to  the 
calling  in  which  God  has  placed  you,  and  fulfill  it  truly  and  with  a 
pure  intention. 

If  you  do  not  know  what  God's  will  may  be  in  any  matter,  then  seek 
counsel  of  men  more  enlightened  by  God's  Holy  Spirit  than  you  are.  If 
none  such  are  at  hand,  then  go  direct  to  God,  and  doubt  not  but  that  He 
will  give  you  all  needed  direction ;  stand  fast  by  that.  But  if  even  this 
leaves  you  doubtful,  then  diligently  seek  out  the  way  most  unpleasant  to 
flesh  and  blood  and  to  which  you  have  the  least  inclination ;  follow  that 
to  begin  with,  for  God  most  certainly  dwells  and  His  grace  increases  in 
a  heart  that  is  dead  to  self. 

Now,  children,  since  God's  well-loved  disciples  cannot  receive  the 
Holy  Ghost  until  Christ  Jesus  has  in  this  way  departed  from  them,  it 
behooves  us  also  to  willingly  prepare  ourselves  for  that  departure. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  281 

Give  up  all  things  for  God,  and  without  doubt  God  will  give  you  Him- 
self in  all  things.  Do  that,  children;  do  it  earnestly,  resting  your 
thoughts  in  the  inward  life  in  very  truth,  and  your  reward  even  in  this 
world  will  be  wonderfully  great. 

Our  Saviour  also  teaches,  that  when  the  Holy  Ghost  comes  He  will 
teach  us  all  things,  even  future  things.  This  does  not  mean  that  we 
shall  be  taught  beforehand  whether  the  corn  harvest  will  be  great  or  the 
price  high  or  low ;  but  that  He  will  teach  us  all  that  is  necessary  for  a 
perfect  life.  He  will  teach  us  the  secret  wisdom  of  God:  that  this 
world  is  false,  our  natural  lights  are  misguiding,  that  the  evil  spirits  are 
crafty.  Children,  go  forward  steadfastly  in  God's  paths  and  with  all 
discretion ;  look  well  to  the  duties  of  your  state  of  life  as  being  God's 
merciful  vocation— be  ever-faithful  in  this  course.  Do  not  act  as  some 
do:  if  God  would  have  them  by  their  vocation  cultivate  the  inner  life, 
they  forthwith  turn  away  to  the  outward  life;  and  if  He  calls  them  to 
the  outward  life,  they  turn  obstinately  to  the  inward  life— spirits  hard 
and  perverse. 

Now,  children,  it  is  in  this  wise  that  the  Holy  Ghost  teaches  us  all 
truth  when  He  comes  to  us:  He  reveals  to  us  our  sins  as  they  are  in 
reality,  and  He  annihilates  us  in  our  own  eyes;  He  shows  us  how  to  live 
purely  and  simply  for  truth  and  according  to  truth ;  He  teaches  us  how 
to  sink  down  Avith  true  humility  in  subjection  to  God  and  all  of  God's 
creatures.  Is  not  this  real  knowledge?  Does  it  not  embrace  in  ilself 
all  the  knowledge  and  all  the  wisdom  a  man  needs  for  perfection  and 
happiness?  namely,  genuine  humility,  deep  seated  in  the  soul.  This  is 
very  dififerent  from  the  humility  of  some  men,  who  humble  themselves 
in  words,  and  if  you  use  the  very  same  words  about  them,  they  will  not 
tolerate  it  for  an  instant.  This  meekness  is  not  well  grounded ;  there 
is  little  good  back  of  it,  for  such  people  are  self-absorbed.  Nor  can  a 
man's  life  ever  amount  to  anything  with  our  Lord,  unless  he  has  real 
and  heartfelt  humility.  May  God  grant  us  sincere  subjection  of  soul 
under  His  hand  and  under  all  His  creatures.  May  He  draw  us  into 
entire  conformity  to  His  holy  will.  May  His  Holy  Spirit  come  to  us 
and  possess  us  with  His  grace,  teaching  us  all  the  truth  of  His  holy  way 
of  life.     Amen. 


182  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — The  wilfully  wicked  are  the  first  class  who  reject  the  Spirit, 
being  slaves  of  vice— Good  men  lessen  His  influence  in  their  souls 
by  using  mechanically  the  outward  parts  of  the  confession  and 
communion,  nor  fully  adverting  to  the  interior  graces — Some  suf- 
fer themselves  to  be  deluded  by  fancied  visions. — This  often  comes 
from  mistaken  thoughts  about  our  Lord's  humanity — The  true 
way  of  meditating  on  Christ's  humanity. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  FOURTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  EASTER. 

It  is  expedient  to  you  that  I  go ;  for  if  I  go  not,  the  Paraclete  will  not  come  to 
you. — John  xvi,  7. 

Mark  well,  dear  children,  to  how  high  a  place  a  man  must  be  con- 
ducted if  he  shall  achieve  perfect  happiness.  That  can  only  come  to 
pass  by  his  sincerely  renouncing  all  those  things  that  are  most  pleasing 
to  human  nature.  From  all  these  he  must  be  mortified;  he  must  let 
them  all  go,  no  matter  how  good  and  precious  they  may  seem  to  him, 
nay,  even  holy  and  spiritual.  The  disciples  of  Christ — were  they  not 
required  to  give  up  their  Master  in  His  humanit}',  so  full  of  grace,  so 
holy  and  so  beloved?  And  this  was  expedient  to  them,  in  order  that 
they  might  be  made  capable  of  receiving  the  Holy  Ghost.  Therefore,  no 
man  shall  be  fit  to  receive  Divine  grace  whose  heart  is  in  possession  of 
creatures.  Three  kinds  of  obstacles  in  as  many  kinds  of  men  hinder 
the  coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  first  class  are  wilfully  wicked  men,  having  their  pleasures  in 
creatures  against  God's  law;  far  away  from  God's  paths  are  these.  Of 
these  the  Psalmist  speaks :  ''Cursed  are  they  that  depart  from  the  way 
of  the  Lord"  (Ps.  cxviii,  21)  ;  that  is  to  say,  go  away  from  God  to 
creatures.  And  there  are  others  who  are  really  good  people,  but  who 
are  anxious  about  their  needs,  or  who  take  over  much  pleasure  in  out- 
ward things.  Therefore  does  our  Lord  oppose  them,  saying :  "He  that 
loveth  his  life  shall  lose  it."     (John  xii.  25.)     He  means  carnal  love  of 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  283 

life;  and  He  immediately  adds:  ''He  that  hateth  his  life  in  this  world, 
keepeth  it  into  life  eternal."  These  latter  are  the  ones  who  resist  and 
suppress  their  disorderly  appetites. 

The  second  hindrance  of  good  men  to  attaining  real  spirituality,  is 
misunderstanding  the  seven  sacraments,  fixing  their  soul  too  exclusively 
upon  the  outward  signs  therein,  and  thereby  failing  to  obtain  the  full 
inward  grace;  for  the  holy  sacraments  are  instituted  to  lead  us  to  single- 
hearted  truth.  Thus  the  married  life  is  a  sign  of  the  union  of  the 
Divine  and  the  human  natures  in  Christ,  and  also  represents  the  espou- 
sals of  the  soul  with  God.  Hence  those  who  rest  wholly  upon  the  out- 
ward sign  in  this  sacrament,  through  their  sensual  understanding  of  it 
prevent  its  helping  them  to  the  eternal  truth;  they  do  not  live  rightly  in 
the  married  state. 

Again,  some  men  lean  too  much  on  the  outward  part  of  the  sacrament 
of  penance,  on  the  saying  of  its  prayers  and  on  the  confession  of  sin, 
not  going  down  into  its  very  truth.  To  admonish  these  our  Saviour 
said ;  ''He  that  is  washed,  needeth  not  but  to  wash  his  feet,  but  is  clean 
wholly."  (John  xiii,  10.)  Which  means  that  when  a  man  has  washed 
his  soul  once  by  a  good  confession,  being  deeply  penitent  and  honestly 
confessing  all  his  sins,  he  need  not  suppose  he  must  keep  on  repenting 
his  old  sins,  already  repented  of,  already  confessed.  Let  him  tell  his 
daily  venial  sins ;  let  him,  as  it  were,  wash  his  feet  from  the  petty  faults 
of  life  as  his  conscience  reproves  him,  and  thereby  he  shall  be  made 
clean  wholly. 

And  good  men  are  often  burdened  by  the  outward  customs  they 
observe  in  receiving  our  Lord  in  holy  Communion.  They  have  so  many 
outward  devotions  that  these  consume  their  interior  fervor.  The  true 
sacramental  state  is  an  interior  Idnging  for  God  and  an  interior  union 
with  Him,  and  not  a  union  in  appearance  only.  Hence  some  do  not 
receive  this  sacrament  properly,  for  this  and  all  sacraments  lead  us  to 
God  in  all  simplicity  of  truth. 

We' must  realize  that  God  is  to  be  rightly  adored  by  all  men,  in  all 
states  of  life,  and  at  all  times.  Now  whosoever  would  rightly  adore  the 
heavenly  Father,  must  set  his  soul  into  solitude,  and  give  himself  up  to 
his  longing  for  God,  and  have  steadfast  confidence  in  Him ;  and  this  con- 
dition belongs  to  the  highest  part  of  the  soul.  When  thus  placed,  the 
spirit  of  a  man  rests  oblivious  to  time  and  to  bodily  life.  St.  Paul  bids 
U8  ever  to  rejoice,  give  thanks  to  God  without  ceasing  and  always  to  pray. 
To  pray  without  ceasing  is  to  do  all  one's  works  in  God's  love,  mean- 


284  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

while  renouncing  all  self-gratulation  in  them,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
bow  down  humbly  before  God,  and  give  up  our  souls  freely  to  His  influ- 
ence. When  these  dispositions  are  united  together  in  the  highest  fac- 
ulties of  the  soul,  then  is  the  soul  spiritualized.  It  then  cleaves  to  God 
with  perfect  union  of  its  will.  It  becomes,  as  it  were,  divinized,  and 
then  a  man  begins  first  to  have  the  right  and  true  adoration  of  God, 
for  he  has  attained  the  end  for  which  he  was  created. 

Now  there  are  some,  yes,  there  are  many,  who  do  not  adore  the  Father 
rightly  and  in  truth.  For  as  often  as  we  pray  to  God  on  account  simply 
of  benefiting  by  creatures,  we  pray  to  our  own  injury.  The  creature  is 
what  it  is — a  creature,  and  can  only  bring  with  it  bitterness,  hurt  and 
evil.  Men  who  pray  for  created  things,  without  any  spiritual  intention, 
are  rightly  served  when  they  suffer  misery ;  they  have  implicitly  prayed 
for  the  infliction  they  now  endure.  Whosoever  seeks  God  and  seeks 
anything  else  with  Him,  will  not  find  Him.  Whosoever  seeks  God  alone 
in  all  sincerity,  will  find  Him  and  all  besides  that  God  may  give. 

Many  good  men  are  hindered  from  their  perfection,  because  they  rest 
in  a  deluded  spirit  upon  the  humanity  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by 
which  means  they  give  themselves  up  too  much  to  visions.  They  see 
in  spirit  angels  or  men,  or  the  humanity  of  Christ ;  and  they  believe  the 
words  the}'  think  are  spoken  to  them,  assuring  them  that  they  are  God's 
favorites,  or  that  certain  persons  have  committed  sins  or  practiced 
virtues,  or  that  God  is  going  to  do  something  by  their  means.  By  all  of 
which  they  are  often  deceived,  for  whatsoever  God  does,  He  does  by  His 
goodness;  he  has  no  need  of  creatures.  Hence  our  Lord  said  to  His 
disciples:  "It  is  expedient  to  you  that  I  go."  This  was  because  He 
would  lead  them  to  higher  perfection.  Even  His  humanity  was  a 
hindrance  to  them,  because  they  cleaved  to  it  with  inordinate  pleasure. 
They  must  follow  God  in  all  their  ways,  and  His  humanity  should  lead 
them  to  His  Godhead.  Christ  said  :  "I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and 
the  life.  No  man  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  Me."  (John  xiv,  6.) 
Hence  those  men  are  much  mistaken  who  flatter  themselves  that  they 
can  do  anything  good  of  themselves.  Jesus  Himself  said :  "From  God 
I  proceeded  and  came;  for  I  came  not  of  Myself."     (John  viii,  42.) 

W^e  must  adore  the  humanity  of  Christ  only  on  account  of  its  union 
with  the  Godhead.  The  man  Christ  is  truly  God,  and  God  is  truly  man. 
Let  us  not  concern  ourselves  with  any  creature;  let  us  be  absorbed  in 
God,  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  alone  is  our  way  to  the  Father. 
And  yet  even  where  we  have  entered  mentally  upon  the  way  of  truth 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  285 

that  Christ  is,  even  yet,  I  sa}-,  we  are  not  perfectl}-  happy,  although  we 
have  caught  sight  of  Divine  truth.  For  as  a  matter  of  fact,  when  we 
only  contemplate  an  object  we  are  not  yet  made  one  with  it,  nor  can 
this  take  place  while  it  remains  in  our  understanding  associated  with 
anything  else.  Because  where  there  is  only  one,  then  only  one  is  seen ; 
and  hence  we  cannot  see  God  except  in  blindness,  nor  know  Him  except 
in  unknowing.  "No  soul  can  come  to  God,"  says  St.  Augustine,  "except 
it  goes  to  Him  without  creatures,  and  tastes  Him  as  an  incomparable 
sweetness." 

Because  the  soul  is  a  creature,  therefore  must  it  give  itself  up  and  go 
out  of  itself  in  the  moment  of  contemplation ;  yea,  even  give  up  for  the 
moment  the  contemplation  of  all  the  angels  and  saints.  These  are  all 
but  creatures,  and  taken  in  themselves  can  only  interfere  with  the 
soul's  Divine  union.  When  the  soul  stands  free  and  in  need  of  nothing 
whatsoever,  then  it  can  come  to  God,  as  it  were,  resembling  Himself; 
for  nothing  helps  union  so  well  as  resemblance.  As  soon  as  the  soul 
takes  on  the  Divine  colors,  as  it  may  be  expressed,  so  soon  does  God 
grant  Himself  to  the  soul's  powers,  and  then  the  soul  grows  in  a  Divine 
resemblance,  and  is,  if  we  dare  say  so,  tinted  and  shaded  with  the 
colors  of  the  Divinity.  The  image  is  in  the  soul's  powers,  the  resem- 
blance is  in  its  virtues,  the  Divine  coloring  is  in  the  union.  And  thus 
what  we  may  call  God-coloring  becomes  so  intimate,  that  the  soul  seems 
no  longer  to  act  in  the  form  of  a  creature,  but  in  the  divinely  colored 
form  of  its  union  with  God.  And  while  the  soul  is  in  a  state  of  contem- 
plation of  God  and  has  grown  into  this  yet  closer  union  with  Him.,  and 
after  He  is  yet  more  deeply  poured  into  the  soul's  depths  and  has  drawn 
it  wholly  to  Himself,  then  it  happens  that  there  remains  no  power  in  the 
soul  to  know  what  sort  of  a  being  it  is  now  to  consider  itself  to  be; 
yet  meanwhile  God  holds  it  in  its  place  as  a  creature.  Thus  it  is  that 
the  light  of  grace  expels  from  thee  the  light  of  nature;  for  the  higher 
the  soul  is  elevated  in  the  knowledge  that  the  light  of  grace  gives,  the 
darker  grows  the  light  of  nature.  If  the  soul  will  know  the  very  truth, 
let  it  consider  whether  or  not  it  be  withdrawn  from  all  things,  whether  or 
not  it  is  lost  to  itself,  loves  God  with  real  love,  and  is  not  hindered  from 
Him  by  anything  whatsoever;  and  finally  whether  or  not  He  alone 
lives  within  it.  If  the  soul  can  answer  rightly  to  all  this,  then  it  has 
lost  Christ,  as  His  mother  Mary  lost  Him  in  the  temple,  as  He  tarried 
in  the  school  of  His  Father'^'s  highest  doctrine,  and  seemed  no  longer  to 
think  of  even  His  mother — only  to  find  Him  again,  as  she  did,  in  greater 


286  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

joy.  Thus  it  is  with  that  noble  soul  that  goes  to  school  to  the  Godhead, 
there  to  learn  what  God  is  in  relation  to  the  humanity  of  Christ.  There, 
too,  it  learns  to  know  the  most  adorable  will  of  God.  That  man  is  most 
perfectly  God's  man,  who  does  all  and  loves  all  and  wills  all  in  the 
will  of  His  heavenly  Father.  That  we  may  all  come  to  this  happy 
state  and  be  freed  from  every  hindrance  thereto,  may  God  grant  us. 
Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  2S7 


liifg  Prayer  ia  V!tl|out  Jl^rutt 

Hynopsis — The  first  and  greatest  gift  we  should  ask  is  love;  and  then 
guidance  as  to  how  to  pray;  after  that  we  should  calmly  but 
closely  look  into  our  good  thoughts — Prayer  is  made  fruitless  by 
disordered  interior  affections — Before  Ood's  love  comes  in  all 
other  love  must  go  out,  or  be  ready  to  be  sanctified — Interior  re- 
sentments hinder  good  prayer,  and  often  stifle  even  the  graces  of 
Holy  Communion — Discouragement  after  faults  is  a  serious  hin- 
drance to  fruitful  prayer — The  example  of  the  prayer  of  Lazarus, 
the  beggar. 


SERMON   FOR   THE   ROGATION   DAYS. 

Which  of  you  shall  have  a  friend,  aud  shall  go  to  him  at  midnight,  and  shall 
say  to  him  :  Friend,  lend  me  three  loaves ;  because  a  friend  of  mine  Is  come  off 
his  jouruej'  to  me,  and  I  have  not  what  to  set  before  him.  And  he  from  within 
should  answer,  and  say :  Trouble  me  not,  the  door  is  now  shut,  and  my  children 
are  with  me  in  bed  ;  I  cannot  rise  and  give  to  thee.  Yet  if  he  shall  continue  knock- 
ing. I  say  to  you,  although  he  will  not  rise  and  give  to  him  because  he  is  his 
friend ;  yet,  because  of  his  importunity,  he  will  rise  and  give  him  as  many  as  he 
needeth. — Luke  xi.  .5-9. 

This  is  part  of  our  Lord's  teaching  about  how  we  should  pray.  And  he 
inunediately  adds:  "And  I  say  to  you  :  At«k.  and  it  shall  be  given  you; 
seek,  and  you  shall  find ;  knock,  aud  it  shall  be  opened  to  you.  For  every 
one  that  asketh,  receiveth ;  and  he  that  seeketh,  findeth ;  and  to  him  that 
knocketh.  it  shall  be  opened."  Now  let  us  consider  the  difference 
between  asking,  seeking  and  knocking.  Asking  means  the  turning  of 
a  really  interior  man  to  God,  begging  some  favor  with  deep  sincerity. 
Seeking  is  praying  for  something  because  we  have  a  particularly  earnest 
longing  to  posses  it  more  than  other  things.  Knocking  means  con 
stancy  in  one's  petition,  never  giving  up  till  one  has  obtained  what  he 
asks  for. 

Venerable  Bede  explains  this  teaching  thus  :  "The  friend  spoken  of  by 
our  Lord  is  the  soul  of  man,  which,  having  strayed  away  into  distant 
and  foreign  lands  of  unspiritual  thoughts,  returns  again  and  again  to 
itself  hungry  and  thirsty  after  all  good,  and  finds  nothing  granted  to  it. 
Then  that  soul  turns  to  its  friend,  namely.  God,  and,  standing  before 


288  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

His  door,  prays  and  knocks,  begging  three  loaves  of  Him,  meaning  the 
knowledge  of  the  Holy  Trinity.  He  that  is  within  excuses  Himself,  and 
says  that  He  has  gone  to  bed  and  so  have  His  servants;  and  these 
servants  mean  God's  appointed  teachers,  who  are  absorbed  with  Him 
in  a  state  of  holy  contemplation.  But  the  soul,  standing  without  at  the 
door,  perseveres,  and  it  continues  to  knock,  until  He  that  is  within  at 
last  arises  and  gives  him  what  he  desires."  He  gives  him  His  answer 
by  means  of  teachers,  or  by  directly  teaching  him  without  any  interme- 
diary. And  this  is  why  Christ  said :  "Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you ; 
seek,  and  you  shall  find ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  to  you." 

Here  we  may  remark  God's  unspeakable  goodness;  for  He  grants  us 
gladly  just  for  the  asking,  and  He  earnestly  bids  us  ask,  exhorts  us  to 
do  so,  and  teaches  us  how.  But  His  gifts  are  not  granted  to  the  sloth- 
ful, but  to  earnest  askers  and  to  those  who  persevere  in  their  petitions. 

And  what  shall  we  ask?  Love.  When  one  sets  himself  to  pray, 
when  he  calls  home  his  wandering  thoughts  and  banishes  all  distrac- 
tions, then  let  him  with  genuine  humility  cast  himself  at  God's  feet  and 
crave  love  as  an  alms  from  the  Divine  charity ;  let  him  knock  at  the  door 
of  his  Father's  heart,  and  beg  as  a  gift  the  bread  of  love.  If  one  had 
all  the  food  in  the  world  except  bread,  his  meals  would  be  tasteless  and 
unprofitable.     So  is  it  with  regard  to  all  things  without  Divine  love. 

Again,  let  a  man  beg  God's  guidance  as  to  how  he  shall  pray.  Ask 
of  God  that  prayer  that  pleases  Him  best,  that  kind  of  interior  exercise 
that  will  serve  thy  soul's  best  interests.  After  having  done  that,  accept 
whatsoever  devout  thoughts  come  before  thee,  whether  they  be  of  the 
Godhead  simply,  of  the  blessed  Trinity,  or  of  the  sufferings  and  the 
wounds  of  our  Lord. 

Kemember  that  all  are  not  able  to  pray  wholly  with  spiritual  acts  of 
the  mind,  for  many  must  pray  with  words.  Dear  child,  pray  to  our 
Lord  as  thou  canst,  with  all  possible  pious  and  Divine  words,  and  thou 
Shalt  find  thy  heart  and  mind  enraptured  with  joy.  And  pray  to  thy 
heavenly  Father,  that  through  the  merits  of  His  only  begotten  Son  He 
will  present  His  own  blessed  self  to  thy  soul  as  the  object  of  thy  worship, 
in  whatever  manner  is  most  pleasing  to  Him.  Then  when  thou  findest 
any  manner  or  method  of  praying  very  productive  of  devotion  and  most 
pleasing  to  thee,  stick  to  that — whether  it  be  the  sorrowful  thought  of 
thy  sins,  or  anything  else  whatsoever.  Our  T^ord's  way  for  us  to  ^eek 
and  to  find,  is  seeking  and  finding  the  grace  to  do  His  will  and  to  best 
serve  our  neighbor.  Knock  at  that  door  with  all  persistence:  he  that 
perseveres  shall  be  granted  the  crown. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  289 

Our  Saviour  says :  "And  which  of  you,  if  he  ask  his  father  bread,  will 
he  give  him  a  stone?  Or  a  fish — will  he  for  a  fish  give  him  a  serpent? 
Or  if  he  shall  ask  an  egg,  will  be  reach  him  a  scropion?  If  you  then, 
being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  to  your  children,  how  much  more 
will  your  Father  in  Heaven  give  the  good  spirit  to  them  that  ask  Him  ?" 
(Luke  xi,  11-13.)  Now,  the  gift  of  a  fish  may  be  taken  to  mean  confi- 
dence in  God,  and  the  gift  of  an  egg  may  signify  living  faith. 

But  if  truth  itself  says,  ''Ask  and  you  shall  receive,"  how  does  it  hap- 
pen that  so  many  men  are  asking  their  lives  long  and  the  living  bread  is 
never  given  them?  And  yet  we  know  that  God  is  unspeakably  kind  and 
a  thousand  times  more  ready  to  grant  than  man  is  to  receive  His  favors. 
They  utter  the  same  devout  prayers  every  day — Pater  Nosters,  the  psal- 
ter, and  other  prayers  taught  us  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  yet  they  are  not 
heard.  There  must  be  some  great  cause  for  this,  and  it  is  a  wonderful 
thing.  Children,  I  will  reveal  it  to  you  :  Your  inmost  hearts,  your  love 
and  your  intention  are  all  in  the  possession  of  some  alien  alTection. 
Whatever  it  may  be  that  you  expend  your  love  upon,  the  living  or  the 
dead,  yourself  or  your  kindred,  that  holds  possession  of  your  heart,  it 
occupies  the  place  that  true  Divine  love  should  occupy,  that  love  which 
is  God's  bread  of  life.  Pray  and  ask  as  you  like,  and  as  much  as  you 
like,  and  it  is  all  in  vain.  Hence  Hugo  of  St.  Victor  teaches :  "That  a 
man  can  live  without  some  love  or  other  is  as  impossible  as  thai  he  can 
live  without  a  soul." 

Let  each  one  study  carefully  his  own  case.  Remember  that  before 
one  love  can  come  in,  the  other  love  must  go  out.  See  to  it  at  once,  says 
St.  Augustine,  that  thou  art  filled  with  the  right  love.  Men  come  with 
their  worldly  hearts  to  God,  hearts  preoccupied  in  their  inmost  depths, 
and  when  they  pray  and  ask,  the  heavenly  bread  is  not  given  them.  Is 
this  God's  fault?  If  they  get  a  stone  instead  of  bread,  is  it  not  their 
own  stony  heart,  dry  and  cold,  from  which  all  devotion  and  grace  are 
absent?  They  read  many  good  books,  and  they  enjoy  them,  but  what 
they  read  does  not  open  the  springs  of  grace  in  their  souls.  As  a  man 
does  his  daily  task  of  work  and  sleeps  and  wakes  and  works  again  and 
over  again,  so  does  he  pray,  and  all  in  the  same  routine  spirit;  and  he 
thinks  that  that  is  enough.  Meanwhile  his  heart  is  as  hard  as  a  mill- 
stone, and  is  not  any  more  capable  of  being  softened  or  broken.  If  you 
happen  to  propose  anything  to  him  that  he  does  not  like,  whether  to  do 
or  not  to  do,  you  soon  find  that  you  are  beating  upon  a  heart  of  stone. 
Dear  child,  beware  of  this  hardness  of  spirit.  And  have  little  to  say  to 
such  a  man ;  deliver  thy  message  in  one  word  and  lly  from  him ;  let  it 


290  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

be  our  Lord's:  Yea,  yea,  or  no,  no.  Take  care  lest  such  a  one  cast 
his  stone  at  thy  head — avoid  it,  be  on  thy  guard,  never  answer  hiia  with 
hard  words,  shut  thy  lips  tight  and  raise  thy  heart  to  God :  Do  this,  I 
beseech  thee,  and  do  it  for  God's  sake.  Always  be  like  a  meek  and 
gentle  lamb  in  dealing  with  those  who  oppose  thee.  Be  silent,  be 
patient,  keep  a  close  watch  on  thy  feelings.  Stoniness  of  soul  often  lies 
hidden  for  a  long  time,  until  in  some  way  or  other  one  becomes  con- 
scious of  it. 

Let  me  assure  you  that  when  I  find  these  men  harboring  hidden  hate 
and  resentment  and  refusing  to  give  it  up,  I  will  not  allow  them  to 
receive  the  Lord's  body.  There  are  many  who  go  to  confession  for 
twenty  or  thirty  years,  and  never  do  it  rightly,  nor  are  every  rightly 
absorbed,  and  yet  always  afterwards  receive  the  blessed  Sacrament — 
a  most  distressing,  a  most  terrible  thing.  The  Pope  himself,  who  has 
the  highest  power  in  Christendom,  could  not  validly  absolve  such  men. 
The  oftener  they  receive  holy  communion,  and  the  more  they  pray  and 
do  good  works,  the  harder  and  stonier  grow  their  hearts,  and  the  blinder 
and  duller  do  they  become;  they  fancy  that  all  is  well  with  them,  for 
they  are  trusting  to  the  outward  good  deeds  they  do.  Better  do  no 
good  thing,  than  to  approach  our  Lord  in  communion  without  quitting 
their  sinful  state  and  curing  the  cause  of  it.  Be  sure  of  this :  God  will 
never  allow  such  conduct  to  go  unpunished ;  He  will  visit  it  with  penal- 
ties, not  only  for  the  soul's  pain,  but  also  for  the  body's — they  will 
receive  a  serpent  instead  of  a  fish. 

Children,  another  bad  trait  in  these  men  is  their  tendency  to  rash 
judgment.  The  serpent  instills  his  poison  into  them,  and  they  spit  it 
out  upon  their  neighbor  by  making  little  of  his  good  deeds  and  by 
destroying  his  reputation,  their  evil  work  extending  in  all  directions. 
They  never  consider  their  own  state  of  sin,  but  watch  and  count  their 
neighbor's  sins,  often  playing  their  snake-like  part  by  injecting  their 
poison  secretly.  Be  on  your  guard  against  this;  judge  yourselves,  and 
judge  nobody  else. 

And,  again,  such  men  have  received  a  scorpion  instead  of  an  egg; 
that  is  to  say,  they  are  deluded  about  themselves  and  cultivate  a  false 
confidence  in  their  supposed  virtue ;  and  they  despise  others.  Why,  they 
ask,  shall  not  I  get  on  as  well  as  such  and  such  others?  Do  not  I  pray, 
and  read  pious  books,  and  sing  pious  hymns,  and  live  as  well  as  they  do? 
Just  as  the  scorpion  shows  no  venom  with  his  mouth,  and  yet  stings  with 
his  tail.  Such  is  the  case  with  those  whose  confidence  is  misplaced  and 
falsely  grounded.     And  what  happens  when  they  begin  to  realize  that 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  291 

they  are  wrong?   They  fall  into  despair,  and  they  are  stung  with  death's 
poisonous  sting,  and  are  lost  eternally. 

Children,  this  comes  from  the  dreadful  failure  to  take  true  account  of 
what  is  going  on  in  the  interior  of  the  soul,  and  what  offenses  against 
God  we  have  committed.     Children,  it  is  for  this  reason  that  somo  sins 
are  reserved  for  absolution  to  the  Pope,  some  to  specially  appointed  con- 
fessors and  to  bishops.   This  is  by  no  means  done  foolishly,  but  that  men 
may  learn  the  difference  between  various  kinds  of  sins,  think  of  them 
more  intelligently,  and  thereby  have  greater  sorrow  for  them  and  guard 
more  carefully  against  committingthem.     Children,  did  you  but  know 
how  horrible  a  sin  it  is  to  drink  the  precious  blood  of  Christ  our  God- 
blood  poured  out  for  love  of  us— while  the  soul  is  in  this  wicked  state, 
you  would  be  ready  to  expire  with  grief.     It  is  for  this  reason  that  in 
some  monasteries  it  is  the  rule  to  receive  communion  only  once  in  three 
weeks,  so  that  each  one  may  have  full  time  rightly  to  prepare  for  this 
great  banquet,  and  that  it  may  have  full  opportunity  to  complete  its 
good  results  within  him.     But  as  to  you,  you  should  stimulate  your 
hearts  to  ardent  longings  to  receive  holy  communion,  and  establish  a 
custom  of  often  doing  so.     Pray  to  our  Lord  that  He  take  this  prepara- 
tion of  thy  soul  into  His  own  hands.     Live  kindly  disposed  toward  all 
be  inclined  to  the  interior  life,  be  humble  to  all  men,  and  be  detached 
from  created  things. 

A  certain  master  was  once  asked,  how  it  pleased  him  that  certain 
persons  wished  to  receive  our  Lord  oftener  than  was  the  custom  in  their 
community.  He  answered:  "May  our  Lord  God  be  praised,  and  may 
we  rejoice  in  our  hearts  that  there  are  any  who  long  and  yearn  after  God 
in  this  manner;  the  inmates  of  whatever  monastery  that  has  them, 
should  most  earnestly  help  them  to  enjoy  this  privilege."  But  such  ai 
these  should  carefully  abstain  from  thinking  that  those  who  act  differ- 
ently are  worse  than  they  are.  For  others  there  are  who  often  abstain 
from  motives  of  humility,  deeming  themselves  unworthv  of  so  high  a 
favor.  And  if  it  should  happen  that  anyone  sits  in  judgment  on  thee, 
and,  as  it  were,  throws  stones  of  condemnation  at  thee  in  the  shape  of 
hard  words,  let  this  be  to  thee  as  if  it  came  direct  upon  thee  from  God 
Himself. 

And  there  are  other  stones :  As  when  a  man  is  sincerelv  detached 
from  this  world  and  longs  for  God  with  all  his  heart,  and  yet  his  soul 
remains  hard  and  dry,.cold  and  dull.If  thou  art  thus  afflicted,  then  I  bid 
thee  stand  carefully  on  thy  guard,  suffer  this  spiritual  dryness  patiently, 
and  willingly  continue  in  it.     Take  heed  lest  thou  seek  a  solace  for  it  in 


292  The  Sermons  and  Sfiiritual  Conferences 

some  alien  comfort,  which,  indeed,  can  only  result  in  interior  disorder. 
Stay  at  home  in  thy  desolate  heart.  Attack  thy  faults,  condemn  thyself 
severely  for  them  with  resolute  courage,  chastise  thyself  hard.  And  if 
this  judgment  of  God  rests  on  thee  a  whole  year  long,  all  the  better. 
Keep  on  stoning  thy  guilty  self  in  God's  presence. 

And  just  the  same  shouldst  thou  do  immediately  that  thou  art  con- 
scious of  having  committed  some  fault.  Confess  it  to  God  without  any 
delay.  And  if  this  defect  escapes  thy  mind  when  thou  dost  make  thy 
confession  to  the  priest,  be  sure  that  thy  sincere  repentance  more  than 
compensates  for  this  lapse  of  memory,  for  the  sacrament  of  confession 
is  given  to  Holy  Church  primarily  for  the  remission  of  mortal  sins;  and 
one  should  not  be  distressed  with  doubts  in  any  venial  matters.  It 
may  be  that  thou  shalt  imagine  that  the  devout  exercises  of  thy  voca- 
tion hinder  thy  spiritual  progress ;  such  exercises,  I  mean,  as  assisting 
in  choir,  and  the  usual  works  done  by  obedience  to  rule.  But  this  is  a 
delusion.  Be  by  no  means  diverted  from  keeping  thy  rule,  for  disorder 
in  this  respect  would  be  the  real  hindrance  to  thy  progress.  If  thou 
shouldst  yield  to  this  error,  it  would  show  that  the  actual  cause  of  thy 
trouble  is  that  thy  love  of  God  is  not  disinterested,  that  thy  resolutions 
have  not  been  made  with  purity  of  intention,  and  that  thou  art  in  reality 
preoccupied  with  alien  things,  and  art  become  thy  own  real  hindrance. 

Jesus  once  said:  "I  am  the  door.  By  Me,  if  any  man  enter  in,  he 
shall  be  saved."  (John  x,  9.)  Now  it  is  on  three  parts  of  this  door 
that  a  man  must  knock  if  he  would  be  surely  let  in.  First,  he  must 
knock  at  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ's  heart,  which  is  invitingly  offered  him, 
and  which  was  cut  in  two  after  His  death.  And  when  he  enters  in,  let 
him  do  so  with  profound  reverence,  avowing  his  utter  poverty,  his  abso- 
lute nothingness ;  let  him  take  pattern  by  poor  Lazarus  who  lay  at  the 
rich  man's  door;  let  him  crave  the  crumbs  that  fall  from  the  table  of 
God's  grace.  The  grace  that  will  be  granted  thee  will  change  thee  into 
a  divinely  supernatural  being. 

The  second  knock  must  be  on  the  holy  wounds  in  our  Redeemer's 
blessed  hands,  wounds  ever  open  to  thee.  This  knock  is  to  obtain  real 
Godlike  knowledge,  which  will  be  like  His  wounded  hands  guiding  thee 
and  lifting  thee  upwards.  Then  knock  on  the  door  of  His  holy  feet, 
begging  the  gift  of  true  Divine  love,  whereby  thou  shalt  be  united  to 
Him,  sunk  into  Him,  enclosed  within  Him.  That  we  may  all  pray  thus, 
asking  and  seeking  and  knocking,  and  that  we  may  all  be  called  within, 
may  God  grant  us.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  293 


991^11  (HlirtHt  l|ibratliB  Mm 

Synopsis — Both  by  outward  authority  and  interior  voices  Christ  re- 
proaches us  for  our  shortcomings — Slowness  to  believe  Him  im- 
plicitly is  one  fault:  nien  believe  unthout  relishing  the  truth — 
This  arises  from  ill-Ordered  affection  for  created  things — Another 
fault  is  preferring  the  outer  to  the  inner  ways  of  serving  Ood — 
Disdain  of  weaker  brethren  is  also  offensive  to  Him — Richard 
of  St.  Victor's  four  degrees  of  love. 


FIRST   SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST   OF   THE   ASCENSION. 

At  length  He  appeared  to  the  eleven  as  they  were  at  table ;  and  He  upbraided 
them  with  their  incredulity  and  hardness  of  heart,  because  they  did  not  believe 
them  who  had  seen  Him  after  He  was  risen  again. — Mark  xvi,  14. 

This  reproach  of  our  dear  Lord  is  spoken  every  day,  and  it  is  directed 
against  men  of  all  conditions  who  have  hard  and  unbelieving  hearts. 
But  it  is  especially  meant  for  members  of  approved  religious  orders,  or 
others  in  like  state  of  life.  The  message  sometimes  comes  to  them  from 
our  Lord  through  His  appointed  teachers,  sometimes  by  the  inner  voice 
of  conscience,  if  men  would  but  hearken  to  it.  All  pereons  in  this  state 
of  life  well  deserve  to  be  reproached,  if  they  are  hard  of  heart  and 
unready  to  believe,  for  it  is  a  favor  exceptionally  great  that  they  should 
be  called  by  God  to  so  high  a  spiritual  vocation;  it  is  something  for 
which  they  should  thank  God  sincerely  and  love  Him  fervently. 

Our  Saviour  upbraids  these  men  for  their  hardness  of  heart  and  in- 
credulity, but  they  receive  His  reproof  ungraciously.  Would  that  they 
acknowledged  their  fault ;  then  they  would  be  open  to  good  advice.  St. 
James  teaches:  "Faith  without  works  is  dead."  (James  ii,  26.)  If 
they,  in  answer,  quote  our  Lord :  "He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized 
shall  be  saved"  (Mark  xvi,  16),  and  add  that  they  make  professions  of 
their  faith  with  their  mouth,  they  are  silenced  by  St.  Paul :  "Know  you 
not  that  all  we  who  are  baptized  in  Christ  Jesus  are  baptized  in  His 
death?"  (Rom.  vi,  3.)  And  St.  Augustine  teaches :  "That  is  not  true 
faith  which  stops  at  the  mouth  alone,  and  does  not  go  on  to  God  with 


294  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

living  love  and  good  works."  Our  lack  of  faith  clearly  appears  if  any- 
thing suits  us  better  than  God,  or  if  we  cannot  truly  say :  Thou  art  my 
God,  and  nothing  is  well  with  me  except  in  Thee.  These  men  have,  in 
fact,  fallen  off  from  a  real  and  living  faith;  and  this  is  true  of  them, 
though  they  have  the  name  of  spiritual  men  and  have  been  under  God's 
influence,  even  supernaturally,  sleeping  or  waking,  and  have  been 
admonished  by  Him  in  their  inmost  soul. 

It  is  an  awful  thing  that  when  our  Lord  has  upbraided  them  for 
hardness  of  heart  and  has  called  out  unto  them,  they  yet  do  not  relish 
Divine  things.  They  have  no  taste  for  their  prayers  and  spiritual  prac- 
tices, whereas  other  things  give  them  great  pleasure.  Their  hearts  are 
soft  to  many  things,  but  are  stony  enough  to  God.  Of  such  as  these — 
if  God  will  save  them — the  Lord  spoke  by  His  prophet:  "And  )  will 
take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  their  flesh,  and  will  give  them  a  heart 
of  flesh."     (Ezech.  xi,  19.) 

And  let  us  ask  what  makes  these  men's  hearts  hard?  Why  are  they 
so  dry  and  cold  about  all  good  works,  or  only  do  them  by  a  sort  of  out- 
ward observance?  It  is  because  their  heart  cherishes  something  that 
is  not  God,  and  continues  in  that  state  in  spite  of  our  Lord's  admoni- 
tion. Of  this  He  spoke  by  Jeremias :  "Be  astonished,  O  ye  heavens,  at 
this,  and  ye  gates  thereof  be  very  desolate,  saith  the  Lord.  For  My 
people  have  done  two  evils.  They  have  forsaken  Me,  the  fountain  of 
living  water,  and  have  digged  to  themselves  cisterns — broken  cisterns, 
that  can  hold  no  water."  ( Jer.  ii,  12-13.)  What  comes  into  the  cistern 
of  their  heart  is  foul  and  dirty  rain  water.  They  have  nothing  of  God 
in  their  hearts,  and  that  is  the  great  evil  that  God,  through  the  prophet, 
laments  in  the  sight  of  Heaven  and  earth. 

And  of  what  people  does  he  complain?  Alas,  it  is  of  His  own  people, 
men  in  spiritual  states  of  life.  These  are  the  ones  who  have  forsaken 
the  fountain  of  living  water  that  God  is.  In  their  interior  they  have 
little  left  of  light  and  life.  They  remain  in  their  external  observances 
and  methods,  clinging  to  the  outward  part  and  not  at  all  penetrating  to 
the  inner  meaning,  from  which  alone  all  good  must  spring  forth.  And 
even  their  external  conformity  slips  away  from  them  as  soon  as  it  ceases 
to  please.  At  best,  all  their  spirituality  consists  in  their  observances, 
and  these  they  have  undertaken  according  to  their  own  way  of  thinking. 
They  never  turn  to  the  interior  life ;  for  that  they  have  no  thirst,  and 
in  their  souls  its  waters  do  not  spring  up.  If  they  go  through  their 
outward  routine,  they  are  content  and  all  is  well  with  them,  in  their 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  295 

own  opinion.  They  are  satisfied  with  their  broken  cistern;  its  waters 
are  good  enough  for  them,  but  God  is  not  sweet  to  them,  and  they  drink 
not  from  His  living  waters.  They  lie  down  at  night,  they  rise  in  the 
morning,  always  following  their  old-established  devotional  customs — in 
them  they  rest,  for  with  them  they  are  pleased.  The  Lord  says  of  them 
by  the  prophet  that  they  have  done  unchastely  and  have  become  unclean, 
because  they  have  forsaken  Him,  the  fountain  of  living  water,  and 
digged  to  themselves  broken  cisterns.  The  foulness  of  these  cisterns  is 
in  their  adhering  to  external  practices  without  the  inward  spirit — 
inward,  indeed,  are  found  only  pride,  self-will  and  stiff-neckedness. 

As  to  their  neighbor,  they  have  no  love  nor  any  kindly  feelings  for 
him,  and  they  speak  injurious  words,  uttering  them  against  him  regard- 
less of  circumstances  of  time  and  place.  Many  of  them  would,  indeed, 
help  their  neighbor,  but  it  is  with  rash  zeal;  like  one  who,  in  striving  to 
put  out  the  fire  in  his  neighbor's  house,  sets  fire  to  and  burns  his  own — 
he  has  enough  of  destructive  zeal  in  him  to  burn  two  or  three  houses 
if  he  had  the  opportunity.  If  some  poor,  afflicted  soul  comes  to  them, 
they  call  him  a  bad  man  or  a  silly  creature.  Ah,  you  are  good  cisterns, 
indeed !  If  your  desert  waste  of  hearts  flowed  with  living  waters,  you 
would  make  no  distinction  of  persons.  There  would  be  no  belittling  of 
others,  nor  harsh  judgments,  nor  oppressive  treatment,  if  God's  love 
were  in  your  souls.  And  in  all  these  cisterns  the  muddy  waters  arc  ever 
growing  more  foul. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  these  cisterns  are  men  of  cultivated  minds, 
speaking  high  things,  having  fine  intelligence.  As  those  just  treated  of 
are  self-satisfied  with  their  outward  appearance  of  good  works,  so  are 
these  proud  of  their  noble  words  and  their  elevated  thoughts.  What, 
think  you,  will  be  their  fate  when  the  storm  of  wrath  overtakes  them 
and  sweeps  them  away,  them  and  all  their  vain  conceits — these  miser- 
able plagues  of  humanity?  Then  will  be  heard  such  lamentation  as  is 
almost  incredible;  and  it  will  come  from  men  who  made  a  parade  of 
external  holiness  in  works  and  words,  and  within  were  void  of  all  living 
virtue,  cisterns  into  which  all  filth  had  been  cast.  One  blow  from 
Satan's  axe  and  the  ruin  is  complete;  all  is  scattered  abroad,  not  a  drop 
of  good  is  found  within,  and  the  outward  show  is  broken  to  pieces. 

Children,  you  will  one  day  remember  what  I  have  said  to  you,  though 
it  be  only  in  the  other  world.  I  know  perfectly  well  that  this  false  show 
of  virtue  is  common  enough  among  all  those  men  who,  though  in  devout 
states  of  life,  cling  to  external  virtue  only,  blindly  practicing  the  out- 


296  The  Sermons  and  Spii'itual  Conferences 

ward  good  without  the  inward  spirit.  And  I  know  that  many  Chris- 
tiana living  in  the  world  in  the  state  of  matrimony,  as  well  as  many 
widows,  far  surpass  in  virtue  such  pretended  spiritual  men.  May  God 
in  His  mercy  convert  them  in  their  last  hours.  And  if  He  does,  then 
doubtless  they  will  suffer  an  incredibly  severe  and  prolonged  purgatory, 
far  removed  from  the  joy  of  God's  presence.  I  beseech  you  for  the  love 
of  God,  children,  to  examine  your  soul's  interior  motives  with  every 
possible  vigilance.  Be  kind  and  gentle,  be  subject  to  God  and  to  every 
creature,  for  of  you  does  God  complain  to  earth  and  Heaven  and  all  His 
creation.  To  Heaven — that  means  all  good  and  heavenly  hearts;  for 
every  good  man  is  God's  paradise.  The  wicked  come  close  to  Heaven 
and  never  enter  in.  The  greatest  torment  of  the  damned,  is  the  cer- 
tainty that  they  shall  never  enter  Heaven. 

Our  Lord  says  to  the  soul  through  His  prophet :  "Thou  hast  prosti- 
tuted thyself  to  many  lovers ;  nevertheless  return  to  Me,  saith  the  Lord, 
and  I  will  receive  thee."  (Jer.  iii,  1.)  This  means:  Come  to  Me,  O 
soul,  and  I  will  pour  into  thee  the  living  waters  of  holy  sorrow — if  thou 
wilt  only  come  to  Me  in  whole-hearted  sincerity.  Adore  the  boundless 
and  unspeakable  mercy  of  God.  See  how  gladly  He  helps  us,  if  we  are 
but  willing  to  be  helped,  how  affectionately  He  receives  us,  if  we  will 
but  return  to  Him.  But  the  Lord  has  said  to  those  who  will  not 
return :  "Therefore  will  I  yet  contend  in  judgment  with  you"  (Jer.  ii,  9) . 
Is  not  that  to  be  a  fearful  contention;  and  do  we  not  know  who  will 
get  the  upper  hand  ?  Take  care  lest  He  does  not  at  the  last  say  to  thee 
that  thou  art  not  of  His  sheep.  For  His  sheep  hear  His  voice,  and  the 
voice  of  strangers  they  hear  not  nor  go  after  them. 

Ajid  what  is  the  "prostitution  with  many  lovers"  of  which  the  Lord 
speaks?  Taken  in  a  spiritual  sense,  it  means — if  it  be  no  worse — 
delivering  one's  soul  up  to  a  sort  of  devotional  sensuality,  being  quite 
seduced  by  the  sweetness  in  the  external  forms  and  figures  of  religion. 
For  the  sake  of  all  this  does  the  soul  depart  from  that  chaste  service  of 
God,  which  alone  is  sincere  because  it  is  interior. 

But  return  to  Me,  He  says,  and  I  will  give  you  living  water.  This 
He  tells  of  in  two  places  in  the  gospel :  "If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come 
to  Me,  and  drink.  He  that  believeth  in  Me,  as  the  scripture  saith: 
Out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water"  (John  vii,  37,  38)  ;  and 
again  to  the  woman  at  the  well :  "He  that  shall  drink  of  the  water  that 
I  shall  give  him,  shall  not  thirst  forever;"  He  had  previously  said  to 
her :  "If  thou  didst  know  the  gift  of  God,  and  who  He  is  that  saith  to 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  297 

thee :  Give  me  to  drink ;  thou  perhaps  wouldst  have  asked  of  Him,  and 
He  would  have  given  thee  living  water"  (John  iv,  10,  and  13,  14) .  And 
now  when  the  woman  asked  Him  for  this  water.  He  refused  her.  And 
He  showed  her  why,  by  revealing  to  her  His  knowledge  of  her  living  in 
unlawful  union  with  a  certain  man.  As  if  to  say :  Before  I  give  thee 
the  waters  of  Divine  grace,  cleanse  the  cistern  of  thy  soul  from  sin, 
study  thy  wickedness,  and  come  to  Me  and  confess  thy  sin  humbly  and 
completely — only  then  shall  the  waters  of  life  be  thine.  When  He  told 
her  that  she  had  lived  unlawfully  with  five  men,  it  was  as  if  He  spoke 
of  the  five  senses,  which  the  sinful  soul  uses  for  forbidden  purposes. 
This  makes  it  unworthy  of  the  living  springs  of  God's  love.  As  thus: 
Be  converted  from  thy  disorderly  life,  return  to  Me,  and  I  will  receive 
thee. 

The  Lord  spoke  thus  by  the  prophet:  "My  Beloved  had  a  vineyard 
on  a  hill  in  a  fruitful  place.  And  he  fenced  it  in,  and  picked  the  stones 
out  of  it,  and  planted  it  with  the  choicest  vines,  and  built  a  tower  in  the 
midst  thereof,  and  set  up  a  wine-press  therein;  and  He  looked  that  it 
tahould  bring  forth  grapes,  and  it  brought  forth  wild  grapes"  (Isaias 
v,  1,  2).  God  addressed  this  to  the  people  of  Israel,  but  it  applies  to 
all  people  to  the  end  of  the  world.  To  every  unfaithful  soul  He  says : 
Thou  hast  become  bitter  to  Me;  I  planted  thee  a  vineyard  of  choicest 
vines,  and  from  them  only  sour  wine  has  come  forth — bad  deeds  are  the 
result  of  all  my  care  for  thee.  And  therefore  I  will  contend  in  judg- 
ment with  thee — unless  thou  art  converted  to  Me  and  ask  for  the  living 
waters  of  My  love. 

Richard  of  St.  Victor,  a  great  master  of  spiritual  doctrine,  speaks  of 
this  living  water  as  being  four  degrees  of  love.  The  first  degree  is 
wounded  love.  God  wounds  the  soul  with  a  stroke  c  f  true  love,  and  it 
is  thus  He  grants  it  the  living  waters  of  grace.  And  then  the  soul  in 
turn  wounds  God  with  its  stroke  of  love.  For  the  Lord  thus  speaks  to 
the  bride  in  the  Canticles:  "Thou  hast  wounded  My  heart,  My  sister. 
My  spouse,  thou  hast  wounded  My  heart  with  one  of  thy  eyes,  and  with 
one  hair  of  thy  neck"  (Cant,  iv,  9).  Here  the  word  eye  means  an  eager 
glance  of  the  intelligence,  resting  on  God  and  on  Him  alone ;  and  the 
word  hair  means  pure  and  unalloyed  love.  And  it  is  thus  that  God 
may  be  said  to  be  wounded. 

The  second  degree  is  captive  love,  as  it  is  described  by  the  prophet: 
"I  will  draw  them  by  the  cords  of  Adam"  (Osee  xi,  4). 

The  third  is  a  fainting  love,  described  by  the  words  of  the  bride  in 
the  Canticles:  "I  adjure  you,  O  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  if  you  find  my 


298  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

beloved,  that  you  tell  Him  that  I  languish  with  love"  (Cant,  v,  8) .  The 
fourth  degree  is  a  devouring  love:  "My  soul  hath  fainted  after  Thy 
salvation ;  and  in  Thy  word  I  have  very  much  hoped"  (Ps.  cxviii,  81) . 

To  illustrate  wounded  love,  I  ask  you  to  consider  a  merchant  sailing 
about  in  a  ship,  his  heart  all  wounded  with  desire  of  profit;  here  and 
there  and  everywhere  he  gathers  his  cargo  till  his  ship  is  filled.  Thus 
acts  the  soul :  it  gathers  into  itself  all  imaginations  of  its  beloved,  and 
is  filled  with  thoughts  of  Him,  is  absorbed  in  devout  practices  in  honor 
of  the  beloved  one.  And  thus  laden,  the  ship  of  the  soul  starts  home- 
ward— a  strong  ship  and  able  to  withstand  the  storm.  The  wind  that 
wafts  the  ship  is  love,  driving  it  home  into  the  Godhead,  all  prosperously 
and  according  to  its  longing  desires.  The  rudder  is  deep  down  in  the 
ocean  that  is  God. 

But  the  wound  in  the  soul  is  ever  aching — the  more  God  is  granted  to 
the  soul  the  more  the  soul  longs  for  Him.  What  seems  perfect  love 
turns  out  not  so;  it  creates  new  powers  of  loving  and  receiving  and 
enjoying  God,  new  emptiness  to  be  filled ;  new  wounds  of  love  are  ever 
opening.  And  now  the  second  degree  of  love  begins.  The  Lord  cuts 
in  twain  the  cable  by  which  He  drew  the  ship  onward.  That  is  to  say, 
he  casts  the  soul  adrift  and  leaves  it  to  the  mercy  of  the  storm,  break- 
ing the  rudder  and  the  oars  and  all  that  could  steady  it — leaving,  in  a 
word,  a  man  imprisoned  helplessly  in  love,  yet  abandoned  seemingly  by 
God,  wholly  unable  to  guide  or  help  himself.  And  this  is  captive  love. 
In  the  first  degree  He  is  like  a  knight  sorely  wounded  in  battle,  and  yet 
able  to  escape.  But  if  he  is  too  helpless  to  escape,  then  he  is  made  a 
prisoner  and  is  no  longer  his  own  master.  And  thus  it  is  with  love's 
captive  in  the  second  degree.  He  has  no  control  over  either  thought  or 
action :  all  this  he  must  perforce  yield  up  to  the  control  of  the  beloved 
with  no  other  law  but  love.  May  God  grant  us  true  love.  May  He 
enable  us  to  give  up  all  our  own  cisterns,  so  that  into  our  souls  the 
waters  of  true  love  may  be  generously  poured.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  299 


Synopsis — Inordinate  love  of  creatures  is  the  first,  which  is  ended  only 
after  remorse  and  painful  penance — The  second  is  the  lamentable 
captivity  of  good  men  hy  self-love,  self-interested  motives  and  self- 
indulgence — The  third  affects  bright  minds,  dazzled  and  often 
perverted  hy  intellectual  self-conceit — The  going  astray  aftei' 
the  sweetness  of  devotion  is  another  and  a  pitiful  enslavement  — 
The  fifth  is  the  delusion  that  increase  in  holiness  is  due  to  one's 
own  exertions,  not  attributing  both  our  activity  and  our  power 
of  suffering  to  Ood's  grace  alone. 


SECOND    SERMON    FOR    THE    FEAST    OF    THE    ASCENSION. 
Ascending  on  high,  He  led  captivity  captive. — Eph,  iv,  8. 

There  are  five  kinds  of  captivity  in  this  life,  and  they  are  very  hard ; 
but  Christ  has  taken  us  out  of  them  all,  if  He  has  spiritually  ascended  in 
our  souls. 

The  first  is  our  enslavement  to  creatures,  whether  living  or  dead, 
unless  our  captivity  to  them  be  on  God's  account.  This  arises  from 
human  love,  a  very  intimate  power  of  our  nature  on  account  of  our 
kinship  to  one  another.  The  injury  done  us  is  quite  beyond  descrip- 
tion, and  is  twofold.  One  class  know  themselves  to  be  involved  in  it, 
dread  it,  suffer  deep  pain  of  mind,  offer  hard  resistance  and  suffer 
keenly;  all  this  is  a  good  sign  that  they  are  not  abandoned  by  God. 
God  leaves  such  a  soul  in  its  misery  day  and  night,  whether  eating  or 
drinking.  But  when  its  ears  are  not  shut  to  Him,  soon  a  happier  state 
is  reached. 

The  other  class  of  men  are  in  this  hurtful  captivity  of  attachment  to 
creatures,  and  abide  in  it  with  all  security  of  feeling,  wholly  deaf  and 
blind  to  their  misery.  They  live  on  quite  free  from  anxiety,  and  must 
have  themselves  reckoned  as  pious  men.  They  do  many  good  things, 
sing  and  read  piously,  or  keep  the  rule  of  silence;  they  serve  and  pray 
much.  Their  purpose,  however,  by  all  this  is  that  they  may  be  approved 
as  devout  souls  by  their  fellows,  and  may  have  some  feeling  of  being 


SOO  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

right  with  God.  How  dangerous  a  state :  for  all  the  time  it  is  the  evil 
one  who  guides  them,  keeping  them  in  captivity.  And,  besides,  their 
natural  vagaries  mislead  them,  and  they  are  assailed  by  grievous  temp- 
tations. It  were  better  for  a  man  in  this  state  that  he  quit  praying  as 
he  does,  for  he  prays  for  what  is  against  his  own  best  interests — far 
better  that  he  sank  into  oppression  of  soul  and  woe  and  sorrow.  This 
would  much  sooner  lead  him  to  a  release  from  his  deadly  captivity ;  for 
he  is  under  the  power  of  Satan,  and  is  in  danger  of  dying  so  and  being 
eternally  lost. 

The  second  captivity  is  that  of  men  who  have,  indeed,  been  released 
from  the  slavish  love  of  creatures  and  external  things,  but  have  then 
fallen  into  the  slavery  of  self-love.  And  it  is  marvelous  how  virtuous 
this  seems,  and  how  complacently  they  regard  it.  No  one  reproves 
them  for  it,  least  of  all  do  they  reproach  themselves.  They  are  arrayed 
in  seeming  beauty  of  virtue — not  a  word  can  be  said  against  them. 
And  yet  they  seek  themselves  in  everything — self-love  guides  them  to 
seek  their  own  personal  advantage,  enjoyment,  consolation  and  honor. 
They  are  so  deep  sunk  in  self  that  they  seek  self  in  everything,  even  in 
God.  Getting  to  the  bottom  of  this  evil,  what  shall  we  find  in  a  state 
so  false  and  yet  so  well-seeming?  How  hard  it  is  to  help  men  so  self- 
indulgent,  and  yet  so  full  of  reasons  and  methods — how  can  they  be 
freed  from  captivity?  Who  can  help  one  who  is  piously  absorbed  in 
mere  nature?  Surely  none  but  God  alone.  Such  a  man  finds  a  thou- 
sand things  necessary — his  needs  are  everywhere  and  about  everything, 
and  his  health  is  so  delicate.  Touch  anything  of  his,  his  room,  a 
friend,  his  goods,  his  honor,  interfere  in  the  least  with  his  comfort,  and 
he  offends  God  with  a  furious  outburst  of  passionate  words  or  even 
deeds,  sometimes  by  detraction  and  calumny.  He  is  no  longer  a  man — 
he  is  rather  a  snarling  dog,  a  savage  wolf.  How  lamentable  is  the 
captivity  of  self-love ! 

The  third  captivity  is  that  of  the  intelligence,  and  some  men  are 
sorely  injured  by  it.  Whatsoever  their  brains  can  produce  turns  to 
their  hurt.  They  glory  in  learning,  in  knowledge  of  doctrine,  in  their 
bright  understanding,  and  their  talent  for  speaking.  It  all  lifts  them 
up  high  and  honorable — but  it  never  changes  for  the  better  their  mode 
of  living,  nor  leads  to  good  works.  Even  the  sweet  image  of  our  Lord 
they  view  only  from  reason's  standpoint.  If  they  attempt  to  discourse 
in  the  supernatural  spirit,  it  is  in  strong  contrast  with  what  is  the  real 
spirit.     Their  mind,  compared  to  the  spiritual  mind,  is  like  a  candle 


of  John  Tanler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  301 

compared  to  the  noonday  sun — so  much  less  is  natural  light  than  Divine 
light.  The  former  shines  forth  outwardly  in  pride,  self-assurance, 
seeking  the  applause  of  men,  judging  others.  The  Divinely  enlightened 
reason,  on  the  contrary,  is  full  of  real  truth,  tramples  all  self-seeking 
under  foot.  A  true  man  rates  himself  the  least  of  all,  the  meanest  and 
feeblest  and  blindest.  And  this  is  plain  fact,  for  what  else  is  man  face 
to  face  with  God  ?  And  such  a  man  looks  ever  inward  and  away  from 
the  outer  world,  seeking  God  in  his  inmost  soul,  in  which  he  is  begotten 
to  God,  and  into  which  he  is  ever  ready  to  hasten  with  all  si>eed.  A 
Divinely  enlightened  man  sinks  down  deep  in  search  of  the  root  of  life 
from  which  he  has  sprung.  And  his  quest  is  full  of  energy.  Hence  the 
great  difference  between  those  who  live  up  to  the  scripture  and  those 
who  just  read  it.  These  latter  seek  praise  for  their  knowledge  of  it, 
and  at  the  same  time  they  despise  those  who  live  up  to  its  maxims. 
They  consider  such  souls  foolish,  even  perverse.  They  go  so  far  as  to 
curse  them,  scorn  them  and  condemn  them  outright.  Those  who  actually 
live  according  to  the  teaching  of  the  scripture  deem  themselves  sin- 
ners, and  as  to  the  others,  they  have  a  kindly,  merciful  feeling  for  them. 
And  as  the  lives  of  these  two  classes  are  so  different,  so  also  is  their 
end  different :  one  class  finds  life  and  the  other  death.  This  is  accord- 
ing to  St.  Paul:  ''For  the  letter  killeth,  but  the  spirit  giveth  life"  (II 
Cor.  iii,  6). 

The  fourth  captivity  is  sweetness  of  devotion,  and  many  men  go 
astray  in  this,  yielding  up  to  it  and  sticking  fast  in  it.  It  seems  a  great 
good  thing;  but  it  is  only  poor  human  nature  cleaving  to  its  own  self  in 
much  joy,  meanwhile  dreaming  that  it  cleaves  to  God.  Hence  let  us 
carefully  distinguish  between  God  and  self  in  all  our  spiritual  feelings. 
Here  is  a  test:  when  the  sweet  feeling  of  devotion  passes  away,  dost 
thou  feel  unhappy,  unrestful  and  distressed?  Dost  thou  find  thyself 
less  faithful  and  willing  in  God's  work?  If  so,  then  it  is  plain  that 
God  was  not  the  cause  of  thy  sensible  pleasure  in  His  service.  Forty 
years  of  sensible  devotion  may  suddenly  end,  and  thou  shalt  be  in  danger 
of  gravely  falling  away  from  God.  And  if  a  man  had  the  highest  degree 
of  these  natural  feelings  in  his  religious  practices,  and  died  in  thera,  God 
alone  knows  whether  or  not  he  would  be  saved — he  might,  indeed,  be 
lost. 

The  fifth  captivity  is  self-will.  By  this  I  mean  the  state  of  a  man  who 
is  set  on  having  his  own  way,  and  that  in  Divine  things,  nay,  even  as  to 
God  Himself.     If  by  an  act  of  my  own  will  I  could  be  freed  from  the 


302  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

guilt  of  mj  sins,  and  be  adorned  with  all  virtue  and  perfection,  it  would 
seem  to  be  folly  in  me  not  to  exert  my  will  to  this  end.  But  a  moment's 
thought  makes  me  exclaim :  No,  Lord,  no ;  not  by  my  grace  or  gift  or 
will,  but  by  Thine  alone;  and,  O  Lord,  if  it  were  not  Thy  will,  I  had 
rather  feel  the  want  of  Thy  grace  according  to  Thy  will  (if  it  be  lawful 
to  say  so),  than  possess  it  according  to  my  own.  And  by  cultivating 
this  sense  of  abandonment  to  God,  a  man  gains  more  by  far,  than  ever 
he  could  acquire  from  God  or  His  creatures  by  virtue  of  his  own  will. 
Humble  and  voluntary  subjection  to  the  sense  of  deprivation,  in  a  true 
spirit  of  detachment  from  one's  own  will,  this  is  infinitely  more  profit- 
able than  any  efforts  inspired  by  one's  own  will.  I  had  much  rather  see 
a  man  really  detached  from  his  own  will  and  having  no  great  show  of 
religious  works,  than  one  less  detached  from  self-choice  and  abounding 
in  high  and  showy  works  of  virtue. 

While  our  Lord  lived  with  His  disciples,  they  so  deeply  and  blindly 
loved  His  humanity,  that  it  hindered  their  attaining  to  His  divinity. 
Hence  He  said  to  them:  "It  is  expedient  to  you  that  I  go;  for  if  I  go 
not,  the  Paraclete  will  not  come  to  you  (John  xvi,  7).  And  He  must 
remain  with  them  forty  days  longer,  before  He  could  win  their  entire 
souls  to  a  heavenly  state,  and  bear  them  with  Himself  upward  to  God; 
and  even  then  they  must  wait  ten  more  days  before  the  Holy  Ghost  was 
sent  them.  What  those  ten  days  were  to  them,  so  many  years  must  be 
to  us;  for  since  they  were  to  be  our  foundation,  their  preparation  was 
to  ours  as  a  day  is  to  a  year. 

Let  a  man  do  what  he  pleases,  he  shall  never  have  true  peace,  he  shall 
never  be  essentially  a  heavenly  man,  until  he  has  passed  the  equivalent 
of  those  forty  days  between  the  Lord's  resurrection  and  His  ascen- 
sion— until  he  has  finished,  as  it  were,  his  forty  years  of  preparation. 
He  can  never  be  what  God  would  have  him  to  be,  before  God's  allotted 
time  is  passed  and  over.  Such  a  one  has  much  to  do  with  men  by  neces- 
sity of  nature,  driven  now  this  way  and  again  that  way,  nature  often 
ruling  every  motive;  and  yet  he  thinks  that  God  is  his  motive — and  this 
may  be  called  his  forty  years'  probation.  This  again  is  followed  by  ten 
years  more  of  waitiog — like  the  additional  ten  days'  waiting  of  the 
Lord's  disciples — before  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Comforter,  is  received; 
that  Spirit  that  teaches  the  soul  all  things.  When  the  disciples  at  last 
were  given  the  Holy  Spirit,  it  was  after  they  had  resigned  life's  dearest 
treasures  for  Jesus'  sake.  They  had  made  the  best  preparation;  they 
loved  God  above  all  tilings;  He  had  carried  their  hearts  and  souls  with 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  303 

Him  into  Heaven.  This  preparation  having  all  been  completed  by  their 
last  ten  days  of  patient  waiting,  the  Holy  Ghost  came  down  upon  them. 
They  were  assembled  together  in  deep  seclusion,  and  thus  they  waited. 
So  must  we  be,  as  we  end,  so  to  speak,  our  forty  years  of  preparation, 
having  meanwhile  overcome  depraved  nature,  and  celebrated  the  festival 
of  our  heavenly  transformation.  Even  after  that,  we  must  wait  ten 
years  longer.  We  must  have  a  maturity  of  preparation  equal  to  fifty 
years  of  self-renunciation,  ere  we  shall  receive  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the 
most  perfect  manner,  so  that  He  may  teach  us  all  truth.  During  that 
final  period  of  probation,  natural  defects  are  at  last  quite  overcome, 
and  the  soul  enters  upon  a  Godlike  existence.  A  man  turns  inward,  and 
sinks  into  God,  being  blended  with  the  one,  pure,  Divine  Good.  The 
light  of  his  life  is  now  returned  into  the  Divine  flame  from  which  is  first 
flashed  forth.  When  this  overflow  of  the  soul  into  God  is  perfect,  then 
all  its  debt  of  sin  is  fully  paid,  were  it  as  heavy  as  that  of  all  sinful 
men  put  together  from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  Then  all  the  grace 
and  joy  destined  for  the  soul  is  granted  to  it.  Then,  in  fine,  the  soul  is 
made  Godlike.  Such  men  as  these  are  the  pillars  of  the  world,  the 
mainstay  of  the  Church.  May  God  grant  us  some  share  of  this  happi- 
ness.   Amen. 


304  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — The  road  to  heaven  is  shown  us  in  the  whole  life  and  pas- 
sion of  Christ — Christ  draws  us  upward  after  Him  like  a  magnet 
— The  force  of  this  dravAng  differs  greatly  among  men — The  end 
of  the  drawing  upward  is  hard,  being  the  ascent  of  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  that  is  the  place  of  sadness  and  toil. 


THIRD  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  THE  ASCENSION. 

And  the  Lord  Jesus,  after  He  had  spoken  to  them,  was  taken  up  Into  heaven. — 
Mark  xvi,  19. 

The  most  blessed  Son  of  God,  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  after  He  had 
sat  with  His  disciples  on  Mount  Olivet,  and  had  chided  them  for  their 
incredulity  and  hardness  of  heart,  ascended  out  of  their  sight  into 
Heaven. 

Ah,  children,  what  think  you  were  the  thoughts  in  the  hearts  of  those 
disciples,  who  loved  their  Lord  so  well?  Must  they  not  all  have  felt  a 
bitter  pain  of  heart  after  His  departure?  Indeed  they  had  loved  Him 
well,  and  we  know  that  where  one's  treasure  is,  there  is  his  heart  also. 
Jesus  Christ  carries  away  with  Him  in  His  glorious  ascension,  the  hearts 
and  senses  and  all  the  faculties  of  His  chosen  friends.  Never  again  can 
they  feel  at  home  in  this  world.  All  their  goings  and  comings  and  all 
their  life  is  now  in  Heaven — all  is  now  with  God.  Dear  children,  how 
can  it  be  otherwise?  Must  not  the  members  be  with  the  head?  And 
our  Head  has  this  day  most  affectionately  gone  before  us  to  prepare  a 
place  for  us.  Hence  we  can  but  echo  the  words  of  the  bride  in  the 
Canticles:  "Draw  me  after  Thee"  (Cant,  i,  3).  Who  can  prevent  us 
following  our  Head,  Jesus  Christ?  He  Himself  has  said :  "I  ascend  to 
My  Father  and  to  your  Father"  (John  xx,  17).  His  principle  of  life, 
His  final  end.  His  eternal  bliss,  are  all  made  one  with  ours  in  Him.  We 
have  come  forth  from  the  same  origin  as  He,  we  are  associated  to  Him 
in  the  end  and  purpose  of  His  life — if  we  will  but  fit  ourselves  rightly 
for  this  high  destiny. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


305 


•  Consider,  children,  that  Jesus  Christ  has  gone  before  us  into  the 
blessedness  of  His  heavenly  Father.     Now  if  we  would  follow   Him 
eflfectivelj,  we  must  mark  carefully  the  path  He  trod.     And  we  find  that 
for  thirty  years  he  laid  out  the  journey  to  Heaven  by  enduring  misery, 
poverty,  shame,  and  finally  the  bitterness  of  death  itself.     Behold  then 
the  road  we  have  to  travel  if  we  would  join  Him  in  Heaven !     If  all 
teachers  were  dead,  if  all  books  were  burnt,  the  story  of  His  life  alone 
is  doctrine  enough  for  us.     He  is  Himself  the  way,  and  there  is  no 
other.     Let  us  press  on  after  Him  in  this  His  path  "'to  the  blissful  end 
that  awaits  us;  let  us  go  forward  with  all  our  streogtli.     As  the  magnet 
draws  iron  to  it,  so  does  Jesus  Christ  draw  after  Himself  all  hearts  that 
He  touches.    And  furthermore,  as  the  iron  itself  receives  the  magnet's 
power  of  attraction,  and  is  moved  and  lifted  up  and  joined  to  the  mag- 
net in  spite  of  its  own  nature,  so  it  is  with  souls  touched  bv  the  magnet 
of  the  eternal  Son  of  God.     Such  men  no  longer  feel  the  force  of  their 
own  love,  or  joy,  or  consolation:  they  are  drawn  out  of  themselves 
upward  to  God.     They  forget  the  laws  of  their  own  nature,  and  follow 
the  touch  of  God.     And  this  they  do  all  the  more  readily  and  perfectly, 
according  as  they  are  more  deeply  influenced  by  the  Divine  attraction. 

So,  then,  let  each  one  of  us  put  himself  to  the  test,  as  to  whether  or 
not  he  has  been  touched  by  God.     Men  who  are  not  reaDy  drawn  by 
God's  magnet,  start  up  with  various  fine  methods  and  systems  of  devo- 
tion,  lacking  the  interior  spirit.     They  fancy  they   will   gain   great 
results,  and  before  they  are^aware,  it  all  comes  to  naught.     For  you 
must  know  that  they  soon  fall  back  into  their  old  wavs,  giving  them- 
selves up  to  natural  joys  and  the  love  of  created  things'.     They  act  like 
good-for-nothing  hounds  in  a  hunt,  which  care  nothing  for  the  game 
or  whither  it  runs;  they  only  follow  the  good  hounds  lazily  along   until 
they  are  distanced;  and  then  they  go  astray  and  are  lost.  "  I  sav  to  thee 
in  all  sincerity :  it  may  be  but  a  little  half  hour  during  which  thou  dost 
grievously  neglect  thy  duty,  or  cleavest  to  thy  forbidden   pleasures 
And  in  that  short  interval  the  game  has  escaped  thee,  thou  art  not 
among  those  who  have  a  share  in  its  capture.     Those  who  may  be  com- 
pared to  the  good  and  faithful  hounds  are  God's  true  servants     These 
track  the  game  and  fiercely  pursue  it  through  fire  and  water,  till  thev 
overtake  and  capture  it.     So  do  good  men  act  who  dulv  appreciate  the 
Divine  object  they  are  striving  after-they  never  giVe  up  till   they 
have  possessed  themselves  of  it,  they  are  hindered  bv  neither  the  toys 
nor  sorrows  of  this  life.     The  others  are  wholly  inactive,  they  rest  sing- 


306  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

gishly  idle;  and  if  they  so  continue  till  death,  then  they  are  in  peril  of 
remaining  so  after  death  and  through  God's  eternity. 

Children,  if  a  man  is  not  moved  by  God,  he  must  not  lay  the  blame 
on  Him.  Yet  sometimes  one  says :  Almighty  God  does  not  influence  me 
to  good  as  He  does  this  one  or  that  one.  Such  talk  is  false.  God 
touches,  influences  and  admonishes  all  men,  and  will  bring  all  men,  as 
far  as  they  will  allow  Him,  to  happiness.  But  His  gifts.  His  admoni- 
tions and  His  touches,  are  received  by  men  very  diversely.  When  He 
visits  some,  bringing  His  precious  favors  with  Him,  He  finds  their  souls 
occupied  before  Him  by  other  gifts,  and  in  a  state  of  uncleanness.  What 
can  He  then  do  but  turn  back  from  us,  since  our  souls  are  fixed  upon 
and  love  a  rival  lover?  So  then  He  carries  His  gifts  to  another  soul, 
who  has  kept  its  heart  free  and  clean  from  love  of  all  created  things. 
Thus  it  is  that  the  cause  and  the  guilt  of  our  eternal  misery  is  in  our- 
selves and  not  in  God.  What  utter  folly  is  ours,  thus  idly  to  dally  with 
the  poor  creatures  of  this  life,  regardless  of  the  presence  of  the  infinite 
God — doing  ourselves  thereby  an  eternal  injury. 

How  shall  we  escape  from  this  infatuation  with  natural  joys?  In  no 
better  and  surer  way  than  by  quickly  and  courageously  turning  to  God, 
and  practicing  prayer  in  an  earnest  and  devoted  spirit.  Not  otherwise 
can  we  win  a  steadfast  heart  and  obtain  great  confidence  in  God's 
boundless  mercy,  as  being  all  our  hope  of  salvation.  Add  to  this  a 
determined  purpose  to  be  absolutely  subject  to  God's  will  in  all  things, 
in  doing  and  not  doing,  in  things  spiritual  and  things  natural. 

Again,  children,  remark  that  the  spot  from  which  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Son  of  God,  ascended  into  Heaven  was  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  this 
may  be  made  a  threefold  lesson  of  light.  First,  the  Mount  is  raised 
above  the  earth  east  of  Jerusalem,  and  is  lit  up  by  the  rising  of  the  sun ; 
later  in  the  morning,  the  brightness  of  the  sun  is  reflected  back  on  the 
Mount  from  the  shining  pinnacles  of  the  temple;  finally,  the  Mount's 
fruit,  oil,  is  the  food  of  light  in  our  lamps.  So  is  it  with  the  soul  in 
which  God's  ascension  sweetly  takes  place  without  any  intermediary. 
It  must  be  elevated  above  earthly  and  transitory  things  if  it  will  be 
resplendent  with  God^s  threefold  light,  namely  the  Divine  Trinity 
shining  and  acting  within  it  just  as  God  wills. 

Again,  this  Mount  lay  between  Jerusalem  and  Bethania,  and,  chil- 
dren, be  assured  that  whosoever  would  follow  after  Jesus  Christ,  must 
climb  up  this  Mount,  no  matter  how  bitter  the  toil  may  be.  For  there  is 
no  hill  in  all  this  wide  world  so  sweet  and  so  beautiful — give  to  its 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


307 


climbing  all  your  hard  pain  and  labor.  Children,  every  follower  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  must  say  good-by  to  his  natural  joys;  for  there  is 
many  a  one  who  would  gladly  follow  God,  if  it  cost  no  toil  or  pain  and 
caused  him  no  bitterness.  Many  a  one  would  gladly  be  on  top  of  the 
Mount  that  is  so  near  Jerusalem,  the  city  of  peace,  if  he  could  be  there 
without  overcoming  difficulties.  In  truth  it  is  in  themselves  that  such 
men  seek  for  peace  and  consolation  and  happiness ;  and  nothng  comes 
of  it  all.  Yet,  as  they  idly  tarry  on  the  Bethania  side  they  are  miser- 
able, for  there  they  find  only  obedience  to  others  and  suffering.  Of  one 
of  these  the  Psalmist  speaks  as  having  an  abode  in  "The  vale  of  tears, 
in  the  place  which  he  hath  set"  (Ps.  Ixxxiii,  6). 

Children,  be  sure  that  whosoever  does  not  struggle  up  this  Mount,  will 
always  remain  spiritually  sterile  and  will  amount  to  nothing.  A  devout 
man  should  keep  his  longing  eyes  fixed  on  his  soul's  spouse,  Jesus  Christ, 
ascended  now  so  far  above  him  and  so  hidden  and  unknown.  Realize 
fully,  that  the  deeper  the  touch  of  God  in  thy  soul,  the  more  surely  is 
one  side  of  thy  life  a  vale  of  tears.  If  this  served  no  other  purpose,  it 
would  in  thy  direst  need  preserve  thee  from  the  sinfulness  that  lies  con- 
cealed in  thy  poor  human  nature — those  tendencies  which  hinder  many 
a  one  from  turning  wholly  to  God.  God's  grace  can  and  should  rule 
in  us  continuously.  And  so  it  does,  when  one  without  ceasing  makes 
sacrifices  to  God  of  all  things  whatsoever  that  may  lead  him  away  from 
God.  These  weaknesses  too  often  prevail  in  the  soul  of  man,  where 
God  alone  should  hold  undisputed  sway.  And  conquering  them  is  win- 
ning up  the  side  of  the  Mount  of  Olives  that  is  toward  Bethania. 

Children,  whosoever  looks  deep  into  his  soul  begins  to  draw  near 
Jerusalem.  And  it  were  well  that  he  should  watch  the  different  influ- 
ences of  God  and  of  nature,  in  all  that  he  does  or  does  not.  It  were 
good  that  he  nerved  himself  to  suffer  more  bravely  all  sorrow  and  pain, 
and  not  weakly  yield  to  nature  in  such  visitations.  WTien  he  seems  for- 
saken by  God,  and  stands  in  all  bitterness  and  desolation  of  spirit, 
oppressed  from  within  and  from  without,  then  let  him  diligently  call 
to  mind  God's  goodness.  And  in  times  of  spiritual  joy,  let  him  antici- 
pate sorrow;  as  the  Wise  Man  says:  "In  the  day  of  good  things  be  not 
unmindful  of  evils"  (Eccli.  xi,  27). 

Children,  both  sides  of  the  Mount  must  be  in  our  souls  together.  For 
if  the  word  Jerusalem  means  a  city  of  peace,  yet  in  that  city  was  God's 
Son  Jesus  Christ  put  to  death.  Our  peaceful  city  must  be  the  scene  of 
many  a  suffering,  for  thou  must  without  doubt  suffer  greatly,  and  in  all 


308  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

peacefulness  die  totally  to  self :  there  is  no  escape.  Ascend,  therefore, 
high  up  into  God's  holy  will,  sincerely  deny  thyself  in  all  things  both  of 
spirit  and  flesh.  Thou  must  fall  into  the  hands  of,  as  it  were,  the  mali- 
cious Jews,  who  will  torture  and  scourge  thee,  and  drive  thee  out  from 
among  them  as  a  base  and  wicked  man,  condemn  thee  to  the  worst  pun- 
ishments they  can  think  of,  and  put  thee  to  death  in  the  minds  of  all 
men,  as  far  as  they  can  do  so.  I  say  to  thee  that  in  thy  inmost  soul 
thou  must  die  the  death,  if  the  eternal  God  shall  become  thy  only  life. 
Aa  it  happened  to  Jesus  Christ,  that  when  He  was  put  to  death  the 
Jews  thought  their  crime  was  a  great  honor  to  God,  so  shall  it  happen 
in  thy  case.  All  who  despise  thee  and  condemn  thee  and  torment  thee, 
will  think  that  in  doing  so  they  have  greatly  served  God.  Ah,  beloveii 
children,  how  happy  of  heart  shall  such  a  man  be,  when  he  thus  dwells 
in  Jerusalem  the  city  of  peace,  full  of  peace  indeed,  even  in  the  midst  of 
this  dire  unrest ;  for  in  his  soul's  depths  the  essential  peace  of  God  is 
born  to  Him,  coming  out  of  God's  own  abyss  of  truth  and  love. 

Children,  on  this  Mount  grows  the  olive  tree;  and  therein  we  cau 
perceive  what  true  religious  devotion  is.  Real  devotion  is  an  interior 
clnging  to  God  Himself,  with  a  soul  entirely  ready  to  possess  all  things 
and  to  think  of  all  things  just  as  God  does.  A  devout  man  is  one  who  is 
in  all  things  fast  bound  to  God  in  his  will  and  in  his  understanding. 
Such  a  soul  is  indeed  a  sweet  olive  tree  to  our  heavenly  Father  and  to 
all  His  elect.  Hast  thou  this  in  thy  inner  life?  This  devout  spirit  must 
ever  and  again  be  renewed  by  the  fire  of  Divine  love;  and  it  must  be 
aided  by  earnest  searching  in  the  soul's  depths,  lest  something  that  is 
not  God  in  all  truth,  shall  be  hiding  there.  Therein  must  be  nothing 
deceptive;  for  it  is  nature  that  sometimes  inspires  us  when  we  think 
that  all  is  being  done  for  God.  And  this,  also,  is  too  often  the  case  with 
men,  both  in  communities  and  in  the  world :  they  do  not  think  and  love 
wholly  and  absolutely  according  to  God,  but  rather  according  to  self, 
whether  in  matters  spiritual  or  corporal.  Few  are  to  be  found  who 
serve  God  for  His  own  sake  alone,  having  regard  neither  to  consolations 
nor  joys — no  object  but  God  alone,  not  even  (if  it  were  permissible  or 
possible)  His  holy  grace  in  time  and  eternity,  but  just  simply  God's 
own  self  alone.  That  we  may  thus  ascend  with  the  Son  of  God,  and  rise 
high  above  this  land  of  exile,  far  above  all  creatures ;  that  we  may  pos- 
sess eternal  life  with  Him — may  God  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  mercifully  grant  us.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  309 


^tm  Wt  MxttitBB  to  Qlljrifit  in  lUnttBt  anii  ftuffprtng 

Synopsis — Entire  self-renunciation  is  needed  for  Chris fs  discipleship 
— Unrest  of  soul,  borne  patiently,  shows  our  fidelity — Eoio  one 
may  inordinately  cleave  to  spiritual  sweetness;  its  use  and  abuse 
— How  an  entirely  detached  soul  stands  between  earth  and  heaven, 
his  higher  faculties  resting  calm  in  God,  and  his  lower  ones  busy 
with  Ood's  external  works. 


FOURTH  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  THE  ASCENSION. 

You  shall  be  witnesses  unto  Me  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judea,  and  Samaria. — 
Acts  i,  a 

Dear  children,  since  our  Head,  Jesus  Christ,  has  ascended  into 
Heaven,  it  is  both  possible  and  proper  that  we  His  members  should 
ascend  thither  after  Him.  We  should  neither  seek  nor  desire  comfort 
or  joy  in  this  unstable  life  of  ours,  nor  put  up  with  any  delay  here.  To 
follow  Him  always,  to  desire  Him  with  a  yearning  heart  and  without 
resting,  to  love  Him,  to  keep  Him  in  view  in  everything,  to  urge  others 
to  follow  fast  after  Him  who  with  such  bitter  suffering  led  the  way  filled 
with  love  for  their  eternal  happiness — all  this  should  be  our  task. 

It  was  necessary  that  Christ  should  die,  and  in  that  manner  return 
to  the  glory  of  His  heavenly  Father.  Let  us  ever  follow  our  beloved 
Captain,  Jesus  Christ,  the  eternal  Son  of  God.  He  has  unfurled  the 
banner  of  bitter  pain,  and  borne  it  faithfully  forward  with  heroic 
patience.  With  like  patience  should  all  His  chosen  friends  grasp  and 
hold  aloft  that  holy  standard  of  suffering,  each  one  to  the  very  best  of 
his  power.  Wouldst  thou  be  a  true  follower  of  God's  eternal  Son? 
Then  humbly  take  up  thy  cross  of  pain,  and  suffer  gladly  for  the  sake 
of  God,  no  matter  whence  may  come  thy  sorrow,  whether  it  be  merited 
or  unmerited,  interior  or  exterior.  And  by  this  means  thou  shalt  joy- 
fully ascend  to  the  Son  of  God  and  into  eternal  life. 

Beloved  children,  you  know  that  in  our  times  many  a  man  serves  the 
world  for  the  sake  of  its  petty  honor  and  fame.  For  this  end  he  gives 
up  all  comfort  of  body  and  all  his  worldly  goods,  journeying  often  into 


310  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

a  strange  land  to  fight  in  battle  in  order  to  win  glory  and  gain.  In 
like  manner  must  a  man  act  if  he  would  be  a  true  follower  of  Jesus 
Christ  the  eternal  Son  of  God.  He  must  renounce  everything  for  His 
sake,  and  he  must  do  it  freely  and  joyfully.  All  comfort  and  conven- 
ience of  life  must  be  given  up  and  all  honors,  if  he  would  come  to  union 
with  the  very  truth  and  essence  of  life  that  God  Himself  is.  For  if 
there  is  any  single  member  of  the  whole  body  that  is  not  joined  with  the 
head,  it  is  a  rotten  member  and  must  be  cut  off. 

Christ  our  Lord  said  to  His  disciples :  "You  shall  be  witnesses  unto 
Me  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judea,  and  Samaria,  and  even  to  the  utter- 
most part  of  the  earth."  Now  Jerusalem,  the  city  of  peace,  was  to 
Jesus  Christ  also  a  city  of  unrest,  for  in  that  city  of  peace  He  had 
received  inhuman  torment  and  suffered  a  cruel  death,  all  for  the  love  of 
men.  In  that  same  kind  of  city  shall  we  be  witnesses  unto  Jesus 
Christ,  not  by  words  alone,  but  by  works,  by  our  life,  by  our  imitation  of 
Him  to  the  uttermost  of  our  ability. 

You  all  know,  children,  that  all  would  gladly  bear  witness  to  our 
Lord  in  peace,  if  only  everything  went  on  as  they  willed.  They  would 
gladly  be  holy,  if  devotional  exercises  were  never  distasteful  and 
God's  work  was  always  easy.  They  would  gladly  proclaim  God,  if  it 
were  to  be  done  always  in  sweetness  and  consolation,  never  amid  power- 
ful temptations  or  deep  interior  darkness.  But  when  such  men  find 
themselves  in  interior  desolation,  and  are  at  the  same  time  outwardly 
forsaken,  then  they  turn  back  to  their  old  ways :  they  are  not  witnesses 
of  God  in  very  truth.  All  men  seek  peace  in  their  relations  of  life; 
but,  my  dear  children,  we  must  die  to  this  kind  of  seeking  after  peace, 
and  go  forth  out  of  it.  We  must  seek  for  peace  in  another  way,  namely, 
in  the  midst  of  unrest,  and  that  with  all  earnestness ;  that  peace  alone 
can  give  us  a  supernatural,  holy  and  Divine  life.  That  peace  alone  gen- 
erates in  us  true  and  Divine  peace,  always  abiding,  ever  enduring  within 
us.  Any  other  peace  causes  thee  self-deception.  But  if  thou  canst 
be  willing  to  seek  joy  in  sorrow,  steadfast  peace  in  unrest,  single- 
mindedness  amid  multiplicity,  comfort  in  bitterness,  then  veritably 
thou  shalt  be  made  a  worthy  witness  of  God.  Jesus  Christ  promised 
His  chosen  followers  peace,  both  before  His  death  and  after  His  resur- 
rection. Yet  as  long  as  they  lived  they  never  found  outward  peace. 
But  they  none  the  less  really  found  peace  amid  all  their  troubles,  and 
they  got  it  from  all  the  unpeaceful  men  they  met,  essential  peace.  They 
stood  immovably  peaceful  in  all  pain  and  pleasure.     From  death  they 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  311 

received  life;  they  rejoiced  when  they  were  hated  and  judged  and  con- 
demned to  death.    And  thus  they  became  true  witnesses  of  God. 

There  are  many  men  whose  souls  and  bodies  are  so  saturated  with 
Divine  sweetness,  that  it  seems  to  flow  through  their  very  veins  and 
marrow.  But  when  suffering  comes,  and  when  they  are  left  in  dark- 
ness, when  they  seem  forsaken  by  God  and  creatures  both  interiorly  and 
externally,  then  they  are  at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  do  with  themselves ; 
nothing  good  can  be  made  of  them.  Dear  children,  when  the  tempest 
strikes  men's  souls,  that  is  to  say  when  interior  abandonment  oppresses 
them,  and  when  opposition  and  temptations  assail  them  from  without ; 
when  the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil  conspire  against  them — which- 
ever one  of  them  can  stand  up  against  all  this  with  genuine  patience, 
will  find  true  peace.  He  will  find  essential  peace  in  all  trouble,  a  peace 
that  no  creature  can  take  from  him.  And  whosoever  does  not  tread 
this  path  shall  never  attain  to  true  peace. 

Our  Lord  also  said  to  His  apostles :  "You  shall  be  witnesses  unto  Me 
in  Judea."  Judea  may  be  taken  to  mean  first  confessing  and  second 
praising  God.  Children,  we  must  be  God's  witnesses  in  such  wise  that  we 
follow  after  our  beloved  Lord  in  all  our  works,  ways  and  intentions 
steadfastly,  without  any  intermission,  and  not  because  things  go  well 
with  us,  nor  because  of  our  spiritual  consolations  and  devotional  senti- 
ments. While  we  enjoy  these  feelings,  we  flatter  ourselves  that  we  are 
right  with  God,  and  we  imagine  that  we  cannot  yearn  enough  after  Him, 
nor  ever  be  satisfied  with  Him.  But  when  the  shock  of  spiritual  adver- 
sity strikes  us,  then  we  do  not  know  what  to  think  of  our  former  state, 
or  of  how  we  now  stand  with  God.  And  this  shows  that  formerly  the 
interior  foundation  was  not  God  alone. 

Sweet  feelings  of  devotion  were  the  unstable  basis  on  which  our  confi- 
dence in  God  was  built — not  just  God  alone,  God  in  all  joy  and  all 
sorrow.  God's  true  witnesses  ever  rest  fast  and  firm  on  God  alone  and 
on  His  most  adorable  will,  come  weal,  come  woe.  God  gives  or  God 
takes  away — ^they  remain  always  in  peace,  resting  wholly  on  God,  not 
at  all  on  their  own  devotional  contrivances.  When  all  seems  prosper- 
ous, and  when  they  feel  as  if  they  could  do  mighty  things  for  God,  they 
nevertheless  do  not  build  upon  that;  distrust  of  self  and  real  lowliness 
of  spirit  possess  their  souls.  God  often  deprives  them  of  all  comfort, 
and  He  does  so  because  He  is  true  to  their  better  spiritual  interests. 
And  so  it  happens  frequently  that  such  men  can  accomplish  nothing. 
If  they  would  gladly  keep  holy  vigil,  they  fall  asleep  in  spite  of  them- 


312  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

selves;  they  try  to  fast,  and  cannot  help  but  eat;  they  crave  repose, 
and  they  are  forced  into  the  very  opposite.  All  this  happens  because  God 
would  withdraw  from  them  all  support  but  Himself  alone.  On  Him 
simply  and  solely  must  they  rest,  themselves  being  annihilated  in  all 
things  of  soul  and  body,  their  souls  dropping  deep  down  into  pure  single- 
hearted  faith  in  God.  For  as  worldly  men  do  themselves  harm  by  their 
excessive  enjoyment  of  the  pleasures  of  the  senses  and  of  their  temporal 
goods  and  honors,  so  do  spiritual  men  hurt  themselves  by  excessive  joy 
in  God's  spiritual  gifts,  whether  in  good  works  or  in  the  sweetness  of 
devotion.  They  rest  with  inordinate  joy  in  God's  ever-flowing  spiritual 
favors,  instead  of  resting  simply  on  the  only  true  foundation,  namely 
God's  own  self,  held  and  possessed  in  true  poverty  of  spirit. 

Judea  also  may  be  taken  to  mean  the  praise  of  God.  Ah,  children,  if 
a  man  could  but  be  guided  to  praise  the  eternal  God  in  all  things  no 
matter  whence  they  come,  interior  or  exterior,  for  him  or  against  him, 
then,  indeed,  would  he  be  journeying  along  the  right  road.  And  if  a 
man  would  but  offer  all  things  up  to  God  with  thanksgiving,  then  would 
he  become  a  true  witness  of  God.  Therefore,  dear  child,  render  back 
into  God's  deep  being  all  that  has  thence  come  forth  to  thee;  do  this 
invariably;  and  never  tarry  in  thine  own  self,  which  is  mere  nothing- 
ness. Rather  restore  thyself  habitually  to  thy  source  and  origin,  namely 
the  abyss  of  God's  love.  Out  of  this  thy  act,  be  well  assured,  shall 
come  forth  a  noble  praise  of  God;  from  this  will  be  granted  thee  a 
fruitful  harvest  of  virtue.  The  blossom  and  the  fruit  are  one,  for  herein 
God  is  in  God  and  light  in  light.  All  that  is  outward  thou  shalt  give 
to  God,  as  created  things  affect  thee  in  joy  or  sorrow;  and  all  inward 
things,  too,  of  whatever  kind  the}'  may  be,  and  thyself  along  with  them. 

Christ  also  said :  "You  shall  be  witnesses  of  Me  in  Samaria,"  and  that 
name  may  be  considered  to  mean  union  with  God.  This  refers  to  the 
truest  witness  that  man  can  bear  to  God  in  this  life,  namely  when  he  is 
most  perfectjly  united  to  Him.  Then,  as  it  were,  there  slips  away  from 
him  his  own  spirit,  and  all  creatures  seem  gone :  in  the  Divine  unity  all 
multiplicity  vanishes  away.  The  highest  powers  of  the  soul  are  now 
drawn  up  to  Heaven,  where  God  the  Holy  Spirit  dwells  in  God  the 
Father  and  God  the  Son,  in  the  Divine  unity.  The  soul  now  finds  its 
highest  bliss  in  very  truth,  enjoying  God  with  a  delightful  sweetness, 
drawing  after  it,  too,  its  lower  powers,  as  far  as  this  is  possible  in  our 
mortal  life.  And,  absorbed  into  the  Divine  abyss  of  being,  the  soul  need 
do  nothing  more  than  humbly  abandon  itself  to  enjoy  all  the  gifts  of 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  813 

God's  grace;  for  dow  it  beholds  them  in  God,  and  is  entirely  without 
self -consciousness  concerning  them. 

After  this,  again,  the  soul  is  led  into  yet  another  heaven  in  the  Divine 
being,  in  which  it  loses  itself  and  sinks  into  God.  No  man  can  tell  what 
happens  there  to  the  soul  in  the  possession  of  God  and  in  His  enjoy- 
ment— neither  tell,  nor  think,  nor  even  understand.  How  can  the  soul 
tell  or  understand  what  has  come  upon  it,  while  it  was  meted  out  of 
itself  and  absorbed  in  the  Divine  abyss,  knowing  nothing,  seeing  noth- 
ing, feeling  nothing  but  only  the  pure,  simple  being  of  God?  But  after 
that  experience,  dear  children,  you  may  be  sure  that  a  man  can  look  into 
the  very  essence  of  all  his  devotional  exercises,  even  the  littlest  of  them. 
And  he  can  plainly  discover  all  imperfections  in  his  use  of  them,  find 
out  why  they  do  not  profit  him,  and  how  they  may  be  freshened  anew 
and  made  more  fruitful. 

Thus  does  the  faithful  and  detached  soul  stand  between  Heaven  and 
earth.  With  the  higher  faculties  of  his  being  he  dwells  always  in  God 
his  Lord,  elevated  high  above  self  and  all  things  else ;  and  with  his  lower 
faculties  he  is  placed  under  foot  of  all  things,  sunk  down  in  deep 
humility,  not  otherwise  than  if  he  were  a  mere  beginner  in  the  spiritual 
life.  He  can  content  himself  in  the  lowest  order  of  devout  practices, 
for  he  is  ashamed  of  nothing  that  is  good,  however  contemptible  it  may 
seem  to  others.  He  keeps  true  peace  with  all  creatures  in  spirit  and  in 
act,  in  joy  and  sorrow.  Such  a  man  is  in  very  truth  a  witness  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  first  came  down  from  Heaven,  and  ascended 
again  into  the  Heaven  of  Heavens.  And  all  who  would  dwell  there  must 
become  one  with  Him,  that  in  Him  and  with  Him  and  through  Him 
they  may  ascend  to  Heaven. 

Whatsoever  man  shall  earnestly  endeavor  after  this  end,  and  shall 
bid  farewell  to  all  the  joys  and  pains  of  creatures,  shall  not  go  astray  in 
his  conscience.  He  shall  not  have  a  silly  head;  he  shall  not  be  found 
gadding  about  asking  foolish  questions,  wasting  his  time  and  following 
delusions.  May  God  make  us  His  true  witnesses  in  things  spiritual  and 
things  natural;  may  He  raise  us  up  to  Heaven  with  His  eternal  Son; 
may  He  grant  us  all  this  as  He  is  God  the  Father,  and  God  the  Son,  and 
God  the  Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 


314  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Q[l|(  lExrl^mtgp  of  MMiixm  tot  Hvih^B  in  tl^^  Mmr  Hitt 

Synopsis — It  is  the  enthronement  of  high  motives  in  place  of  ignoble 
ones — The  Judas  within  us  is  our  self-appropriation  of  God's  gifts 
— Our  Matthias  is  the  heartfelt  and  universal  attribution  back 
to  Ood  of  all  His  favors,  especially  spiritual  ones. 


FIFTH  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  THE  ASCENSION. 

In  those  days  Peter,  rising  up  in  the  midst  of  the  brethren,  said,  eta — Acts 
i,  15-26. 

On  the  return  of  our  Lord's  disciples  to  Jerusalem  after  His  ascension 
into  Heaven,  Peter  addressed  them  about  choosing  someone  to  take  the 
place  of  Judas,  who  had  fallen  away.  Two  disciples,  Joseph,  called  the 
Just,  and  Matthias,  were  then  set  apart,  and  the  latter  was  selected  to 
hold  that  high  place  of  an  apostle,  and  to  become  a  witness  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

Mark  well,  beloved  children,  that  the  disciples  came  to  Jerusalem, 
which  in  our  previous  discourse  today  we  have  called  a  place  of  holy 
peace,  and  also  a  place  of  unrest.  And  we  have  explained  how  no  one 
can  come  to  true  peace  except  in  two  ways — he  must  gain  peace  through 
conflict,  as  well  as  joy  through  sorrow;  and  he  must  learn  to  possess 
abundance  through  suffering  want.  The  disciples  returned  to  Mount 
Sion.  And  so  must  we  go  upward  with  all  our  powers  and  all  our  mind 
to  the  eternal  festival  of  God,  rising  high  over  all  lower  and  created 
existence,  leaving  all  things  as  Abraham  did,  when  he  left  his  servant 
and  his  ass  behind,  and  took  his  son  up  the  mount  of  vision  to  sacrifice 
him.  This  upgoing  is  led  by  the  will,  which  commands  all  the  faculties 
of  man  as  a  prince  in  his  kingdom  and  a  father  in  his  house.  This 
prince,  our  will,  should  always  command  a  man  to  go  upward  above  all 
created  things. 

The  disciples  went  to  the  cenaculum,  which  may  be  taken  to  mean  a 
banquet  hall,  for  coena  means  a  supper.  Now  after  supper  there  is  no 
other  meal  that  day,  nor  is  there  any  real  labor  done;  repose  now  has 
its  place — a  fact  carefully  to  be  noted.  For  as  the  disciples  abide  in  the 
banquet  hall,  their  minds  and  all  their  faculties  should  be  at  rest :  the 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  315 

soul's  labors  should  know  their  end,  for  now,  indeed,  there  is  no  longer 
any  meal  nor  any  labor,  namely  in  God,  in  Whom  there  is  everlasting 
repose.  The  man  who  forces  his  attention  toward  anything  whatsoever 
it  may  be,  does  not  mean  the  supreme  good,  God.  He  is  not  waiting  in 
expectancy  of  receiving  the  Holy  Ghost 

When  one's  soul  is  in  the  cenaculum,  then  Peter  rises  up ;  and  Peter 
may  be  taken  to  mean  a  man  who  confesses  God.  His  purpose  is  to 
choose  a  true  witness  to  take  the  vacant  place  of  Judas,  for  it  much  dis- 
tressed Peter  that  Judas  was  a  thief  and  a  traitor.  And  so  we,  too, 
have  a  Judas  within  us,  namely,  our  miserable  tendency  to  appropriate 
to  ourselves  by  theft  and  treason  all  the  good  that  God  by  His  free  gift 
works  within  us.  This  Judas-like  trait  in  us  would  cause  us  to  unjustly 
assume  ownership  of  God's  work  in  us.  Now  that  distresses  the  sense  of 
right  in  us,  which  confesses  God,  inclining  us  to  choose  another  state  of 
soul  to  take  the  place  of  the  Judas-like  one  which  is  to  be  expelled  from 
within  us.  Lots  are  cast  between  Joseph,  who  was  called  and  really  was 
a  just  man,  and  Matthias.  Joseph  was  also  called  Barsabas,  which  may 
be  taken  to  mean  obedient.  Against  him  is  placed  Matthias,  and  he  may 
be  taken  to  mean  a  man  who  is  little  in  the  sight  of  God.  And  upon 
which  of  these  two  did  the  choice  fall,  in  order  to  fill  this  holy  apostolic 
vacancy?  Not  upon  obedient  and  just  Joseph,  with  all  his  merit,  but  it 
fell  upon  him  who  was  little  before  God.  Ah,  children,  this  quality  out- 
weighed justice  and  obedience,  great  as  may  be  the  merit  of  these  vir- 
tues. The  little  and  the  humble  surpass  all  others  in  worth.  And  such 
a  man  it  was  that  was  chosen. 

And  wilt  thou  reach  the  highest  perfection  by  the  shortest  way? 
Wilt  thou  be  chosen  God's  disciple,  and  be  made  in  the  highest  degree 
His  true  witness?  Then  thou  must  confess  thyself  before  the  face  of 
God  the  least  and  the  littlest  of  all  mankind,  and  sincerely  hold  thyself 
to  be  so.  Then  and  not  till  then  will  the  lot  fall  upon  thee.  Let  all  thy 
diligence  be  exerted,  that  thou  mayst  be  considered  little  and  mayst  be 
despised.  Then  shalt  thou  be  raised  to  the  greatest  place,  and  be  set 
nearest  to  God,  and  given  the  most  honorable  position  God  can  bestow, 
namely  a  place  among  the  apostles.  To  this  thou  canst  never  come 
except  by  thorough-going  belittling  of  self. 

And  this  must  be  no  mere  apparent  humility,  or  one  of  imagination, 
for  that  delusion  is  but  a  sister  of  pride,  and  a  mere  play-acting  of 
humility.  In  this  condition  pride  is  very  deep-rooted;  and  the  soul  has 
often  the  very  reverse  of  a  real  sentiment  of  littleness  before  God,  nor 


S16  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

does  it  really  desire  to  be  an  object  of  contempt  to  both  God  and  man. 
Now,  children,  the  man  who  is  fully  determined  to  make  of  himself  real 
nothingness  before  God,  has  entered  on  the  truest  preparation  for  receiv- 
ing the  Holy  Ghost.  He  has  begun  to  tread  the  shortest  path  to  God, 
and  God's  grace  will  meet  him  and  conduct  him  forward.  That  we  may 
thus  be  made  ready  for  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  we  may  finally  receive 
Him  in  all  reality,  may  God  grant.     Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  317 


Synopsis— The  sweetness  of  God's  grace  should  lead  us  to  watchfulness 
in  prayer — Like  the  habit  of  using  drugs  is  the  intoxication  of 
spiritual  intemperance— The  prayer  of  thanksgiving  is  an  anti- 
dote to  this  gluttony— Some  instructions  about  mingling  good 
thoughts  vnth  good  vocal  prayers. 


SEKMON  FOR  THE  SUNDAY  AFTER  THE  ASCENSION. 

Be  prudent,  therefore,  and  watch  in  prayers. — I   Feter  iv,  7. 

Let  every  man  now  prepare  for  the  approaching  feast  of  the  Holj 
Ghost,  that  he  may  receive  Him  with  the  best  possible  dispositions, 
keeping  only  God  in  view.  Let  each  one  search  his  whole  way  of  life 
with  all  care,  considering  his  interior  soul,  and  whether  anything  dwells 
therein  that  is  not  God.  This  preparation  will  consist  of  four  disposi- 
tions :  detachment,  self-renunciation,  the  interior  spirit,  and  union  with 
God. 

A  man  should  also  be  practiced  outwardly  in  the  natural  virtues,  and 
his  lower  spiritual  powers  in  moral  virtues.  Then  the  Holy  Ghost  should 
be  placed  in  possession  of  one's  higher  spiritual  powers,  to  adorn  them 
with  the  theological  virtues.    All  this  should  be  done  with  discretion 
and  in  right  order  in  every  respect.     We  shouJd  carefully  examine  i" 
anything  has  found  place  in  our  life  that  is  not  entirely  for  God;  and  if 
so,  then  it  should  be  at  once  condemned  and  reformed.    We  should  imi- 
tate the  farmer  in  the  month  of  March ;  as  the  sun  gains  power  he  prunes 
bis  trees  and  he  digs  his  ground  and  works  his  farm  with  great  industry. 
So  should  we  industriously  dig  up  the  ground  of  our  soul  and  find  out 
what  is  underneath  the  surface;  we  should  prune  the  tree  of  our  out- 
ward life  of  the  senses,  and  we  should  clean  out  all  weeds,  as  well  as  sub- 
ject our  lower  powers  to  the  higher  ones.    W^e  must  cut  out  the  seven 
capital  sins  by  the  very  roots.    Pride  should  be  exterminated  inwardly 
and  outwardly ;  and  all  avarice  and  hate  and  envy ;  all  foul  lust  in  body 
and  soul,  in  heart  and  senses,  in  spirit  and  act  must  be  totally  expelled ; 
no  sloth  of  any  kind  must  be  allowed  to  lurk  in  the  soul :  all  these  evili 


318  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

must  be  cut  away  and  totally  rooted  out.  As  yet  the  soul  remains  cold 
and  hard,  for  although  the  sun  grows  warmer,  it  is  yet  far  from  sum- 
mer's clear  and  genial  light.  But  soon  all  is  changed.  The  Divine  sun 
begins  to  do  its  heavenly  work  in  the  well-prepared  garden  of  the  soul. 

When,  therefore,  the  genial  sun  of  God's  grace  begins  to  shine  brightly 
upon  this  well-cultivated  garden,  all  the  soul's  inner  and  outer  faculties 
being  fully  prepared,  all  its  higher  and  lower  tendencies  directed  to- 
wards Heaven,  then  indeed  the  sweet  flowers  of  May  begin  to  bloom, 
and  all  the  welcome  gifts  of  summertime.  The  eternal  God  causes  the 
soul  to  blossom  forth  and  to  produce  good  fruit  of  virtue ;  and  the  joy 
in  that  soul  no  tongue  can  tell.  For  now  the  Holy  Ghost  is  there,  and 
His  brightness  shines  directly  upon  the  soul,  yea,  into  its  inmost  depths. 
Well  may  He  now  be  called  the  true  Comforter,  since  His  influence  is 
so  delicious.  O  how  great  a  joy !  O  how  rich  a  feast,  the  sweet  odors 
of  whose  nourishing  food  excite  the  soul's  deepest  longing!  These  are 
granted  in  every  plenty  of  enjoyment  to  the  rightly  prepared  soul  by  the 
gentle  Spirit  of  God.  One  drop  of  this  Divine  comfort  is  worth  more 
than  all  the  joys  of  created  things  put  together;  and  it  overpowers  and 
quenches  all  longing  for  them  whatsoever. 

When  a  man  feels  this  action  of  the  Divine  Comforter  so  wonderfully 
great  and  so  unexpected,  he  would  gladly  sink  down  into  its  depths  and 
rest  and  slumber  in  it  forever.  He  feels  like  St.  Peter  at  the  Lord's 
Transfiguration  ;it  is  good  for  him  to  be  there,  and  he  would  set  up  three 
tabernacles  of  joy  out  of  one  drop  of  the  happiness  now  granted  him, 
and  there  dwell  forever.  But  such  is  not  our  Lord's  will.  When  Peter 
said  "It  is  good  for  us  to  be  here,"  he  was  far  from  that  degree  in  the 
spiritual  life  that  his  Lord  would  lead  him  to.  So  it  is  with  souls  in  this 
stage :  they  think  they  have  got  all  when  they  are  in  this  brilliant  sun- 
shine of  God's  favor,  and  they  would  like  to  lie  down  and  bask  in  it 
forever.  And  all  the  souls  who  actually  do  so,  remain  stationary  in 
their  career.  They  amount  to  nothing  unless  they  rise  up  and  go  for- 
ward. 

To  some  of  these  it  happens  that  they  slip  do^-n  into  unlawful  liberty. 
Their  poor  human  nature  turns  inward  and  regards  itself  with  self- 
complacency,  a  weakness  toward  which  we  are  above  all  other  things 
inclined.  It  is  with  them  as  with  sick  persons  who  trust  too  much  to 
medicines.  I  have  heard  physicians  say  that  men,  finding  relief  in 
drugs,  trust  to  them  entirely  and  not  at  all  to  their  natural  forces,  and 
that  this  breeds  indolence.    If  a  man  is  doubtful  of  all  help  from  others, 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  319 

then  he  energetically  sets  to  work  to  help  himself.  Remark,  children, 
how  this  poisonous  longing  for  ease  and  convenience,  penetrates  every- 
where in  our  natural  life.  And  it  is  a  thousand  times  worse  in  our 
spiritual  life.  When  this  very  unusual  joy  is  felt,  the  soul  forthwith 
counts  upon  being  sure  to  keep  it.  Earnest  and  faithful  labor  is  now 
thought  unnecessary;  a  soft  lethargy  possesses  the  spirit — no  more 
activity  of  virtue,  no  more  zealous  toil,  all  is  to  be  rest  and  peace.  And 
this  is  Satan's  chance.  He  comes  to  this  soul,  thus  indolently  reclining, 
and  he  insinuates  into  it  a  false  sweetness,  hoping  to  hold  it  fast  in  this 
wrong  state  of  rest. 

What  shall  we  do,  then?  Shall  we  run  away  from  this  happiness? 
No,  by  no  means.  But,  receiving  it  with  much  gratitude,  we  must 
humbly  return  it  again  into  God's  hands  praising  Him  in  all  sincerity, 
as  we  nevertheless  protest  ourselves  to  be  wholly  unworthy  of  such  a 
favor.  We  should  act  like  a  young  and  robust  traveler,  but  poor  and 
hungry  and  thirsty  as  he  starts  on  his  journey.  If  he  goes  forward 
four  miles  and  can  only  manage  to  get  a  meal  to  eat,  he  springs  forward 
blithely  and  makes  ten  miles  more.  So  let  us  do,  when  God  feeds  us 
with  His  sweet  food  of  spiritual  joy.  Whatever  good  things  such  a 
man  formerly  did,  he  does  more  and  better  things  now,  loves  God  more, 
praises  and  thanks  Him  more.  He  is  more  upright,  his  heart  is  full  of 
a  more  burning  love,  and  thereby  he  becomes  worthy  of  the  gift  of  a  yet 
deeper  interior  comfort.  Just  as  we  may  fancy  a  man  going  to  the 
Pope  and  giving  him  a  florin,  and  receiving  in  return  a  hundred  thou- 
sand, and  getting  the  same  exchange  every  time  he  gave  a  florin :  so  is 
the  exchange  between  God  and  a  rightly  guided  soul.  As  often  as  he 
goes  to  God  in  all  love  and  gratitude  and  humility,  so  often  does  God 
meet  him  on  the  instant  with  gifts  and  graces  a  thousandfold  more 
precious  than  before.  Thus  it  is  that  sweetness  of  devotion  is  made  a 
help  to  us,  and  leads  to  greater  good :  we  must  use  our  spiritual  gifts 
and  not  enjoy  them.  It  is  like  riding  in  a  wagon  :  we  are  there  for  the 
good  of  the  journey  and  for  the  progress  made,  and  not  for  the  enjoyment 
of  the  wagon's  soft  seat.  So  let  it  be  with  God's  gifts;  draw  the  good 
out  of  them,  leaving  to  God  the  joy.  Hence  St.  Peter's  warning  to  us  to 
be  sober  and  watchful ;  not  to  sink  into  the  slumber  of  sensual  pleasure, 
a  state  in  which  the  soul  is  but  half  alive  and  is  incapable  of  activity. 
The  sober-minded  man  works  right  on  courageously  and  intelligently: 
"Be  sober  and  watch :  because  your  adversary  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion, 
goeth  about  seeking  whom  he  may  devour;  whom  resist  ye  strong  in 
faith"  (I  Peter  V,  8). 


320  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

And  again  the  Apostle  bids  ns  be  "prudent  and  watch  in  prayers,'^ 
that  is,  not  to  be  so  dull  as  to  rest  in  anything  that  is  not  God ;  to  keep 
the  light  of  piety  brightly  burning ;  to  keep  a  vigilant  outlook  over  our- 
selves ;  always  to  long  for  God  alone.  It  was  on  this  account  that  our 
Saviour's  disciples  must  give  up  the  bodily  presence  of  their  Master,  if 
they  would  receive  the  Holy  Ghost.  "If  I  go  not,"  said  He,  "the  Para- 
clete will  not  come  to  you"  (John  xvi,  7).  These  loving  disciples  were 
so  possessed  of  the  visible  presence  of  the  Lord,  that  heart,  soul,  senses 
and  faculties  were  entirely  absorbed — inner  and  outer  life  all  taken  up» 
This  condition  must  be  changed,  if  they  were  to  arrive  at  the  true, 
spiritual,  interior  comfort  of  God — they  must  be  cut  off  from  the  out- 
ward presence,  no  matter  how  bitter  the  stroke.  Otherwise  they  should 
have  remained  in  the  lowest  spiritual  degree,  that  of  the  sensible  life 
of  religion.  When  they  rose  above  the  senses,  it  was  to  enter  the 
religious  life  of  the  highest  powers  of  the  soul,  every  way  nobler  and 
more  delightful. 

After  that  the  soul  enters  further  into  its  own  deep  interior,  the  very 
hidden  shrine  of  God's  presence  within  it.  Divine  sweetness  is  there 
and  there  only  quite  at  home,  there  fully  and  essentially  experienced. 
And  there  alone  is  the  soul  wide  awake  and  watchful. 

The  apostle  bids  us  be  sober,  watchful  and  prayerful,  for  our  "adver- 
sary the  devil  goeth  about  like  a  roaring  lion."  What  prayer  does  he 
mean?  That  of  the  mouth ?  Reading  the  Psalms  over  and  over?  All 
that  is  truly  prayer,  but  he  means  a  yet  higher  prayer.  It  is  the  prayer 
our  Lord  meant  when  He  said :  "The  true  adorers  shall  adore  the  Father 
in  spirit  and  in  truth"  (John  iv,  23).  Saints  and  Divines  teach  us  that 
prayer  is  the  elevation  of  the  soul  to  God.  If  thy  prayer  by  word  of 
mouth  serves  this  purpose,  well  and  good.  But  even  so :  if  my  clothing 
serves  me,  all  the  same  it  is  not  my  own  self.  Thus  does  all  prayer  of 
the  mouth  serve  true  prayer ;  but  in  itself  and  taken  alone  it  is  not  true 
prayer.  For  by  true  prayer  the  heart  and  soul  of  a  man  must  go  direct 
to  God,  and  that  is  the  esential  thing.  True  prayer  is  this  and  nothing 
besides :  a  man's  mind  is  totally  subjected  to  God  in  loving  desire  and 
genuine  humility. 

Clergymen  and  members  of  orders  are  indeed  especially  bound  at  cer- 
tain times  to  recite  vocal  prayers.  But  none  of  these  prayers  are  so 
devout  and  lovely  as  the  sacred  prayer  taught  us  by  the  supreme  master 
of  prayer  Himself,  namely  the  Pater  Noster.  That  prayer  approaches 
the  nearest  of  all  vocal  prayer  to  the  truest,  the  most  essential.     This 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  '  321 

prayer  of  spirit  we  lift  up  incessantly  toward  Heaven,  and  it  lifts  the 
soul  with  it  straight  up  to  God.  And  it  is  equally  true  to  say,  that  the 
soul  penetrates  into  its  own  most  sacred  and  interior  depths,  where 
alone  it  may  form  a  union  with  God.  Thus  St.  Augustine  says :  "The 
soul  has  within  itself  a  hidden  abyss,  and  the  things  of  time  and  of  this 
world  have  no  place  therein,  but  only  what  is  high  above  them  and 
above  all  that  concerns  the  body  and  its  activities."  In  these  heavenly 
abysses  the  soul  finds  all  its  sweetness,  and  there  is  the  eternal  abode  of 
all  Divine  joys.  In  them  the  soul  is  still,  fixed  in  God,  cut  off  from  crea- 
tures, and  drawn  into  uncreated  bliss.  There  is  God  Himself,  acting, 
dwelling,  ruling,  granting  the  soul  an  incomparable  Divine  life.  Into 
this  life  the  soul  melts  away — into  the  infinite  light  and  fire  of  love  that 
God  is  by  essence  and  by  nature.  Back  and  forth  into  this  relation 
with  God  does  such  a  man  pass  in  prayer,  as  he  pleads  for  every  necessity 
of  all  Christendom,  his  holy  petitions,  his  deep  yearnings  ever  guided  by 
God  Himself.  Thus  does  he  pray  for  his  friends  on  earth,  even  sinners, 
and  for  the  souls  in  purgatory.  The  needs  of  every  soul  in  holy  Church 
are  not  beyond  his  help  by  counsel  as  well  as  by  prayer.  And  yet  such 
favored  spirits  do  not  always  pray  exactly  for  this  or  that  particular 
person  or  object.  But  with  a  certain  kind  of  wide-sweeping  universal 
and  yet  most  simple  prayer  do  they  embrace  all  souls  of  men,  just  as  I 
stand  here  and  behold  with  one  glance  all  of  you  sitting  before  me.  They 
see  all  in  the  same  Divine  abyss,  God's  love,  as  in  a  Divine  contemplation, 
and  in  the  fire  of  Divine  love — viewing  thus  as  with  one  glance  the  neces- 
sities of  all  Christians.  They  may  seem  to  themselves  to  be  in  and  out 
of  God  in  their  soul's  movements,  and  yet  they  are  ever  in  Him,  deep  in 
the  calm  of  fathomless  love :  therein  is  their  life  and  being,  therein  all 
their  life's  activity.  Nothing  is  to  be  discovered  in  them  under  any 
and  all  circumstances  but  a  Divine  existence;  whether  doing  things  or 
leaving  them  undone,  everything  tells  of  God.  These  are  noble  souls, 
necessary  for  holy  Church,  sanctifying  and  consoling  all  men,  giving 
honor  to  God.  Wherever  they  may  be,  God  dwells  in  them  and  they  in 
Him.  May  God  help  us  to  the  methods  and  the  devotion  leading  to 
such  an  end.    Amen. 


322  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Pre|iaritt0  to  l&tmnt  tij?  l^ol^  C6I|0Ht 

Synopsis — The  only  right  preparation  is  cutting  off  attachments  to 
earthly  things — This  is  the  more  nobly  done  in  the  higher  powers 
of  the  soul  by  deep  longings  for  Ood,  and  Him  alone — Scruples 
and  foolish  misgivings  are  a  hindrance — But  reasonable  self -sus- 
pecting is  most  useful — Example  of  the  serpent  changing  his  skin. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  PENTECOST. 
Be  prudent,  therefore. — I  Peter  It,  7. 

Holy  Church  at  this  time  celebrates  the  sending  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
upon  the  apostles,  who  received  Him  in  a  most  interior  manner.  It 
was  necessary  for  our  sakes  that  they  should  make  such  a  beginning  of 
a  new  existence,  for  we  are  by  their  means  to  receive  the  same  Divine 
gift.  And  it  was  good  that  they  should  be  comforted,  for  they  had 
languished  comfortless  and  forsaken  within  and  without.  And  it 
finally  came  to  pass,  that  as  long  as  they  continued  in  this  life  the 
disciples  constantly  grew  into  deeper  union  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  So 
should  every  true  friend  of  God  celebrate  this  lovely  festival  every  day  he 
lives — yes,  every  day  and  every  hour  should  he  receive  the  Holy  Ghost  in 
his  soul.  The  whole  task  of  his  life  is  to  prepare  a  loving  welcome  for 
Him.  And  His  coming  again  and  again  continuously  fits  the  soul  better 
and  better  for  His  ever-renewed  entrance.  As  Pentecost  day  was  the 
festival  of  the  Holy  Ghost's  being  sent  to  the  disciples,  so  is  every  day 
of  the  year  a  Pentecost  day  to  each  Christian.  If  he  will  but  thoroughly 
prepare  his  soul,  the  Divine  Spirit  will  enter  in  with  all  His  graces  and 
gifts. 

And  now,  Children,  here  is  our  dear  apostle  St.  Peter  to  teach  us  what 
that  preparation  is.  He  says  to  us :  "Be  prudent,  therefore."  And 
this  does  not  only  mean  wisdom,  but  experience  also,  by  which  a  man 
knows  how  to  do  a  thing  all  the  better,  because  he  has  made  trial  of 
doing  it  over  and  over  again.  The  apostle  means  that  we  should  have 
the  habitual  knowledge  and  the  foresight  which  come  from  practice, 
and  that  in  all  our  spiritual  affairs.     He  means  that  we  shall  thereby 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


323 


be  made  able  to  understand  clearly  the  difference  between  God  and 
creatures  on  all  occasions. 

Children,  the  men  who  rightly  comprehend  this  preparation,  and  who 
understand  the  noblest  manner  of  receiving  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  those 
who  cut  off  all  things  but  God,  who  are  made  entirely  empty,  and  thus 
attain  to  the  interior  life  and  Divine  unity:  these  are  rightly  prepared 
for  the  Holy  Ghost  j  p    p    cu 

And  what  is  this  true  and  genuine  detachment?  It  is  voluntary 
separation  from  all  that  is  not  simply  and  purely  God.  It  is  the  search- 
ing of  the  soul  with  careful  scrutiny,  to  discover  if  there  is  even  the 
least  thing,  though  it  be  in  its  inmost  depths,  that  is  not  simply  God. 
It  is  constantly  enquiring  whether  or  not  God  and  God  alone  is  had 
in  view  in  all  things  done  or  omitted.  And  when  anything  is  found 
that  savors  aught  else  than  God  alone,  it  means  cutting  it  off  absolutely. 
And  this  preparation  is  the  task  not  only  of  men  whose  lives  are  very 
holy  and  interior,  but  of  every  good  man  whatsoever. 

Children,  we  meet  with  good  men,  well  versed  in  excellent  religious 
exercises,  who  yet  know  nothing  whatever  of  the  interior  life  Yet 
these  are  bounden  to  search  out  all  that  may  interfere  with  God's  reign 
m  their  souls,  and  instantly  to  cut  it  off.  This  much  detachment  every 
one  must  certainly  have;  otherwise  he  cannot  receive  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
His  Divine  gifts.  It  is  taking  God  into  account  in  all  things,  separating 
ourself  from  all  that  is  not  God. 

But  men  differ  much  in  way  of  this  separation,  and  in  their  waiting 
for  God's  Spirit.     Some  receive  Him  in  the  way  of  the  senses  and  of 
devotional  feeling;  others,  more  nobly,  by  way  of  the  soul's  highest 
faculties  and  in  the  reason,  far  removed  from  sensible  emotions;  others 
again,  while  partaking  of  both  these  ways,  receive  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
the  hidden  recesses  of  their  soul,  in  that  secret  Kingdom  of  God  where 
the  sweet  vision  of  the  Holy  Trinity  is  enshrined :  and  this  is  the  noblest 
way  of  all.     Ah,  children,  how  gladly  does  the  Holy  Ghost  make  such 
a  soul  as  that  His  chosen  abode,  and  how  divinely  are  His  gifts  imparted 
there.     As  often  as  that  man  but  glances  intelligently  into  his  interior 
life,  so  often  does  he  renew  his  union  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  each  instant 
receiving  new  favors.     Nothing  more  is  needed  than  that  he  maintain 
his  earnest  purpose  to  be  ever  turned  toward  God  alone,  in  all  wisdom 
and  in  all  detachment  of  spirit.     He  scrutinizes  all  his  doings  and  all 
his  ways  and  words  and  works,  eager  to  detect  whatever  may  not  have 
God  alone  for  its  meaning,  instantly  correcting  himself  when  necessary 


324  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

By  the  Holy  Spirit's  light  of  grace,  he  guides  his  steps  in  all  the  moral 
virtues — such  as  humility,  mildness,  gentleness,  silence  and  piety; 
watching  his  motives  lest  any  of  these  good  acts  should  be  done  for 
other  intention  than  God  only.  And  the  natural  virtues  of  prudence, 
justice,  fortitude  and  temperance,  are  all  under  this  same  Divine  light, 
as  he  performs  their  holy  acts.  This  is  indeed  the  good  ordering  of  a 
man,  a  divine  ordering,  the  establishing  of  purely  Divine  motives,  all 
things  arranged  in  God,  all  done  for  God's  sake. 

When  the  Holy  Ghost  finds  that  a  man  has  done  his  part  in  this  field 
of  the  natural  virtues.  He  pours  into  the  natural  light  of  the  soul  His 
supernatural  illumination,  and  with  it  the  grace  of  the  supernatural 
virtues — Divine  faith,  and  hope,  and  love.  Now  he  is  enlightened ;  now 
he  becomes  a  virtuous  man  indeed,  a  Godlike  man  in  his  state  of  disen- 
gagement from  created  things.  But  as  to  this,  one  must  act  with  pru- 
dence, for  it  often  happens  that  what  appears  to  be  God's  action,  is, 
when  more  closely  considered,  found  to  be  not  so,  and  hence  one  must  be 
on  one's  guard. 

And  furthermore  it  sometimes  happens  that  a  man  who  has  entirely 
given  himself  up  to  God,  yet  fancies  with  much  anguish  of  mind  that 
he  has  not  done  so  sincerely.  He  then  thinks  that  all  the  good  he  ever 
did  is  lost  and  wasted.  Peace  has  now  fled  from  his  soul,  all  is  trouble 
and  woe.  Children,  this  anguish  frequently  comes  from  natural  bodily 
causes ;  or,  again,  it  is  due  to  bad  weather  acting  on  the  nerves ;  or  it  is 
the  influence  of  the  evil  one,  who  would  gladly  distress  the  soul  of  so  good 
a  man.  And  such  an  unfavorable  condition  one  must  meet  in  all  quiet- 
ness of  mind  and  meekness  of  spirit. 

Some  would  oppose  it  with  violence,  storm  against  it  with  forceful 
measures,  and  by  such  means  make  fools  of  themselves.  They  run 
about  to  learned  doctors  and  to  devout  servants  of  God  begging  advice. 
But  they  are  asking  for  what  they  cannot  have :  no  one  can  give  them 
relief.  Children,  when  this  interior  storm  strikes  a  man,  he  should 
do  as  one  does  when  overtaken  by  a  storm  of  wind,  rain  and  hail — he 
should  take  shelter  under  a  roof  till  the  storm  passes  over.  Is  a  man 
conscious  that  he  desires  nothing  whatever  but  God?  Then  when  this 
trial  assails  him,  let  him  humbly  bow  to  it,  let  him  patiently  suffer  in  all 
abandonment  to  God,  in  all  painful  detachment  of  spirit,  and  wait  upon 
God  in  his  deep  affliction,  his  soul  all  calm  and  gentle.  Who  can  tell  in 
what  manner  the  loving  God  will  come  to  him  and  grant  him  His  pre- 
cious favors?    Dear  soul,  remain  under  the  sheltering  roof  of  God's  will 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  325 

in  patient  meekness,  and  this  is  more  pleasing  to  Him  a  hundred  times, 
than  sweet  spiritual  joys  in  practicing  virtue — thy  stormy  sorrows 
bravely  borne  are  more  welcome  to  Him  than  the  beautiful  sunshine  and 
the  bright  blossoms  of  fair-weather  virtue.  In  this  anguish  of  spirit,  a 
man  cannot  lose  his  upright  intention  so  easily  as  when  he  revels  in  con- 
solations and  the  sweetness  of  devotion.  Among  these  nature  can 
readily  insinuate  lower  motives,  and  the  taint  of  spiritual  self-indul- 
gence may  unconsciously  stain  the  soul.  God's  gifts  are  not  God's  self. 
Our  joy  must  be  in  God  alone,  not  in  His  gifts. 

Children,  human  nature  is  ever  greedy,  ever  selfish.  We  hinder  God's 
work  in  us,  we  destroy  his  glorious  gifts  after  they  are  granted  us, 
because  we  allow  selfishness  to  appropriate  what  is  not  our  own,  yield- 
ing to  the  poisonous  influences  inherited  from  original  sin.  Our  nature 
looks  to  self  in  everything.  St.  Thomas  teaches  that  by  this  infection 
of  nature,  man  is  inclined  to  love  himself  more  than  anything  else,  even 
the  angels,  nay,  even  more  than  God — not  that  God  created  us  thus  per- 
verse, but  it  has  all  resulted  from  the  original  turning  away  from  God 
in  the  fall  of  Adam.  And  this  evil  tendency  is  rooted  so  deep  in  us,  that 
its  traces  baflSe  the  search  of  all  the  wise  men  in  the  world.  All  the 
industry  of  man  cannot  correct  this  innate  weakness  of  both  his  inner 
and  outer  life.  It  often  happens,  that  when  we  fancied  God  alone  was 
our  motive,  it  turned  out  that  it  was  only  the  poisonous  influences  of 
nature  that  guided  us — we  were  but  seeking  self  in  everything.  St.  Paul 
was  a  true  prophet  when  he  said :  "In  the  last  days,  shall  come  danger- 
ous times.  Men  shall  be  lovers  of  themselves"  (II  Tim.  iii,  1,  2).  This 
is  manifestly  the  case  in  these  times;  for  the  world  is  full  of  misery 
because  men,  both  of  the  world  and  of  the  clerical  state — how  pitiful  a 
spectacle ! — are  both  openly  and  secretly  striving  to  defraud  one  another. 
And  father  confessors  are  sometimes  privy  to  this,  by  condoning  it  by 
means  of  their  novel  and  pagan  interpretations  of  holy  scripture.  Chil- 
dren, if  any  of  you  fall  under  my  accusations  in  this  matter,  I  beg  him 
to  amend  at  once,  if  he  would  come  to  God.  O  if  one  could  but  give  up 
self  in  his  outer  and  inner  life,  in  spirit  and  in  nature,  it  were  a  precious 
gain !  It  would  be  a  small  price  to  pay  if  he  gave  up  gold  and  silver  and 
castles  and  farms  for  this  end.  Even  in  our  interior  spirit  and  in  our 
devotions,  nay,  in  our  closest  approach  to  God,  nature  secretly  insinu- 
ates selfishness,  so  great  is  the  deordination  of  self-love;  and  herein 
God's  way  of  having  us  act,  is  rightly  given  us  by  St.  Peter :  "Be  ye  pru- 
dent, therefore." 


326  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  also  admonishes  us  how  to  be  wise:  "Be  ye 
therefore  wise  as  serpents"  (Matt,  x,  16) .  Remark  how  the  eternal  Son 
of  God  has  given  us  this  very  humble  comparison,  to  teach  us  the  wisdom 
of  His  Father,  and  His  Own  unspeakably  glorious  wisdom.  As  He  was 
Himself  always  very  humble,  so  is  His  teaching  very  simple.  Now  you 
should  know  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent  in  this :  when  it  finds  its  skin 
grown  old,  it  selects  a  place  where  two  stones  are  close  together,  and  by 
going  between  them  it  draws  off  the  old  skin,  and  soon  is  furnished  with 
a  new  one.  So  must  a  man  get  rid  of  his  old  skin,  that  is  whatsoever  he 
possesses  by  nature,  no  matter  how  great  or  how  precious — all  that  is 
not  purely  God  he  must  lay  aside.  To  accomplish  this  he  must  pass 
between  two  Divine  stones,  one  being  the  eternal  Godhead,  which  is 
truth  itself;  and  the  other  is  the  humanity  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  Who 
is  the  way  and  the  truth.  Between  these  must  be  drawn  a  man's  very 
life  in  its  essence  and  its  action,  including  all  his  virtues,  both  natural 
or  moral.  Of  this  stone  that  Christ  is,  St.  Paul  speaks :  "Jesus  Christ 
being  the  chief  corner-stone"  (Eph.  ii,  20).  And  thou  mayst  be  sure, 
that  if  thou  dost  not  truly  strip  thyself  thus  most  humbly  between  these 
stones,  then  nothing  will  avail  thee,  even  if  thou  wert  as  wise  as  Solomon 
and  as  strong  as  Samson.  Lose  thyself  in  Christ's  poverty,  in  His  obedi- 
ence, in  His  love,  drawing  all  thy  transgressions  off  of  thy  soul  in  detach- 
ment of  spirit ;  and  then  take  upon  thee  all  His  virtues,  His  doctrine, 
and  His  life.  By  this  means  will  a  man  receive  the  seven  gifts  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  more  especially  the  three  Divine  virtues  of  faith,  hope 
and  charity,  all  perfection,  and  all  truth,  interior  peace  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

From  this  detachment  is  born  kindness,  and  also  separation  from  all 
worldly  things;  so  that  one  now  receives  freely  from  God's  hands  and 
with  entire  thankfulness,  joy  or  sorrow,  or  whatever  else  may  befall  him 
in  the  inner  life  or  the  outer :  everything  helps  him  to  eternal  happiness. 
Such  a  man  has  the  grace  to  feel,  that  whatever  happens  him  has  been 
eternally  foreseen  by  his  heavenly  Father,  and  in  the  very  way  it  does 
happen,  and,  viewing  all  things  as  God  does,  he  rests  in  peace  of  mind, 
no  matter  what  occurs.  This  peace  of  soul  is  gained  only  in  the  practice 
of  real  detachment,  and  in  solicitude  of  spirit ;  in  that  school  and  in  no 
other  can  it  be  acquired.  Let  a  man  seek  it  in  all  sincerity,  and  it  will 
soon  be  his,  and  become  a  virtue  rooted  in  the  depths  of  his  being. 

All  that  I  have  preached  to  you  in  this  sermon  is  addressed  to  noble- 
hearted  men ;  let  such  bear  these  rules  continually  in  mind,  and  in  word 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  ^7 

and  work  carry  them  out  practically;  then  they  will  find  it  all  quite 
possible  for  them  to  do.  The  result  will  be  that  they  will  keep  God 
before  them  as  their  single  motive,  stripping  themselves  of  all  hin- 
drances to  grace  by  means  of  our  corner-stone,  Jesus  Christ,  who  liveth 
and  reigneth  eternally  with  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the 
Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 


328  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


C6itmt0  (6o5  finliutJifrfli  ttb^rtg  in  t\^t  dual 

Synopsis — Seeming  abandonment  by  God  is  often  the  prelude  of  high 
perfection — //  we  but  let  Eirn,  Ood  does  the  work  of  preparation 
Himself  in  the  soul — Signs  of  this  are  dullness  and  self-disgust,  de- 
spondency arising  from  self-contempt  and  a  feeling  of  total  empti- 
ness of  good — Delusions  resulting  from  the  first  joys  of  diviiie 
union:  self -appropriation  of  divine  gifts,  silly  excess  of  spiritual 
enjoyment,  forgetfulness  of  inborn  weakness — On  return  to  their 
good  sense,  these  souls  honor  God  by  wisdom  of  speech,  and  by 
charity  of  act,  and  by  invincible  patience. 


SECOND    SERMON    FOR    THE    FEAST    OF    PENTECOST. 

And  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Iloly  Ghost,  and  they  began  to  speak  •  *  • 
the  wonderful  works  of  God. — Acts  11,  4,  11. 

Beloved  children,  this  is  the  day  on  which  the  precious  treasure  of 
Divine  love,  lost  so  sadly  in  the  garden  of  Eden  by  Adam's  disobedience, 
was  restored  to  us.  The  whole  race  of  man  had  fallen  into  eternal  death, 
liad  lost  the  sevenfold  gifts  of  the  Divine  Comforter,  and  lay  under  the 
wrath  of  God  in  the  bands  of  everlasting  servitude.  Jesus  Christ  broke 
these  bands  on  Good  Friday,  as  He  was  bound  fast  in  death  to  His  cross. 
He  made  perfect  peace  between  His  Father  and  mankind;  and  today 
He  confirms  that  reconciliation.  He  restores  the  lost  treasures  of  grace 
in  the  Holy  Ghost.  Our  hearts  and  souls  and  senses  are  incapable  of 
understanding  the  superabundant  wealth  of  love  that  is  in  our  Saviour, 
and  which  overflowed  the  souls  of  His  disciples  when  they  received  the 
Holy  Ghost.  It  was  like  a  downpour  of  rain  which  overflows  the 
Btreams  and  fertilizes  the  valleys  and  fields.  And  as  with  the  disciples 
then,  so  in  all  ages  and  without  any  intermission  ever  since  then ;  the 
Holy  Ghost  overflows  the  inmost  hearts  of  men  with  His  graces,  if  only 
He  finds  those  inner  depths  ready  and  open  to  receive  His  gifts.  And 
now  suppose  that  this  our  land  were  like  Palestine  in  the  days  of  Elias, 
when  for  three  years  and  six  months  the  earth  was  parched  with  drouth 
and  no  man  could  sow  or  reap,  and  that  then  there  should  come  a  sweet 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  329 

plentiful  rain,  quickening  the  fields  with  new  life — and  one  single  man's 
farm  were  left  dry:  would  not  he  and  all  his  friends  cry  out  with 
misery?  In  the  same  way,  a  man  who  feels  himself  parched  with  spir- 
itual drouth  in  heart  and  soul  about  interior  things  and  external  things 
of  religion,  empty  and  loveless,  entirely  void  of  the  overflowing  comfort 
of  the  Holy  Spirit — shall  that  man  not  mourn  over  his  state  of  abandon- 
ment? Let  us  then  consider  what  is  to  be  done  in  order  to  obtain  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

The  first  and  most  important  preparation  must  be  made  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  Himself,  making  ready  a  proper  place  for  His  abode ;  and  that  He 
does  by  two  acts.  One  is  to  empty  the  soul,  the  other  is  afterwards  to 
fill  it.  The  emptying  is  the  greatest  preparation,  for  the  more  the  soul 
is  emptied  of  human  attachment,  the  more  receptive  of  God's  Spirit 
does  it  become.  If  thou  wouldst  fill  a  cup  with  some  liquid,  thou  must 
first  empty  it  of  any  other  liquid  that  may  be  in  it.  Of  two  different 
materials,  one  cannot  be  perfectly  itself  if  it  is  to  be  blended  with  the 
other.  If  fire  is  to  come  in,  water  must  first  go  out,  for  these  elements  are 
naturally  opposed.  Well  then,  if  God  is  to  come  into  the  soul,  creatures 
must  first  go  out — all  that  is  not  God  must  go  out.  Thus,  again,  the 
animal  instincts  must  yield  place  to  the  dictates  of  reason,  if  these  shall 
hold  sway.  Thus,  therefore,  a  man  must  surrender  himself  captive,  be 
empty,  detached,  and  ready.  Nay,  even  this  state  of  detachment  itself — 
as  far  as  any  honor  shall  be  due  to  it — must  be  surrendered  to  God  in 
total  self-annihilation ;  otherwise  a  man  will  prevent  the  highest  activity 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  within  him.  But  to  go  to  this  extent  no  one  now- 
adays seems  willing. 

But  when  this  emptying  of  the  soul  has  been  done,  at  once  the  Holy 
Ghost  does  His  second  work :  He  gratifies  the  soul's  capacity  to  receive 
Him.  Yes;  if  thou  art  truly  detached  thou  shalt  receive  abundantly, 
and  if  thou  art  but  partially  detached,  thou  shalt  receive  but  partially. 
Thou  must  be  totally  emptied  of  self-will,  self-love,  self-opinion.  Con- 
sider that  if  Heaven  itself  stood  open  before  thee,  thou  wouldst  not  dare 
to  enter  in,  until  thou  hadst  known  if  God  would  have  thee  do  so — such 
must  be  thy  detachment  from  self.  This  is  the  state  and  this  alone,  in 
which  the  soul  must  be  if  the  Holy  Ghost  is  to  be  given  to  it  unto  perfect 
fullness. 

Ah,  children,  when  a  man  feels  himself  dull,  hard  and  slow,  being 
oppressed  by  nature ;  when  peace  is  gone ;  when  he  is  become  quite  help- 
less ;  then  let  him  detach  his  soul's  affections  from  everything,  yield  him- 


330  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

self  up  entirely  to  God,  suffer  these  trials  and  all  other  evils  patiently, 
and  he  will  have  obtained  real  poverty  of  spirit;  and  then  the  Holy 
Ghost  will  soon  fill  the  empty  void.  Into  such  a  soul  He  pours  all  His 
riches,  overflowing  with  His  presence  the  whole  man  both  inward  and 
outward,  enriching  the  highest  faculties  and  the  lowest.  In  this  the 
man's  own  part  is  to  allow  himself  to  be  prepared  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  to  make  room  for  Him  as  He  begins  His  Divine  work.  Few  men 
do  this,  even  of  those  whose  vocation  calls  for  it,  and  who  show  outward 
signs  of  spirituality.  There  is  a  widespread  state  of  delusion  and  self- 
hood in  such  matters.  This  is  owing  to  our  acting  in  self-chosen  ways, 
full  of  self-assurance.  Nobody  seems  willing  to  yield  simply  up  to  the 
Holy  Spirit's  action;  everybody  must  have  his  own  plan  of  spiritual 
life — such  is  the  rule  in  our  perilous  times.  Let  thy  only  rule  be  to 
allow  the  Holy  Ghost  unhindered  liberty  in  thy  soul.  He  will  thereupon 
so  possess  thee  with  His  Divine  influence,  that  even  in  thy  outward  con- 
duct every  word  and  work  shall  be  according  to  His  will — all  in  due 
order  and  quiet.  As  to  thy  interior  life.  He  will  turn  thee  inward  to 
achieve  great  spiritual  things,  even  though  thou  shalt  be  hardly  aware 
of  His  action.  For  just  as  the  soul  acts  in  the  body,  so  does  the  Holy 
Ghost  act  in  our  innermost  life,  all  without  our  easily  perceiving  it,  until 
we  turn  again  and  bend  our  mental  powers  deep  into  those  recesses  of 
the  soul  in  which  the  Divine  Guest  has  taken  up  His  abode. 

And  then  a  man  is  apt  to  become  foolish.  When  he  sees  these  great 
things  of  God  in  his  heart,  he  appropriates  them  to  himself.  It  is  as  if 
a  great  painter  had  begun  a  masterpiece  and  some  fool  should  come 
along  and  meddle  with  it  and  quite  destroy  its  beauty.  Thus  do  we  act 
when  we  meddle  with  God's  work  in  our  souls.  This  is  done  by  the 
inordinate  joy  to  which  we  give  ourselves  up,  as  we  perceive  how  God  is 
doing  His  holy  work  within  us,  for,  indeed,  that  joy  exceeds  all  other  joys 
known  to  this  life.  But  by  means  of  this  self-appropriation,  God's  work 
is  destroyed.  It  is  very  true  that  as  long  as  a  man  does  not  fall  into 
mortal  sin  the  Holy  Ghost  is  not  driven  out,  but  his  soul  may  meanwhile 
be  far  removed  from  self-renunciation. 

Sometimes  a  man  will  be  under  the  delusion  that  his  inner  life  is  all 
of  God,  and  as  a  matter  of  fact  it  is  all  his  own  self,  his  own  self-suffi- 
ciency. A  man  may  receive  high  spiritual  gifts,  even  revelations  and 
knowledge  of  secret  things,  and  yet  it  may  remain  very  doubtful  as  to 
what  will  become  of  him  in  the  end — it  is  quite  possible  for  him  to  be 
eternally  lost  from  the  consequences  of  his  self-appropriation  of  these 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  331 

supernatural  things.  Children,  spiritual  matters  are  not  as  you  fancy. 
A  man  must  go  out  of  himself  and  stay  out  of  himself,  if  the  Holy  Spirit 
shall  have  His  way  with  him  according  to  His  supreme  and  infinite  dig- 
nity: beware  of  placing  obstacles  in  His  way.  If  thou  hast,  however, 
made  this  mistake,  it  is  not  necessary  for  thee  to  run  off  at  once  and 
annoy  thy  father  confessor  with  matters  so  hard  to  explain.  Turn  imme- 
diately into  thy  own  heart's  deep  chambers,  confess  thy  faults  humbly  to 
God  there,  and  He  will  place  His  Divine  hand  on  thy  head  and  heal  thee. 

Thus  said  our  Lord :  "They  shall  lay  their  hands  upon  the  sick,  and 
they  shall  recover"  (Mark  xvi,  18).  And  again  He  says:  "They  shall 
cast  out  devils."  God  will  thus  grant  thee  power  to  detect  the  devil's 
deceits  and  to  escape  them — a  reward  for  thy  soul's  self-renunciation. 
"They  shall  take  up  serpents,"  meaning  an  interior  man's  patience  in 
bearing  with  snake-like  men,  with  their  overbearing  manners  and  their 
usurped  authority.  These  may  sting  and  wound  God's  servants  in  their 
lowermost  faculties,  but  they  cannot  touch  the  higher  powers  of  their 
souls — be  of  good  courage  and  never  let  them  distress  thee.  Our  Saviour 
says  also :  "If  they  shall  drink  any  deadly  thing,  it  shall  not  hurt  them." 
Does  not  this  mean  suflfering  from  bad  men,  in  whom  everything  turns  to 
poison?  They  make  the  worst  of  everything,  spinning  around  all  that 
comes  near  them  a  poisonous  web  of  wickedness.  If  it  should  happen 
that  thou  art  desirous  of  receiving  the  fulness  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
that  on  that  account  thy  sister  should  assail  thee  with  her  scolding 
tongue,  then  if  thou  wilt  only  accept  this  patiently  for  God's  sake,  be  cer- 
tain that  this  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  If  thou  wilt  only  be  silent 
and  bear  with  thyself  sweetly,  be  sure  that  it  is  a  preparation  for  the 
coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  hurts  thy  outward  self,  but  it  cannot 
injure  thy  interior  self. 

Children,  would  you  be  always  happy,  always  at  your  best  ?  Then  hold 
fast  to  these  two  little  points :  Empty  yourselves  totally  of  all  created 
things,  including  your  own  self,  maintaining  a  well-ordered  inner  and 
outer  life,  so  that  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  may  be  unhindered  in  you. 
Secondly,  accept  every  happening  of  your  existence,  whether  in  the  soul 
or  in  the  outer  life,  as  coming  directly  from  God's  hand:  come  from 
where  it  may,  be  it  what  it  will,  look  upon  it  as  given  you  to  help  you 
make  ready  for  His  great  gifts  and  for  no  other  purpose  whatsoever, 
knowing  that  only  by  trial  and  hardship,  whether  coming  from  the  evil 
one  or  from  unruly  men,  you  can  attain  the  supernatural  and  marvelous 
perfection  to  which  God  has  called  you. 


332  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Our  Redeemer  also  said  of  His  apostles :  "They  shall  speak  with  new 
tongues"  (Mark  xvi,  17).  This  means  that  a  man  must  cripple  his 
tongue — that  is  to  say,  he  must  restrain  his  natural  tendency  to  talk. 
Children,  learn  how  to  guard  your  tongue,  learn  that  art  before  every 
other  art.  Habitually  take  care  what  you  say,  or  you  will  never  amount 
to  anything  with  God.  See  to  it  that  your  words  are  all  to  God's  honor, 
or  to  your  neighbor's  good,  or  to  your  own  peace  of  mind.  Converse  with 
God  without  ceasing.  St.  Bernard  says :  "I  condemn  and  detest  talking 
much  with  men;  but  we  can  never  talk  too  much  with  God."  Thank 
God  loudly  with  your  tongue,  and  praise  Him  continually.  Tf  thou  hadst 
only  this  to  thank  Him  for — that  He  has  patiently  borne  with  thee  to 
this  hour  and  silently  suffered  thy  disorderly  conduct  before  His  face, 
thou  oughtest  to  demand  new  tongues  of  Him  to  give  Him  proper  thanks, 
even  if  He  never  led  thee  onward  to  the  complete  fulfilment  of  His  holy 
designs  with  thee.  And  among  yourselves,  as  often  as  you  meet  together 
talk  about  God  and  about  a  virtuous  life.  This  does  not  mean  disputa- 
tions about  the  Deity  or  any  other  such  things,  nor  does  it  mean  subtle 
reasoning  of  any  kind ;  for  that  will  only  help  to  damn  your  soul  and  the 
souls  of  those  you  draw  into  such  controversies.  But  converse  about 
God  and  virtue,  out  of  a  heart  full  of  God  and  of  virtue.  Avoid  subtle 
and  disputatious  men,  who  are  the  serpents  of  whom  we  were  lately  dis- 
coursing. They  are  externalized  men;  thou  must  not  draw  them  into 
thy  sacred  interior  life.  By  their  means  the  evil  one  may  manage  to 
entrap  thee,  taking  advantage  of  thy  weaker  tendencies. 

Besides  this,  the  Holy  Ghost  works  His  supernatural  ends  according 
to  the  good  natural  tendencies  He  finds  in  thee.  As  God's  work  grows 
in  thee.  He  will  draw  under  His  influence  both  thy  soul  and  body.  When 
He  finds  a  good  and  willing  natural  disposition,  He  works  along  its  lines. 
Just  as  a  copious  rain  produces  a  good  harvest,  so  does  God  will  that  His 
gifts  shall  not  be  unfruitful — He  developa  all  natural  powers  of  soul  and 
body,  so  that  He  may  in  due  order  act  by  their  means  for  thy  sanctifica- 
tion.  But  all  this  is  on  condition  that  God  finds  thee  in  true  poverty  of 
spirit.  Hence  thou  must  cast  out  of  thy  soul  whatever  thou  hast  cher- 
ished there  that  is  not  the  effect  of  the  action  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  all 
hardness  of  heart,  suspicious  rash  judgments — of  all  such  things  thou 
must  be  entirely  emptied.  But  thou  shouldst  bear  in  mind  that  what- 
ever happens  to  thee  against  thy  will  can  do  thee  no  harm. 

Again,  do  not  suppose  that  thou  shouldst  wait  inertly  for  the  Holy 
Ghost,  ceasing  to  perform  thy  usual  external  works  of  religion,  ceasing 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  333 

to  observe  thy  rule  of  life,  such  as  singing  and  reading  thy  prayers, 
serving  thy  neighbor,  and  doing  works  of  charity.  No,  it  is  not  thus 
that  we  must  wait  for  the  Holy  Spirit — supinely  letting  everything 
slip  away  from  us.  The  man  who  loves  God  and  serves  Him  gladly, 
will  do  all  things  out  of  love,  to  the  praise  of  God,  for  the  sake  of  good 
order,  in  a  becoming  manner,  according  as  God  has  arranged  by  His 
Providence.  Let  everything  be  done  by  thee  in  a  kindly  spirit,  in  all 
gentleness  and  self-denial,  resolved  to  be  at  peace  with  thyself  and 
with  thy  neighbor.  It  is  not  the  work  that  hinders  thee ;  no,  but  rather 
it  is  thy  spirit  of  disorder  in  doing  the  work  that  hinders  thy  spiritual 
progress.  Set  that  right,  and  keep  God  alone  in  view  in  all  thy  activity. 
Look  carefully  into  thyself  very  often;  take  heed  to  what  thy  mind  is 
occupied  with ;  admit  no  confusion  of  motives  there,  whether  about  joy 
or  sorrow;  guard  carefully  thy  external  behavior.  By  these  means 
thou  Shalt  abide  in  contentment  in  all  thy  doings;  the  Holy  Ghost  will 
come  to  thee  and  fill  thy  soul.  He  will  dwell  within  thee.  If  thou  wilt 
but  hearken  to  His  teaching,  He  will  work  miracles  within  thee.  To 
that  happy  state  may  God  help  us  all.    Amet^ 


334  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — The  scene  and  circumstances  of  the  coming  of  the  Holy 
Ohost — The  first  gift  is  Divine  fear,  which  is  a  supernatural  in- 
stinct of  seeking  safety  from  danger — The^i  comes  the  gift  of 
piety,  which  is  a  Divine  trustfulness  in  God  amid  all  inward  dis- 
turbances and  outward  calamities — The  third  is  the  gift  of  knowl- 
edge, hy  which  we  learn  how  to  place  reason  in  supreme  control 
over  sense  and  God  over  all — The  fourth  is  fortitude,  by  which  a 
a  man  does  wonderful  things  and  overcomes  horrible  obstacles  to 
holiness — Counsel  is  a  gift  revealing  our  defects  in  their  naked  de- 
formity, and  showing  us  how  to  overcome  them — Understanding 
and  wisdom  are  the  perfect  gifts,  and  place  the  soul  in  close  but 
indescribable  union  with  God. 


THIRD  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  PENTECOST. 

And  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost— Acts  11,  4. 

This  is  the  blessed  day  on  which  the  Holy  Ghost  was  sent  down  upon 
the  Lord's  holy  disciples,  and  upon  all  who  were  united  to  them  in 
God's  love.  Today  was  restored  to  us  by  God's  mercy  that  precious 
gift  of  grace,  first  lost  to  us  in  Eden  through  the  evil  counsel  of  Satan 
and  human  weakness.  The  outward  manner  of  this  high  gift  was 
wonderful,  to  say  nothing  of  the  hidden  marvels  enclosed  in  the  apostles' 
souls,  for  this  is  incomprehensible  to  all  reason  and  sense.  The  Holy 
Spirit  is  so  immeasurable  and  so  lovable  a  boon,  that  His  infinite  great- 
ness totally  surpasses  all  our  powers  of  understanding  by  means  of 
figures  and  mental  conceptions.  A  little  grain  of  dust  compared  to  the 
whole  bulk  of  the  world,  even  this  is  more  than  all  our  power  of  think- 
ing and  imagining,  compared  to  the  task  of  understanding  the  Holy 
Ghost.  And  all  creatures  together  are  infinitely  less  than  our  least 
thoughts  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Therefore  it  is  that  wheresoever  He  shall 
take  up  His  abode,  He  must  Himself  make  ready  all  things  for  His 
reception.     God's  own  deep  abyss  must  be  God's  place  of  welcome,  and 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  335 

that  even  in  His  creatures.  The  house  in  which  the  disciples  were 
gathered  was  filled  with  God — ''and  It  filled  the  whole  house  where  they 
were  sitting"  (Acts  ii,  2).  Be  sure  of  this:  into  whatsoever  soul  God 
comes,  He  fills  every  corner  of  it,  according  as  it  is  receptive  of  Him. 

The  disciples  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  brings  us  to 
the  consideration  of  their  condition  at  the  time;  and  it  is  that  of  all  of 
God's  followers  when  they  are  to  receive  Him.  We  find  that  they  were 
all  shut  in  and  assembled  together  in  one  place,  and  that  they  sat  in  all 
stillness,  when  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  so  with  us.  This 
beloved  Spirit  of  God  is  given  to  each  one  of  us,  as  often  and  as  much  as 
we  are  shut  off  from  all  creatures  and  turned  wholly  to  God.  The  very 
instant  this  happens  in  a  man,  the  Holy  Ghost  comes  to  him  with  all 
His  graces,  and  He  fills  every  desire;  He  takes  possession  of  the  very 
being  and  essence  of  the  soul.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  the  very  instant 
the  soul  turns  away  from  God — that  is  to  say  deliberately — and  gives 
itself  to  creatures  apart  from  God,  having  its  own  self  and  not  God  in 
view,  that  very  instant  the  Holy  Ghost  takes  His  departure  from  the 
soul  with  all  His  treasures. 

"And  filled  the  whole  House"  where  the  disciples  were  sitting.  And 
herein  we  may  understand  holy  Church  to  be  meant,  which  is  indeed 
God's  house;  and  in  another  sense  it  may  mean  each  man  among  us.  For 
each  one  should  be  a  temple  and  dwelling  place  of  God,  well  beloved  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  as  being  His  chosen  shrine.  And  as  in  every  house  there 
are  many  different  living  rooms,  so  in  a  man  there  are  many  senses, 
powers  and  activities,  into  all  of  which  the  Holy  Ghost  comes  with  His 
gifts.  And  the  moment  He  enters  in  He  lights  up  a  man's  soul  inte- 
riorly with  His  brightness.  He  excites  him  to  the  practice  of  virtue. 
This  entrance  of  God  into  the  soul  and  His  interior  working  is  not 
always  perceived,  although  He  is  thus  present  in  all  good  men.  If  one 
would  plainly  feel  that  holy  presence  and  taste  God's  sweetness,  he  must 
gather  all  his  faculties  together  into  one  place,  as  it  were;  he  must  shut 
himself  away  from  all  outward  things,  and  give  himself  up  in  all  still- 
ness to  His  Divine  Guest.  Then  will  he  feel  Him  in  all  his  soul's  activi- 
ties, all  the  more  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  his  fervor  in  turning 
wholly  to  Him,  hour  by  hour  adding  to  his  first  impulse  of  devoted 
allegiance. 

The  disciples  of  God  were  shut  in  out  of  fear  of  the  Jews.  O  merciful 
God,  how  much  more  necessary  a  thousand  times  is  it  not  for  us  in  these 
days,  to  take  flight  and  to  be  shut  in  and  separated  from  the  wicked 


336  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Jews  whom  we  meet  at  every  corner  of  our  life,  and  who  fill  all  our 
houses.  Ah,  beloved  children,  beware  of  these  hateful  Jews,  that  is  to 
say  the  men  who  would  rob  you  of  God,  of  confidence  in  God,  and  of  the 
delightful  communion  of  your  soul  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  Jews  of 
old  could  do  no  more  against  the  apostles  than  take  away  the  life  of 
their  bodies,  but  the  men  of  the  wretched  world  of  today  can  deprive 
you  of  eternal  life,  rob  you  of  your  soul  and  of  God.  Fly  from  these 
Jews,  shut  yourselves  safely  away  from  them,  put  an  end  to  your  dan- 
gerous companionship  with  them,  beware  of  dallying  with  them,  whether 
by  words  or  deeds ;  for  God's  honor  and  praise  is  not  with  them.  And 
if  you  fail  in  this,  be  sure  that  you  will  lose  the  Holy  Ghost  and  forfeit 
all  His  gifts. 

But  someone  might  say :  No,  sir,  this  intercourse  with  men  does  me 
no  harm,  because  I  mean  no  evil  in  it.  And  I  must  recreate  myself  and 
enjoy  some  little  relaxation.  But  O  my  God,  how  is  it  that  Thou,  the 
sweetest  and  the  only  good,  Thou  eternal  and  infinite  joy — how  is  it  that 
Thou  hast  no  sweetness  to  our  taste,  while  we  can  find  peace  and  happi- 
ness in  the  enjoyment  of  miserable,  perishing  creatures,  full  of  darkness 
and  destruction,  O  man,  how  canst  thou  prefer  the  joy  of  creatures  to 
that  of  God,  and  drive  from  thy  heart  the  blessed  Spirit  that  made  thee, 
and  is  and  must  be  thy  truest  consolation  ? 

But,  dear  children,  fly  not  the  company  of  good  men,  those  who  long 
for  God's  love  alone,  and  who  keep  Him  ever  in  mind  with  deep  sincerity. 
When  such  as  these  are  engaged  with  outward  things,  they  nevertheless 
remain  preoccupied  with  their  interior  life,  where  they  are  always  priv- 
ileged to  enjoy  the  peace  and  happiness  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  disciples  of  God  were  all  assembled  together;  and  this  teaches 
us  to  gather  in  to  our  hearts  all  our  mental  faculties  and  all  our  bodily 
senses,  so  that  the  Holy  Ghost  may  constantly  act  upon  them,  producing, 
as  He  is  sure  to  do,  wonderful  fruits  of  grace,  when  place  and  time  are 
found  appropriate. 

The  disciples  of  God  were  seated  when  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost. 
So  must  thou  in  very  truth  sit  down  submissive  to  God's  will  in  all 
events,  whether  joyful  or  sad,  doing  or  not  doing.  And  this  is  a  neces- 
sary requirement  on  the  part  of  God  from  all  who  would  become  spirit- 
ual men.  For  what  is  meant  by  spirituality,  except  to  be  intimately 
united  to  God  in  one  will?  All  Christians  who  would  be  saved  are 
bound  to  this — to  will  nothing  against  God's  will. 

And  now  one  might  enquire  whether  all  men  in  the  ecclesiastical 
state  are  bound  to  become  perfect.  They  are  bound,  answers  St.  Thomas, 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  337 

to  live  and  strive  always  toward  perfection.  You  must  understand  that 
the  Holy  Ghost  imparts  seven  gifts,  through  which  He  does  seven  works 
in  the  soul.  By  three  of  them  He  prepares  a  man  for  high  and  true 
perfection ;  by  the  other  four,  He  finishes  His  interior  and  external  work, 
granting  the  highest  and  most  splendid  achievement  of  all  perfection. 

The  first  gift  is  Divine  fear,  which  is  the  certain  entrance  way  to  per- 
fection even  the  highest.  The  gift  of  fear  is  like  a  solid  wall  of  resist- 
ance against  all  transgressions  and  all  hindrances.  Holy  fear  causes 
one  to  flee  from  deadly  snares,  as  well  as  to  escape  falling  into  the  deep 
pit.  The  soul  becomes  like  a  bird  that  the  hunter  would  entrap,  but 
which  flies  swiftly  away  into  safety.  As  God  gives  this  instinct  of 
safety  to  His  inanimate  creatures,  so  does  He  bestow  His  blessed  gift  of 
fear  upon  us,  to  enable  us  to  escape  whatever  would  hinder  us  from 
union  with  Him,  This  noble  gift  guards  us  from  the  world,  from  the 
evil  spirit  and  from  our  own  weakness — from  every  manner  of  means  by 
which  we  may  forfeit  our  peace  of  soul.  Whatever  man  has  really  given 
place  to  the  Holy  Ghost  within  him,  quickly  flees  from  danger ;  and  he 
makes  no  terms  with  evil,  nor  holds  any  middle  place  between  what  is 
for  God  and  what  is  against  Him,  that  is  to  say  in  what  involves  mortal 
sin.  And  in  all  this,  the  gift  of  fear  is,  as  the  prophet  taught,  the 
beginning  of  wisdom. 

After  the  gift  of  fear  comes  that  of  piety,  a  gentle  endowment,  which 
leads  the  soul  far  in  advance  on  the  journey  toward  union  with  sovereign 
truth.  This  gift  takes  from  a  man  all  depressing  influences  that  might 
result  from  fear,  lifting  him  out  of  his  heaviness  of  spirit,  so  that  he 
may  have  Divine  trustfulness  in  all  that  may  occur,  both  in  inward 
feelings  and  outward  happenings.  Piety  cures  spiritual  weariness, 
remedies  obstinacy,  and  softens  bitterness  against  one's  self.  And  it 
makes  one  kindly  toward  one's  neighbor  in  word  and  deed,  very  peace- 
ful in  outward  behavior :  and  as  to  rashness,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  by 
this  gift  banishes  totally  away. 

The  third  gift  follows  after,  elevating  the  soul  yet  higher — the  gift  of 
knowledge.  These  gifts  lap  over  one  another  and  partake  more  or  less 
of  one  another,  but  each  in  turn  places  the  soul  nearer  to  God.  Dear 
children,  in  God  a  man  is  enabled  by  this  gift  to  hearken  to  the  Holy 
Ghost's  interior  voice  warning  him  and  guiding  him,  according  to  the 
words  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  ''When  He,  the  Spirit  of  Truth, 
is  come,  He  will  teach  you  all  truth"  (John  xvi,  13)  ;  that  is  to  say,  all 
things  that  we  need  to  know.     The  warning  of  God  is  like  this:  O  man,. 


338  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

beware  of  doing  that,  for  such  and  such  evil  results  may  follow.  Or 
again :  Do  not  say  that ;  go  not  that  way.  These  are  prohibitions.  But 
God  also  bids  us  do  things :  Act  in  such  and  such  a  way ;  give  up  this  and 
undertake  that.  All  these  things  are  the  gentle  leadings  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  He  would  have  our  souls  possess  the  mastery  over  our  bodies 
in  all  things,  ruling  them  with  a  noble  spiritual  supremacy.  He  would 
have  our  bodies  live  a  worthy  life,  by  practicing  virtue  and  in  steadfast 
industry.  He  would  have  us  suffer  disgrace  patiently.  He  would  draw 
every  single  one  of  us  to  Himself,  that  He  may  elevate  us  to  a  thousand- 
fold more  perfect  union,  banishing  inordinate  fear. 

They  who  are  faithful  to  this  gift  of  knowledge,  God  leads  to  the 
fourth  gift,  Divine  fortitude.  O  children,  how  noble  and  how  very 
superior  a  gift  of  God  is  this,  for  it  lifts  us  high  above  our  human 
weakness.  This  was  the  force  in  the  holy  martyrs,  as  they  cheerfully 
suflfered  death  through  God's  assistance.  Fortitude  makes  a  man  great- 
hearted. He  feels  able  to  perfectly  accomplish  everything  for  God,  to 
suffer  everything  for  His  sake,  as  St.  Paul  said :  '*I  can  do  all  things  in 
Him  who  strengtheneth  me"  (Phil,  iv,  13).  To  such  a  man  neither  fire 
nor  water  nor  death  itself  has  any  terrors ;  as  St.  Paul  again  teaches : 
"For  I  am  sure  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  principalities,  nor  pow- 
ers, nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  might,  nor  height,  nor 
depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love 
of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord"  (Rom.  viii,  38,  39).  With 
this  gift  a  man  becomes  so  strong,  that  he  goes  far  beyond  abstaining 
from  mortal  sins ;  he  would  rather  die  than  deliberately  commit  even  a 
single  venial  sin.  And  this  is  a  doctrine  taught  us  by  our  dear  saints ; 
for  if  all  will  admit  that  we  should  give  up  life  rather  than  wilfully 
commit  a  mortal  sin,  the  saints,  in  addition  to  this  by  example  and  teach- 
ing, lead  us  to  abhor  venial  sin. 

With  the  gift  of  fortitude  the  soul  can  do  wonderful  things.  You 
must  know,  dear  children,  that  when  the  Spirit  of  God  comes  into  our 
souls,  He  always  brings  great  joy,  bright  light,  sweet  consolation,  for 
He  is  called  and  He  is  the  Comforter.  And  now  what  too  often  hap- 
pens? When  the  silly  man  feels  this  happiness,  he  appropriates  it  to 
himself  in  a  state  of  self-satisfaotion.  He  diverts  his  mind  away  from 
God  to  the  enjoyment  of  God's  gifts.  Quite  the  contrary  is  the  way  of 
the  wise  Christian.  He  ever  reverts  to  the  origin  of  his  joy,  restores  all 
God's  gifts  back  to  God  with  clear-minded  self-renunciation.  Not  this 
or  that  particular  one ;  but  all  without  exception  that  he  is  and  has  he 
refers  straight  back  to  God  alone. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  339 

Upon  this  follows  the  Divine  gift  of  counsel,  the  fifth  in  order.  Ah, 
how  great  is  the  need  of  God's  counsel  now;  for  it  will  be  as  if  He  had 
taken  away  all  that  He  had  given  before,  showing  a  man  in  naked  reality 
what  he  is  and  what  he  can  do !  But  He  will  instruct  him  how  he  should 
bear  himself  in  this  sore  trial  of  self-knowledge,  A  man  is  now  left 
destitute ;  of  God  he  knows  nothing — so  it  appears  to  him, — ^ha5  nothing 
of  His  grace,  is  wholly  deprived  of  comfort.  Whatever  he  had  before  is 
gone — gone,  at  least,  out  of  his  knowledge,  snatched  away  and  vanished. 
He  stands  desolate,  at  a  loss  what  to  do  or  whither  to  tarn.  The  gift 
of  counsel  is  now  of  essential  necessity,  if  he  would  behave  as  God  would 
have  him,  and  yield  himself  up  to  God's  holy  will,  dying  to  self,  standing 
in  utter  abandonment  to  his  heavenly  Father,  giving  himself  cheerfully 
up  to  the  awful  secret  judgment  of  God,  by  which  he  has  been  despoiled — 
so  he  thinks — of  those  graces  which  were  once  his  perfect  salvation  and 
joy  and  comfort.  This  gift  is  no  less  a  grace  than  to  be  content  to  be 
robbed  of  one's  very  self — this  utter  abandonment  to  God's  will,  this 
sinking  down  into  the  abyss  of  the  Divine  sovereignty.  Nor  is  it  enough 
to  be  willing  to  accept  this  fate  for  a  week  or  a  month  of  dark  suffering, 
but  for  a  long  thousand  years,  if  God  so  wills  it — nay  (if  such  a  thing 
were  possible  consistently  with  loving  God),  to  accept  the  eternal  pains 
of  hell,  if  God  so  willed,  so  that  one  might  at  last  be  wholly  conformed 
to  the  Divine  decree. 

Dear  children,  here  is  a  grade  of  self-renunciation  above  all  others. 
Compared  to  this,  the  giving  up  of  a  thousand  worlds  is  nothing;  or  the 
offering  of  their  lives  that  the  blessed  martyrs  made,  for  they  had  God's 
comfort  in  their  souls,  so  that  they  could  laugh  at  tortures  and  could  die 
joyously.  But  there  is  no  torture  to  compare  with  the  loss  of  God  that 
is  now  felt  by  the  soul  undergoing  this  trial.  And,  besides,  all  the 
misery  that  the  soul  had  previously  endured  with  patience,  all  the  temp- 
tations it  had  previously  overcome,  all  the  faults  it  had  rooted  out — all 
this  together  now  returns  upon  it  and  assails  it,  and  that  with  a  violence 
far  greater  than  when  the  soul  was  struggling  out  of  a  state  of  sinful- 
ness. Now  let  a  man  suffer  meekly,  now  let  him  give  up  to  God's  will, 
and  that  for  as  long  a  time  as  God  pleases.  Sometimes  a  good  soul  will 
be  so  self-weary  as  to  find  solitude  an  unbearable  agony — not  for  one 
hour  can  he  be  alone.  For  relief  he  turns  now  to  this  solace  and  again 
to  that,  and  ever  in  vain  :  his  only  recourse  is  to  struggle  meekly  through 
it  all  and  yield  himself  up  to  God.  Why,  think  you,  did  the  Lord  say  to 
St.  Peter,  that  a  man  should  forgive  his  enemy  seventy  times  seven 


340  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

times?  except  because  He  knows  our  weakness,  and  would  instruct  us 
that  as  often  as  we  turn  again  to  Him  repenting  and  confessing,  so  often 
will  He  pardon  us.  How  great  a  boon  is  it,  for  a  sinner  to  be  taught 
what  it  means  to  fall  away  from  God  and  then  to  return  to  Him  again. 
Dear  children,  in  this  trial  as  in  all  things  else,  one  must  resign  himself 
into  God's  hands,  and  be  guided  by  His  gift  of  counsel,  lifting  himself 
high  above  all  created  existence,  and  becoming  united  to  the  origin  and 
essence  that  is  God's  will. 

Dear  children,  by  the  three  first  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit — fear  of  God, 
piety  toward  God,  and  God's  science  or  knowledge — a  man  is  made  good 
and  holy;  but  by  those  of  fortitude  and  counsel  he  becomes  heavenly,  and 
as  it  were  Divine.  It  is  by  these,  in  truth,  that  God  sets  a  man  in  ever- 
lasting life.  After  enduring  the  agony  we  have  described,  the  soul 
endures  no  other  agony  whether  in  earth  or  hell.  It  is  impossible  that 
the  eternal  God  would  ever  give  that  soul  up,  any  more  than  He  would 
give  Himself  up,  for  the  soul  has  yielded  itself  totally  to  the  Divine  will. 
That  soul  has  placed  itself  safely  in  the  one  only  origin  of  all  things, 
and  if  all  the  suffering  in  this  world  fell  upon  it,  it  would  regard  it  not 
at  all,  it  would  experience  no  manner  of  harm,  nay,  it  would  even  turn  it 
into  joy — such  a  soul  seems  to  be  in  Heaven  itself.  That  man's  conver- 
sation is  in  that  blessed  home  of  his  soul,  into  which  he  has,  as  it  were, 
placed  one  foot ;  and  now  he  has  only  to  draw  the  other  one  after  it  in 
order  to  be  wholly  in  life  eternal.  He  is  in  direct  communication  with 
everlasting  joy,  which,  indeed,  has  already  begun  in  his  soul. 

And  now  come  the  last  two  gifts,  understanding  and  wisdom,  which 
lead  a  man  directly  into  the  abyss  of  God's  being,  and  in  a  manner  far 
above  any  other  means.  The  way  of  these  gifts  is  understood  by  God 
alone,  for  they  grant  a  savor  of  His  own  essential  wisdom.  When  the 
soul  is  given  them,  it  is  forthwith  lost  to  its  own  consciousness.  Self  is 
absorbed  in  God.  A  man  can  think  of  nothing  of  his  own,  neither 
works,  nor  feelings,  nor  knowledge,  nor  life.  All  this  has  been  absorbed 
and  centered  in  one  simple  infinite  good,  to  which  it  is  joined  in  the 
unspeakable  depths  of  God,  joined  in  essential  unity.  What  God  has 
in  Himself  by  nature,  that  He  now  imparts  to  the  soul  by  grace,  the 
Divine  being,  unnamed  and  without  form  or  manner  of  existence  that 
we  can  express.  And  now  everything  that  is  done  in  that  soul  God 
Himself  does,  acting,  knowing,  loving,  praising,  enjoying;  all  of  which 
the  soul  has  and  does  as  if  it  were  passive  instrument  of  God's  activity. 
One  can  no  more  speak  of  this  state  clearly  than  he  can  speak  clearly 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  341 

of  the  Divine  life  itself.  To  men  and  angels  it  is  far  too  high  for  expres- 
sion. The  created  mind  is  incapable  of  understanding  God's  life, 
whether  in  Himself  in  His  natural  activity,  or  in  these  favored  souls, 
when  it  is  a  gift  of  grace. 

And  thus  it  is  that  the  Holy  Ghost  leads  those  who  prepare  their  souls 
for  Him,  who  long  to  be  filled  with  Him,  who  would  entertain  Him  as 
their  Divine  Guest,  who  would  yield  themselves  freely  and  loyally  to 
His  guidance.  How  glad  and  more  than  glad  should  we  not  be  to 
extend  Him  this  welcome,  giving  up  for  His  dear  sake  ourselves  and 
all  things  else.  That  is  what  the  disciples  did  when  He  was  granted 
them  on  the  feast  we  today  celebrate;  that  is  what  is  done  daily  and 
hourly  by  all  who  make  themselves  ready  for  His  coming.  May  God  the 
Father,  and  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  grant  us  the  privilege 
of  this  noblest  way  of  union  with  the  Holy  Spirit.     Amen. 


342  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — The  sheepfold  is  God's  heart — The  sheep  are  all  saints  and 
angels — The  thieves  are  those  who  try  to  enter,  trusting  to  their 
own  natural  good  qualities — The  rohhers  are  the  envious  and 
backbiters — Every  man  who  would  enter  Ood's  heart  must  try 
himself  by  these  tests. 


FOURTH  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  PENTECOST. 

Amen,  amen,  I  say  to  you :  He  that  entereth  not  by  the  door  into  the  sheepfold, 
but  climbeth  up  another  way,  the  same  is  a  thief  and  a  robber. — John  x,  1. 

Our  Lord  teaches  in  the  same  chapter  that  He  is  Himself  the  door  of 
the  sheep.  And  what  is  the  sheepfold  ?  It  is  the  Divine  Father's  heart ; 
of  this  our  beloved  Lord  is  the  door,  ever  opening  to  admit  us,  ever  clos- 
ing to  keep  us  in.  For  we  know  that  till  our  Saviour  came,  the  door  of 
God's  heart  was  shut  against  us.  In  that  sheepfold  is  the  assemblage 
of  all  the  saints.  The  shepherd  is  the  Eternal  Word,  the  door  is  the 
humanity  of  Christ,  the  sheep  in  this  beautiful  house  of  the  shepherd 
are  the  souls  of  men,  and,  we  may  add,  that  this  is  the  dwelling  place 
of  all  angelic  natures.  The  Good  Shepherd,  the  Eternal  Word,  has 
shown  all  reasonable  creatures  the  road  to  the  Divine  sheepfold.  And 
who  is  the  doorkeeper?  The  Holy  Ghost,  as  Saints  Ambrose  and  Jerome 
teach:  "All  truth  that  is  ever  known  or  ever  spoken  comes  from  the 
Holy  Ghost."  As  to  how  the  Holy  Ghost  instructs  our  hearts,  inclines 
them,  incessantly  compels  and  enraptures  them,  that  is  known  by  those 
who  have  entered  deeply  into  their  own  interior  life. 

Ah,  how  sweetly  does  the  fatherly  heart  of  God  shut  to  the  door  when 
we  have  entered  in,  how  generously  does  He  lavish  upon  us  the  hidden 
riches  of  His  house  of  love.  No  one  can  fully  understand  how  ready  and 
as  it  were  thirsty  God  is  thus  to  receive  our  souls,  meeting  us  every 
instant  halfway  and  with  all  eagerness  as  we  advance  toward  Him.  O 
children,  how  does  it  happen  that  we  hold  back,  and  that  we  refuse  this 
gracious  invitation,  that  we  do  it  so  often  and  for  such  frivolous  reasons? 
We  read  in  Scripture  that  when  King  Assuerus  invited  Vasti,  his  queen, 
to  a  royal  banquet,  she  refused  to  come;  and  then  the  king  detested  her 


of  John  Tanler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  343 

and  cast  her  off  forever,  and  chose  another  queen  in  her  place.  Ah, 
children,  how  many  invitations  of  God  Himself  have  we  not  refused; 
for  they  come  to  us  directly  from  Him  in  our  hearts,  and  again  through 
the  medium  of  creatures.  God  would  have  us  to  be  with  Himself,  and 
we  refuse  and  insist  on  being  joined  to  others. 

Now  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Gatekeeper  of  the  Sheepfold,  calleth  His 
own  sheep  by  name.  Some  refuse  to  hear  Him  and  go  away,  but  others 
hear  His  sweet  voice  gladly,  and  follow  Him  faithfully,  turning  neither 
to  the  right  nor  left  and  following  no  other.  He  leads  onward,  and  they 
follow  loyally  after  Him  into  the  fatherly  heart,  into  their  peaceful 
home,  passing  through  the  door  of  the  Eternal  Word  in  His  beloved 
humanity.  True  sheep  of  God  are  these;  no  alien  shepherds  do  they 
follow;  only  God  and  His  honor  do  such  souls  regard,  guided  absolutely 
by  the  Divine  will — true  sheep  of  the  one  Good  Shepherd.  Our  Saviour 
says  that  He  knows  them  and  they  know  Him  and  recognize  His  voice, 
the  voice  that  calls  them  to  the  door  that  opens  into  everlasting  life; 
for  He  is  the  way,  the  truth  and  the  life.  Whosoever  com^th  to  the 
Father  must  go  through  the  door  that  Jesus  is.  To  strive  to  enter  any 
other  way  is  to  be  a  thief  and  a  robber. 

And  who,  dear  children,  are  the  thieves?  All  who  would  enter  into 
God's  sheepfold  trusting  to  their  natural  good  qualities ;  those  who  do 
not  keep  God  alone  in  mind  and  heart  in  humble  self-denial,  nor  follow 
the  lovely  form  of  Jesus  Christ  in  entire  disengagement  of  spirit ;  those 
who  will  not  acknowledge  themselves  worthy  of  rejection — all  these 
men  enter  in  by  the  wrong  door.  And  who  else  is  the  thief?  The  bad 
man  who  seeks  out  other  men  to  corrupt  them,  the  treacherous  man  of 
the  evil  eye.  It  is  the  selfish  man,  wholly  consumed  with  self-love,  who 
would  appropriate  to  himself  everything,  grasping  after  what  is  God's 
and  his  neighbors.  This  evil  trait  drives  the  soul  to  appropriate  all  to 
itself,  and  then  selfishly  to  seek  to  enjoy  the  comfort  of  God's  generous 
gifts,  harboring  ambitious  thoughts  of  being  holy.  And  this  evil  state 
is  fastened  on  the  soul,  unless  it  be  sternly  resisted,  and  self-denial  be 
practiced  in  all  inward  and  outward  things.  For  it  is  ever  against 
nature  for  a  man  to  be  content  with  op])ressiou,  to  be  glad  to  die  to 
his  own  will,  and  to  make  that  the  starting  point.  Self-interest  is  always 
the  hidden  thief  in  our  hearts,  stealing  from  the  eternal  God  His  due 
honor,  and  from  ourselves  the  truth  of  God  and  our  everlasting  perfec- 
tion. This  spiritual  thief  within  us,  dear  children,  does  more  harm  to 
men  than  those  criminals  who  are  hanged  for  stealing  our  natural  goods. 


344  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Therefore  I  warn  you  against  this  secret  thief ;  as  you  value  your  eternal 
welfare  resist  self-love,  lest  it  steal  from  you  the  fruit  of  Heaven's  joy. 

So  much  for  the  thieves.  And  now,  dear  children,  let  us  ask  who  are 
the  wicked  robbers.  They  are  rash  judgments  of  our  neighbor.  Some 
men — and  you  find  them  in  all  states  of  life — are  full  of  the  spirit  of 
rash  judgment ;  so  much  so  that  their  condemnation  of  others  prevents 
them  from  knowing  and  condemning  themselves.  Such  a  one  inwardly 
exclaims :  That  man  talks  too  much,  that  other  talks  too  little ;  this  one 
is  overbusy,  that  one  is  too  idle ;  one  has  committed  that  fault,  another 
this  fault.  And  thus  injurious  reflections  are  multiplied  as  well  as 
heavy  condemnations,  and  at  last  a  pitiable  and  sinful  state  of  interior 
uncharity  results.  This  inner  contempt  for  one's  neighbor  often  breaks 
out  in  ugly  words,  and  characterizes  the  whole  outward  demeaner.  It 
spreads  the  deadly  infection  to  other  men,  slaying  souls  right  and  left. 
Ah,  thou  poor,  blind  creature;  why  dost  thou  not  sit  in  judgment  on 
thyself?  What  canst  thou  know  of  the  heart  of  thy  neighbor,  or  the 
way  God  is  leading  him  with  His  loving  favors,  or  of  the  inspirations 
and  drawings  of  the  eternal  God  in  his  inner  life?  What!  Wilt  thou, 
poor  wretch  that  thou  art,  sit  in  judgment  on  these  secret  things,  known 
to  God's  eye  alone?  Wilt  thou  thus  presume  to  decide  about  what  is 
wholly  God's  work,  to  meddle  with  it  and  destroy  it?  Repent  of  this 
before  God  and  His  saints  and  angels,  repent  sincerely,  for  all  judg- 
ment is  God's  alone. 

This  death-stroke  of  evil  judging  works  great  harm  in  religious  com- 
munities. It  is  a  pitiful  thing  that  such  uncharitable  spirits  should 
forget  our  Lord's  words :  "Judge  not,  that  you  may  not  be  judged.  For 
with  what  judgment  you  judge,  you  shall  be  judged;  and  with  what 
measure  you  mete,  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again"  (Matt,  vii,  1,  2). 
One  must  never  condemn  anything  except  mortal  sin.  If  it  happens 
that  a  man  must  pass  judgment  because  he  holds  an  oflSce,  then  the 
Holy  Ghost  judges  and  punishes  through  him,  and  he  therefore  should 
act  with  Divine  gentleness,  lest  in  curing  one  wound  he  inflict  ten  others. 
Divine  love,  brotherly  charity,  a  meek  and  gentle  heart — these  are  the 
right  dispositions  for  a  judge.  Without  these,  a  religious  superior 
gropes  in  darkness  and  soon  wanders  away  from  the  truth.  Ever 
and  always  should  we  first  sit  in  judgment  on  ourselves.  As  long  as 
thou  livest  thou  hast  hanging  about  thy  neck  a  sack  full  of  thy  own 
sins,  calling  out  constantly  for  judgment.  As  to  judgment  and  punish- 
ment of  thy  neighbor,  leave  that  to  himself  and  his  God,  if  thou  wouldst 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  345 

make  sure  of  entering  into  the  fold  of  eternal  life.  For  I  say  to  thee  in 
all  truth,  that  as  many  judgments  as  thou  visitest  on  others,  so  many 
shall  be  visited  on  thyself. 

Dear  children,  when  a  man  turns  inward,  he  discovers  in  his  soul  these 
two  enemies,  the  thief  of  self-appropriation  of  God's  graces,  and  the 
robber  of  rash  judgment  against  his  neighbor.  These  hidden  enemies 
steal  and  destroy  the  treasures  of  God's  grace,  and  lay  waste  His  inte- 
rior kingdom.  Let  a  man  turn  one  enemy  upon  the  other.  Let  him 
force  the  robber  of  rash  judgment  to  exercise  true  judgment  upon  the 
thief  of  spiritual  self-conceit,  and  then  follows  what  often  happens: 
both  suffer  death,  the  robber  and  the  thief  destroy  each  other.  O  chil- 
dren, happy  is  the  soul  in  which  this  happens.  Blessed  is  the  life  of  a 
man  when  nature's  fierce  tendency  to  condemn,  is  turned  upon  its  greedy 
self  to  inflict  punishment  for  appropriation  of  Divine  gifts.  Then  he 
rests  meekly  under  God's  judgment,  in  his  own  case  and  in  that  of  all 
others;  then  he  soon  finds  himself  at  the  door  that  is  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord;  then  the  beloved  Doorkeeper,  the  Holy  Ghost,  opens  wide  the 
portals  of  eternal  life,  and  introduces  the  soul  into  the  deep  abyss  of  the 
Father's  love,  into  and  out  of  which  it  passes,  always  enjoying  rich 
pastures  of  grace. 

That  soul  sinks  with  unspeakable  joy  into  the  Deity,  comes  forth 
again  with  equal  joy  by  union  with  the  blessed  humanity  of  Christ,  ful- 
filling the  w^ord  of  our  Saviour  spoken  through  His  prophet  concerning 
His  sheep :  "I  will  feed  them  in  the  most  fruitful  pastures,  and  their 
pastures  shall  be  in  the  high  mountains  of  Israel ;  there  shall  they  rest 
on  the  green  grass  (Ezechiel  xxxiv,  14).  Then  shall  the  soul's  work 
and  rest  be  made  one.  May  that  be  our  blessed  lot,  by  the  help  of  God. 
Amen. 


346  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


2Ii|f  KpaBtltB  Vtfuxt  l^tnUtOBt 

Synopsis — Deserted  hy  the  world,  the  Apostles  turned  inward  to  Qod 
— They  went  hack  to  the  city,  recalling  the  tea^ching  of  Jesus — 
They  fearfully  examined  their  souls  and  bitterly  repented  of  their 
sins — They  grew  in  hope,  and  confidently  awaited  the  Holy  Spirit 
— Reasons  why  He  had  not  been  granted  them  "before. 


FIFTH    SERMON    FOR    THE    FEAST   OF    PENTECOST. 
Then  they  returned  to  Jerusalem. — Acts  I,  12. 

When  the  eternal  Son  of  God  had  finished  the  work  His  Father  had 
sent  Him  to  accomplish,  and  His  bodily  presence  had  been  taken  away 
from  His  disciples,  they  returned  from  the  Mount  of  Olives  to  Jerusalem. 

And  there  they  did  six  things.  First,  seeing  themselves  deserted  by 
the  whole  world,  seeing,  too,  that  all  Heaven's  joy  and  consolation  had 
been  taken  away  from  them,  they  turned  inward.  They  withdrew  their 
thoughts  from  all  outward  things,  for  this  world  was  now  wholly  dead 
to  them,  and  with  it  all  the  joy  of  transitory  things. 

Secondly,  they  resolved  on  self-renunciation.  Now  they  had  as  leave 
die  as  live.  As  long  as  God's  will  were  done  and  His  honor  saved,  they 
cared  not  what  might  happen  to  them.  Hence  it  was  that  they  went 
back  into  the  city,  a  place  full  of  their  enemies,  because  they  had  been 
so  commanded  by  the  Lord,  there  to  await  what  His  will  had  in  store 
for  them.     This  they  did,  although  not  without  great  fear. 

Thirdly,  they  called  to  mind  the  sweet  and  holy  teaching  of  Jesus  by 
word  and  by  example ;  and  how  stupidly  they  had  received  it  all ;  how 
unworthy  they  had  been  to  hear  His  words  and  to  look  upon  Him ;  and 
bow  feebly  they  had  responded  to  His  loving  care.  Recognizing  all  this, 
they  confessed  it  before  God  with  bitter  sorrow  of  heart,  and  upbraided 
themselves  with  interior  reproaches. 

Fourthly,  they  now  remembered  how  their  beloved  Master  had  in  all 
things  practiced  self-sacrifice;  that  in  His  whole  life  He  never  was  a 
self-seeker.     They  recalled,  too,  His  words :  "If  any  man  will  come  after 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  347 

Me,  let  him  deny  himself"  (Matt,  xv,  24).  Upon  this  they  inspected 
their  own  souls,  and  they  owned  that  they  were  very  far  from  true 
denial  of  self,  and  that  they  had  copied  Christ's  example  only  in  a 
natural  way.  They  became  aware  that  fear  and  other  natural  motives 
had  not  been  displaced  by  higher  ones.  They  sorrowfully  confessed  all 
this,  and  accused  themselves  bitterly,  and  despised  themselves  heartily. 

Fifthly,  they  rose  out  of  this  humble  state  of  mind,  this  candid  avowal 
of  dullness  of  soul  and  of  disorderly  inclinations,  and  they  turned  with 
sincere  longings  to  their  beloved  Master.  From  the  depths  of  their  heart 
they  implored  Him  to  forgive  their  great  imperfections,  to  cure  all  cow- 
ardice within  them,  to  correct  all  the  self-seeking  of  their  perverted 
nature,  and  to  utterly  strip  them  of  anything  that  could  lead  them 
astray  from  a  true  life,  establishing  in  them  the  rule  of  His  blessed 
humanity.  All  this  they  did  with  most  hearty  sincerity;  otherwise,  I 
do  not  believe  that  they  would  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Sixthly,  they  aroused  within  their  souls  a  gentle  sentiment  of  confi- 
dence, recalling  the  word  of  their  Master  that  He  would  bring  them 
help  and  would  comfort  them.  Although  they  saw  themselves  forsaken 
and  opposed  by  all,  and  in  the  sorest  necessity,  yet  were  they  full  of  a 
great  confidence  in  their  faithful  Master  and  Lord.  They  were  sure 
that  He  would  not  abandon  them,  even  though  they  felt  some  misgivings 
on  account  of  their  unworthiness,  and  their  lack  of  disengagement  from 
worldly  things. 

And  now  you  might  ask  this  question :  Since  the  disciples  were  dead 
to  the  world,  and  since  they  sincerely  longed  that  all  shortcomings  of 
nature  might  be  remedied  by  the  Divine  light,  why  was  the  Holy  Ghost 
not  given  them  immediately  after  the  Lord's  ascension  ?  I  answer  that 
we  cannot  believe  that  the  Holy  Spirit  was  withheld  from  them  during 
the  interval  between  the  ascension  and  Pentecost,  and  ve  may  be  sure 
that  they  received  Him;  but  only  in  a  preparatory  sort  of  way.  They 
were  to  receive  Him  in  far  greater  fullness  at  Pentecost.  The  more  they 
advanced  in  self-knowledge  and  self-annihilation,  so  much  the  more 
plentifully  was  He  imparted  to  them.  He  was  delayed  till  Pentecost 
as  to  the  fullnes  of  His  graces,  because  they  were  not  as  yet  entirely 
emptied  of  self.  Then  it  was  that  their  souls  were  perfectly  ready  for 
Him  because  entirely  disengaged  from  other  claimants.  Only  then; 
that  is  to  say  when  God's  Spirit  was  poured  into  them  and  the  Divine 
power  finished  the  work  of  preparation:  that  preparation  had  been 
going  on  beforehand,  but  only  then  was  it  completed.     God  now  was 


348  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

in  their  souls  content  with  Himself  as  He  possessed  them.  And  this 
we  will  more  fully  explain  in  the  next  sermon.  St.  Gregory  speaks  of 
the  disciples  and  of  souls  similar  to  them,  when  he  says :  "In  proportion 
as  the  Divine  power  grows  within  us,  so  does  our  own  spirit  lose  its 
strength ;  and  thus  do  we  increase  wholly  in  God,  as  we  decrease  wholly 
in  ourself."  May  this  holy  gift  be  granted  us  by  the  Father,  and  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  849 


2U|F  firatoUtg  of  %  ^ti\^  (Sl^oat 

Synopsis — The  first  drawing  is  through  creatures,  giving  proofs  of  His 
existence— •  Secret  and  interior  touches  of  consolation  or  of  chas- 
tisement are  a  second  attraction — The  third  is  a  drawing  to  a  very 
close  emhrace  of  love — This  is  followed  by  entire  self-renunciation, 
sometimes  in  joy,  more  often  in  sorrow — Another  drawing  is  into 
a  state  of  interior  prayer  without  images  or  forms — The  other 
drawings  perfect  all  these  and  add  new  heavenly  joys  to  the  soul. 


SIXTH    SERMON    FOR    PENTECOST. 

No  man  can  come  to  Me  except  the  Father,  who  hath  sent  Me,  draw  him. — John 
Tl,  44. 

These  words  apply  to  our  Saviour's  disciples  after  the  ascension,  for 
they  were  very  wretched.  They  lay,  as  it  were,  imprisoned  in  the  deep 
dungeon  of  their  sinfulness,  bound  by  their  own  inclinations  as  by  fet- 
ters of  iron.  Conscious  at  last  of  their  own  powerlessness,  they  now  cry 
out  pitifully  to  the  eternal  Father.  For  St.  Luke  tells  us  that  they  were 
persevering  with  one  mind  in  prayer — prayer  to  be  set  free  from  their 
heavy  chains,  to  be  released  from  their  dark  dungeon.  And  God  their 
Father  heard  their  fervent  prayer.  He  struck  off  their  chains,  He  drew 
them  forth  from  prison,  and  set  them  in  the  Divine  school  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  in  which  they  were  to  be  filled  with  all  truth.  The  cords  with 
which  He  drew  them  forth  were  six  in  number. 

The  first  is  that  He  turned  upon  them  His  eyes  of  compassion.  Nor 
was  this  in  the  way  of  His  ordinary  mercy,  but  with  particular  mercy 
for  them.  God  draws  men  to  Himself  by  created  things,  through  which 
He  reveals  His  existence  in  the  created  light  of  their  souls.  St.  Thomas 
teaches  that  some  of  the  heathen  saw  God's  presence  as  He  dwelt  in  the 
created  world  about  them,  which  showed  Him  as  its  Creator  and  Master, 
so  that  men  should  pay  Him  honor  in  every  part  of  the  world.  Thus 
God  draws  men  through  His  creatures,  thereby  giving  them  proofs  of 
His  existence. 


350  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

In  addition  to  this,  God  manifests  Himself  to  the  soul  of  man  by  His 
secret  word  of  truth  within  them.  St.  Augustine  says :  "The  heathen 
have  discoursed  of  certain  truths  that  they  know  from  the  everlasting 
law  of  God,  and  not  from  their  own  natural  knowledge."  Such  is  the 
case  with  all  men  who  utter  truth,  as  St.  Ambrose  teaches :  "Whatsoever 
is  true,  no  matter  by  whom  it  may  be  spoken,  comes  from  the  Holy 
Ghost."  Hence  it  happens  that  when  the  soul  is  deeply  recollected,  it 
often  becomes  sensitive  to  the  words  of  eternal  truth,  a  state  that  some- 
times comes  upon  us  in  the  night  time  toward  morning.  This  influence 
may  be  either  in  the  nature  of  a  caress  from  God  or  of  a  chastisement. 

Yet  again  God  influences  the  soul  when  a  man  gives  himself  entirely 
up  to  Him,  waiting  solely  upon  God's  blessed  will,  truly  disengaged 
from  love  of  self  and  of  all  created  things.  Then  the  eternal  Father, 
finding  his  creature's  will  offering  no  manner  of  resistance,  draws  him 
in  a  way  that  causes  his  soul  to  adhere  to  Him  in  an  especially  affection- 
ate manner.  This  drawing  is  called  a  union,  an  embracing.  Its  gift  is 
the  possession  of  the  Supreme  Good,  Who  made  Heaven  and  earth  and 
all  things  for  our  sake.  Who  came  on  earth  and  humbled  Himself  to  the 
death  of  the  cross.  It  is  because  man  is  dearer  to  God  than  all  Heaven's 
glory  or  that  of  earth,  that  He  seeks  to  possess  him,  and  that  He  desires 
to  guide  him  in  all  his  ways.  This  attraction  for  man  it  was  that  turned 
God's  gracious  glances  upon  Christ's  disciples,  this  is  the  reason  of  all 
the  joys  and  sorrows  with  which  He  visited  them.  All  was  to  fit  them  to 
respond  to  His  drawing  of  their  souls.  And  when  at  last  the  disciples 
allowed  God  to  manage  them  after  His  own  will,  they  answered  His 
drawing  perfectly.    This  will  appear  better  as  we  go  on. 

One  might  enquire :  Why  did  God  prepare  the  disciples  for  this  priv- 
ilege and  does  not  thus  prepare  me  and  other  men,  at  least  in  this  won- 
derfully special  manner?  I  answer  that  there  are  two  reasons.  One  is 
God's  free  choice,  by  which  He  prefers  some  men  rather  than  others  for 
the  bestowal  of  His  most  familiar  love,  just  as  a  king  by  his  royal  free- 
dom of  choice,  calls  to  his  privy  council  certain  of  his  nobles  rather  than 
others.  Another  reason  is  that  some  men  correspond  better  with  God's 
invitation  and  more  diligently  co-operate  with  it  than  others  do,  using 
every  means  at  hand,  overcoming  all  obstacles.  This  extraordinary 
Divine  drawing  was  given  to  our  dear  disciples,  because  they  prepared 
for  it  by  most  hearty  prayers  for  pardon.  They  lamented  most  sincerely 
their  former  dullness  of  heart,  and  their  unworthy  lives  while  their 
beloved  Master  had  been  with  them.    They  painfully  called  to  mind  His 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  351 

holy  life  and  bitter  death,  His  boundless  love  for  them,  His  giving  up 
all  that  man  holds  dear  for  their  sakes ;  and  they  despised  their  own  stu- 
pidity and  ingratitude.  Then  they  set  a  watch  over  themselves,  aban- 
doned themselves  wholly  into  God's  hands,  cut  themselves  loose  from  all 
attachments  as  far  as  they  were  able,  and  begged  God's  help  to  fully 
complete  their  disengagement  from  earthly  things.  And  in  that  frame 
of  mind  they  humbly  waited  on  God's  blessed  will.  This  explains  why 
they  were  so  specially  favored. 

One  might  object  that  the  disciples  could  not  thus  prepare  for  God  by 
their  own  power,  for  it  is  written :  "Without  Me  you  can  do  nothing" 
(John  XV,  5) ;  it  is  God  who  has  led  them  through  these  degrees  of  prep- 
aration, and  drawn  their  wills  to  Him.  In  answer  I  say  that  it  is  true 
that  without  God's  general  sanctifying  influence  we  can  do  no  good 
thing,  and  that  without  the  Holy  Spirit's  particular  influence  we  can 
take  no  single  step  in  advance.  And  yet  it  also  stands  true  that  we  have 
our  part  to  perform,  for  it  is  certain  that  we  can  resist  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  cling  to  self  in  spite  of  Him.  God  does  not  sanctify  a  man  without 
his  own  free  will.  Our  eyes  cannot  see  without  light  shining;  and  yet 
when  the  light  beams  we  must  open  our  eyes,  or  we  shall  not  see,  in  spite 
of  our  having  the  light.  No  matter  how  brightly  the  sun  shines,  if  I 
bandage  my  eyes  with  a  thick  cloth,  it  shines  not  for  me ;  in  spite  of  all 
the  sunshine  I  do  not  see.  Thus,  therefore,  when  the  eternal  Father 
cast  His  light  upon  the  disciples,  they  stripped  off  all  bandages,  and  set 
aside  as  far  as  they  could  all  things  else  that  intervened  between  them 
and  Him.  Then  God  did  His  work,  and  drew  them  to  Him  with  a  special 
attraction.  This  was  the  work  of  the  beloved  Son  of  God,  the  guide  of 
all  hearts.  He  pierced  every  obstacle  with  His  light.  He  banished  every 
hindrance  to  the  full  enlightenment  of  their  souls. 

The  second  drawing  is  now  to  be  considered.  By  it  the  heavenly 
Father  enabled  them  to  answer  His  first  attraction  in  a  spirit  of  entire 
and  permanent  self-renunciation.  This  He  had  taught  them  by  His 
beloved  Son :  "Do  not  possess  gold,  nor  silver,  nor  money  in  your 
purses ;  nor  scrip  for  your  journey,  nor  two  coats,  nor  shoes,  nor  a  staff" 
(Matt.  X,  9,  10).  Anyone  can  see,  that  to  obey  this  a  strong  drawing 
away  from  all  bodily  comfort  is  needed.  It  is  a  call  to  enter  the  school 
of  eternal  light,  which  teaches  us  to  cast  our  heart's  affections  high 
above  even  the  third  heaven,  to  say  nothing  of  all  the  things  of  time. 
Besides  this,  they  must  give  no  place  whatever  in  their  souls  to  any  sense 
■of  proprietorship ;  and,  joined  to  this,  they  are  to  cultivate  a  spirit  of 


352  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

repose,  withdrawing  into  the  unchanging  tranquillity  of  the  secret 
depths  of  their  hearts,  far  from  the  storm,  that  is  to  say,  the  imperfec- 
tions, of  the  outward  life.  There  they  become,  as  it  were,  partakers  of 
that  light  eternal  that  is  God — a  light  clear  and  steadfast,  different 
from  the  light  of  the  sun  and  moon,  which  alternates  with  darkness. 
Thus  did  the  disciples  need  to  be  released  from  the  narrowness  and  the 
degradation  and  the  unrest  that  is  essential  to  created  things,  and  to  be 
freed  from  all  bodily  fetters.  St.  Jerome  says :  "As  it  is  impossible  that 
a  stone  can  have  the  wisdom  of  an  angel,  so  is  it  impossible  that  God  can 
communicate  Himself  in  time  or  in  the  things  of  time." 

And  now  occurs  a  question.  Since  God  draws  some  men  to  Him 
by  means  of  joy  and  others  by  means  of  sorrow,  by  which  of  these  did  He 
draw  the  disciples?  The  answer  is  found  in  considering  their  life.  It 
was  passed  in  our  Saviour's  company  in  much  hardship,  ending  in  great 
shame  and  distress.  So  they  were  drawn  to  God  more  by  sorrow  than 
by  joy.  And  especially  after  their  Master's  cruel  death  were  they  in  a 
state  of  bitter  suffering,  until  they  had  become  entirely  detached.  And 
thus,  by  the  special  favor  of  their  heavenly  Father,  they  were  made  fit 
to  receive  the  Holy  Spirit  by  the  way  of  suffering.  The  drawing  through 
sorrow  is  a  safer  way  than  that  through  joy.  And  it  is  in  this  sense 
that  St.  Gregory  understands  the  psalmist :  "A  thousand  shall  fall  at 
thy  side,  and  ten  thousand  at  thy  right  hand"  (Ps.  xc,  7) ;  meaning  that 
a  thousand  helpers  shall  fail  thee  in  time  of  sorrow  and  persecution, 
but  ten  thousand  in  time  of  joy  and  prosperity. 

And  the  way  to  God  through  sorrow  is  more  like  Christ's  way  in  all 
His  life,  and  in  His  death.  It  is,  besides,  a  better  sign  of  God's  love, 
for  it  is  written :  "Such  as  I  love,  I  rebuke  and  chastise"  ( Apoc.  iii,  19) . 
It  is,  indeed,  true  that  the  disciples  enjoyed  a  close  familiar  companion- 
ship with  the  Divine  Master,  but  it  was  embittered  by  the  knowledge 
that  for  every  gift  they  got  they  must  suffer  the  death  of  all  self-love. 
And  as  fast  as  God  relieved  them  of  one  suffering  he  sent  them  another 
just  as  hard — for  God  is  always  accustomed  to  thus  treat  his  beloved 
friends.  The  disciples  found  this  to  be  the  case,  and  so  must  they  keep 
on  suffering  to  the  end,  according  as  their  heavenly  Father  arranged  for 
them.  Until  at  last  their  sorrow  was  turned  into  joy,  and  they  were 
glad  to  suffer  for  the  name  of  Jesus. 

The  third  drawing  of  the  heavenly  Father,  had  the  effect  of  freeing  the 
disciples  from  thinking  of  the  humanity  of  Christ  under  gross  bodily 
forms.    God  granted  them  deliverance  from  this  and  all  other  kinds  of 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  353 

such  mental  images  in  their  union  with  Him,  just  as  if  He  had  but  now 
newly  created  their  spiritual  existence.  This  was  necessary,  if  they 
were  to  enter  the  glorious  school  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Four  reasons  may 
be  given  for  this.  The  first  is  that  truth  and  love — for  about  these  is  all 
teaching  imparted — can,  strictly  speaking,  have  no  images.  Can  any 
painter  in  the  world  picture  truth  and  love,  whether  in  the  inner  or 
outer  order  of  existence?  Whatever  form  comes  forth  into  our  minds 
from  love  is  not  the  form  of  love's  own  self;  and  the  same  is  to  be  said 
about  images  of  truth.  The  second  reason  is  that  truth  and  love  are 
not,  in  this  high  school,  taught  by  the  external  images  and  figures  found 
in  books.  For  now  the  truth  is  imparted  interiorly ;  it  is  spoken  with- 
out words  or  figures  or  forms  of  any  created  kind,  which,  indeed,  are  not 
according  to  truth's  essential  nature.  Therefore  did  the  humble  St. 
Francis  exhort  his  brothers  in  his  rule,  that  they  should  not  busy 
themselves  much  with  books  and  writings.  If  they  were  unlettered,  let 
them  not  be  too  anxious  to  learn  to  read,  but  rather  be  absorbed  above 
all  things  in  striving  after  the  spirit  of  God,  and  with  pure  hearts  pray 
for  His  holy  operation  in  their  souls. 

Thirdly,  one  is  to  renounce  such  images  and  forms  in  the  mind,  be- 
cause in  the  holy  school  of  God,  wisdom  is  learned  by  humility,  speech 
by  silence,  life  by  death,  knowledge  by  forgetting.  Jolni  slej)t  when  he 
gazed  upon  the  fountain  head  of  eternal  wisdom.  When  Paul  in  his 
trance  looked  upon  eternal  truth,  he  knew  not  whether  his  soul  were 
in  the  body  or  out  of  the  body.  In  like  manner  must  the  souls  of  the 
disciples  be  imageless,  if  they  would  have  places  in  such  a  school. 
Fourthly,  when  the  mind  is  occupied  with  images,  these  run  through 
the  imagination  in  the  order  and  succession  of  time.  N<^'v  that  is  not 
the  way  with  the  Holy  Spirit's  highest  school,  wherein  not  images  nor 
intervals  of  time,  but  the  touch  of  God,  quicker  than  a  flash,  moves  the 
soul  and  enlightens  it.  St.  Gregory  says :  "The  Holy  Ghost  is  a  marvel- 
ous master  workman.  He  takes  up  His  abode  in  a  fisherman  and  makes 
him  a  preacher ;  He  takes  up  His  abode  in  a  cruel  persecutor  and  makes 
him  a  teacher  of  nations;  He  takes  up  His  abode  in  a  publican  and 
makes  him  an  evangelist."  W^ho  is  like  this  master  workman?  To 
teach  everything  that  He  pleases  He  requires  no  time — a  single  touch 
and  all  is  taught  the  soul — nothing  more  is  necessary. 

Now  trom  these  four  reasons,  it  is  plain  that  the  disciples'  souls  must 
be  drawn  away  from  forms  and  images.  And  yet  in  this  drawing,  they 
did  not  see  all  that  St.  Paul  did  when  he  was  rapt  into  the  third  heaven ; 


354  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

for,  as  St.  Augustine  thinks,  Paul  and  Moses  on  the  mount  saw  the 
Divine  Essence  direct  and  without  any  intermediation.  This  was  not 
granted  to  the  disciples,  because  they  still  were  conscious  of  being  in 
their  bodies.  And  yet  in  their  inmost  souls  they  were  so  flooded  with 
Divine  light,  that  they  experienced  essentially  the  same  as  St.  Paul  did, 
some  more  completely  than  others. 

The  fourth  drawing  was  that  whereby  the  heavenly  Father  drew  the 
disciples  out  of  themselves.  He  emptied  them  of  self  and  self-seeking, 
so  that  they  stood  in  entire  freedom  from  self-enthrallment,  and  were 
wholly  disengaged  from  self-interest.  All  complaint  now  ceased  among 
them,  and  all  anguish  and  pain  was  dead.  Herein  was  perfected  most 
highly  the  first  drawing,  in  which  they  were  started  toward  perfect 
Divine  union,  and  of  which  we  have  already  treated.  For  now  the 
eternal  Father  shall  not  meet  with  any  resistance  from  their  natural 
inclinations  in  His  designs  for  their  sanctification.  This  drawing  is  to 
give  God  His  place  as  master  in  their  souls,  a  free  and  undivided  and 
most  loving  supremacy.  From  it  they  shall  learn  His  perfections  and 
be  made  like  unto  Him.  No  wonder  that  they  must  be  drawn  out  of 
and  away  from  self,  for  selfhood  is  wholly  inconsistent  with  Divine  lib- 
erty, love  and  nobility. 

And  now  one  might  inquire:  Did  the  disciples'  natural  life  now  die 
within  them,  since  all  forms  and  images  were  drawn  out  of  their  minds? 
Is  nature  now  entirely  dead?  The  answer  is,  no,  nature  is  not  now  dead 
within  them.  Nay,  in  this  their  self-renunciation  they  are  more  truly 
natural  than  ever  before.  For  whatsoever  the  Lord  of  nature  operates  in 
his  creature,  that  is  to  be  judged  most  perfectly  natural,  and  resistance 
to  it  is  resistance  to  nature.  Thus  says  St.  Augustine :  "That  the  rod 
was  turned  into  a  serpent  in  the  Old  Testament  was  not  against  nature, 
because  it  was  done  by  the  will  of  God."  And  so  I  say,  that  inasmuch 
as  the  disciples  yielded  themselves  wholly  to  God's  will,  they  were  in  the 
highest  degree  natural.  Their  nature  did  not  die,  but  it  was  elevated 
into  the  right  order  of  existence.  As  to  mental  images  and  forms,  they 
still  had  them  no  less  than  before,  but  they  did  not  direct  them  upon 
selfish  ends  nor  any  otherwise  than  according  to  God's  will.  When  I 
said  that  they  were  emptied  of  all  images,  my  meaning  was,  that  these 
forms  in  the  soul  were  now  like  a  candle  in  the  light  of  the  noonday  sun. 
The  candle  shines  as  much  as  ever,  but  its  beams  are  mingled  and  lost 
in  the  sun's  rays,  which  are  now  the  means  of  distributing  the  candle's 
light.    Thus  do  the  mental  images  and  the  whole  nature  of  the  apostles, 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  3«5 

work  through  the  illumination '  of  the  Divine  light.  They  use  that 
Divine  light,  and  are  made  thereby  truer  to  nature  and  have  more  forms 
and  images  than  ever  before. 

The  fifth  drawing  now  took  place.  By  it  the  heavenly  Father,  finding 
the  souls  of  His  disciples  in  all  freedom  of  spirit  and  entirely  set  at 
liberty  from  self  and  created  things,  drew  them  into  a  proportionately 
close  union  with  Himself.  God  had  obtained  His  way  and  purpose 
with  them,  for  He  could  have  asked  no  more  from  them  than  entire  self- 
surrender.  And  on  their  part,  all  their  aspirations  for  the  possession 
of  God  were  now  fulfilled.  Nor  was  it  that  the  Holy  Ghost  gave  them 
Himself  alone,  but  that  God  the  Father  and  God  the  Son  gave  them- 
selves also  in  the  fulness  of  the  indivisible  Godhead.  For  when  we 
attribute  love  to  the  Holy  Ghost  (as  we  do  wisdom  to  the  Son),  so  we 
must  remember  that  in  the  distinction  of  the  Divine  persons  it  is  proper 
to  infinite  love  to  unite  the  Father  and  the  Son  in  the  one  Godhead. 

And  now  you  might  enquire,  as  to  whether  or  not  God  drew  all  the 
disciples  to  Himself  in  the  same  degree  of  love,  and  endowed  them  with 
the  same  degree  of  holiness,  since  they  were  all  equally  absorbed  in  Him 
and  given  up  to  Him.  I  answer  that  although  all  of  them  were  equally 
detached  in  spirit,  nevertheless  they  turned  to  God  with  different 
degrees  of  love  and  with  varying  ardor.  It  was  with  them  as  with  the 
angels  who  remained  true  to  God;  they  differed  one  from  another  in 
the  greatness  of  their  love,  and  God  gave  Himself  in  different  degrees 
to  them,  although  each  and  all  partook  of  His  union.  Thus  were  God's 
gifts  granted  to  all  the  disciples,  but  not  in  equal  distribution.  The 
beloved  disciple  John,  for  example,  inasmuch  as  he  gazed  mor©  pro- 
foundly into  the  Godhead,  was  the  more  richly  gifted.  But  w©  must 
remark  that  God  is  wholly  free  in  the  granting  of  His  favors,  and 
bestows  them  just  as  He  wills,  and  for  no  other  reason  than  his  Own  will. 
And  we  must  bear  in  mind,  that  God  gave  Himself  personally  to  the 
disciples  not  only  on  Pentecost,  but  on  many  other  occasions.  For 
Richard  of  St.  Victor  and  other  teachers  inform  us,  that  as  often  as 
sanctifying  grace  is  given  us,  so  often  is  the  person  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
imparted.  Therefore  they  had  received  Him  personally  many  times 
before,  but  they  had  not  then  been  entirely  detached  from  creaturs,  nor 
had  they  received  the  fullness  of  His  gifts.  And  in  this  sense  it  was  that 
they  received  Him  for  the  first  time  on  Pentecost. 

The  sixth  drawing  of  the  disciples  into  the  Holy  Ghost's  high  school, 
waa  a  peculiar  enlightenment  of  mind.    By  this  grace  the  most  secret 


356  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

meaning  of  holy  scripture  was  imparted  to  them,  and  the  truth  of  God 
was  revealed  nakedly  to  them,  and  that  in  a  way  wholly  incompre- 
hensible to  all  the  doctors  in  the  schools.  God's  greatness  was  first 
presented  to  their  souls,  implanting  deep  within  them  the  gift  of  filial 
fear,  there  to  remain  till  the  end  of  their  lives.  Besides  this,  they  were 
taught  a  universal  power  to  do  good,  joined  to  a  deep  insight  into  God's 
being — the  gift  of  fortitude.  In  addition,  they  were  shown  how  to  keep 
not  only  God's  commandments,  but  also  how  to  observe  the  counsels  of 
Christ — the  gift  of  counsel.  Joined  to  these  was  the  gift  of  piety,  the 
enjoyment  of  the  sweet  familiarity  of  sons  with  their  father,  in  their 
union  with  God.  To  this,  again,  was  added  a  penetrating  knowledge  of 
God's  creatures  and  all  their  mutual  distinctions,  with  power  to  detect 
the  difference  between  God's  supernatural  light  and  that  of  our  natural 
reason — the  gift  of  science.  God  also  taught  them  to  compare  their 
present  spiritual  state  with  former  conditions,  granting  them  thereby 
the  gift  of  understanding.  Finally  He  bestowed  the  gift  of  wisdom, 
and  with  it  gave  them  a  most  precious  union  with  Himself,  and  a  man- 
ner of  life  altogether  Divine.  This  was  what  God  taught  in  His  high 
school  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  namely  His  seven  spiritual  gifts;  just  as  He 
teaches  us  in  the  school  of  nature  His  seven  natural  sciences,  and  in  that 
of  holy  faith,  the  seven  sacraments. 

You  might  enquire  whether  or  not  the  disciples,  being  thus  taught  in 
the  sublime  school  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  learned  all  the  knowledge  learned 
in  natural  and  human  schools.  I  answer  yes,  in  so  far  as  human  art 
and  science  conduces  to  God's  glory  and  to  man's  eternal  welfare :  they 
were  taught  it  all,  from  the  course  of  the  stars  down  to  the  simplest 
knowledge.  But  otherwise  not;  whatever  does  not  benefit  the  soul  they 
were  not  taught,  nor  did  that  leave  them  less  happy,  less  perfect.  Thus 
says  St.  Augustine:  "How  miserable  is  the  man  who  knows  all  things 
and  knows  not  God;  and  how  blessed  is  he  who  knows  God,  and  knows 
nothing  at  all  about  anything  else."  Whosoever  knows  God  and  all 
things  else,  is  not  at  all  happier  from  knowing  what  is  not  God :  God 
alone  it  is  that  makes  him  happy.  May  God  help  us  to  this  happy  state ; 
may  He  thus  draw  us  to  Himself,  and  thus  cause  His  light  of  truth 
to  shine  in  our  interior  souls.     Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  357 


JCnoming  (Bah 

Synopsis — God  is  known  by  our  resemblances  to  Him — These  are  in 
our  virtues — And  He  is  knoivn  by  contrast,  when  we  consider  our 
sins  and  our  evil  tendencies,  which  are  directly  contrary  to  Him — 
Hoiv  our  knowledge  of  Clod  is  increased  by  trials  and  contradic- 
tions, meekly  born  for  His  sake. 


FIRST    SERMON    FOR    TRINITY    SUNDAY. 

Amen,  auien,  I  say  to  thee,  that  we  speak  what  we  kuow,  and  we  testify  what 
we  have  seen. — John  iii,  11. 

Dear  children,  this  is  the  happy  day  when  we  celebrate  the  glorious 
feast  of  the  blessed  Trinity.  And  you  should  know  that  all  our  other 
festivals  are  to  be  valued  on  account  of  what  we  commemorate  today, 
just  as  the  blossonis  of  a  tree  are  esteemed  for  the  sake  of  its  fruit.  I 
know  not  what  words  to  choose  to  fitly  show  its  gi*eatness,  for  it  sur- 
passes our  power  of  expression,  telling  as  it  does  of  the  reward  of  all  our 
labors  and  giving  them  their  perfect  ending.  As  a  seraph  surpasses  a 
beast  in  intelligence,  so  do  the  lessons  of  this  day  go  beyond  human 
reason.  Therefore,  St.  Dionysius  said :  '^Whatsoever  a  man  says  about 
the  holy  Trinity  seems  to  be  empty  of  truth,  even  like  to  a  lie,  for  no  man 
can  in  the  least  degree  understand  this  Divine  mystery."  How  then  can 
one  discourse  about  it,  without  saying  things  which  in  one's  ignorance 
are.  as  it  were,  untruths? 

Dear  children,  foolish  men  talk  of  the  holy  Trinity  as  if  they  had  pene- 
trated its  mystery — a  gift  denied  to  all  created  beings.  Let  it  be  other- 
wise with  you.  Talk  little  of  this  sublime  theme,  as  St.  Paul  admon- 
ishes us.  Leave  study  of  it  and  discourse  about  it  to  great  doctors,  who, 
however,  can  but  stammer  about  it.  Yet  they  must  treat  of  it  for  the 
purposes  of  holy  Church  in  refuting  the  errors  of  heretics.  But  such 
learned  discoursing  is  not  your  privilege. 

In  my  text  Christ  says:  "We  speak  what  we  know,  and  we  testify 
what  we  have  seen."  Applying  this  to  the  knowledge  of  the  holy  Trin- 
ity, dear  children,  then  only  Christ  alone  has  seen  it  and  known  it.  As 
to  us  here  below,  we  can  know  nothing  of  it  except  through  the  witness- 


358  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

ing  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And  He  is  a  witness  in  two  ways,  one  by 
similarity,  the  other  by  difference  or  contrast,  namely  in  His  lower  and 
in  His  higher  powers.  If  we  lack  either  of  these  witnessings  of  His,  we 
shall  fail  to  reach  a  true  knowledge.  These  two  ways  are  like  two  sis- 
ters inseparably  joined  in  their  lives.  It  is  not  as  if  the  knowledge  in 
the  lower  faculties  goes  in  advance  and  that  in  the  higher  follows 
after,  but  they  must  work  together,  inseparably  associated.  By  this 
means  the  mind  finds  itself  made  ready  for  the  knowledge  to  be  gained 
by  contrast,  on  account  of  already  possessing  the  knowledge  gained  by 
similarities;  and  then  vice  versa.  It  is  thus,  too,  one  gains  joy  by  sor- 
row, sorrow  by  joy ;  he  gains  honor  by  disgrace,  comfort  by  misery.  Dear 
children,  these  relationships  cannot  be  achieved  by  the  powers  of  our 
poor  fallen  nature,  or  in  our  outward  life  alone.  But  by  the  aid  of 
Divine  grace  one  may  essentially  reach  the  mutual  effect  of  like  upon 
unlike. 

But  nature  must  suffer  many  a  bitter  death,  death  inward  and  out- 
ward, before  the  soul  stands  absolutely  indifferent  to  joy  or  sorrow. 
Ah,  what  fervent  thanks  do  we  owe  to  God  for  these  many  deaths,  by 
dying  which  we  gain  possession  of  a  glorious  and  Divine  life — if  we 
would  only  realize  the  gift  of  God.  Children,  we  should  carefully  watch 
our  souls,  and.  yearn  and  long  for,  and  sincerely  pray  for  this  death, 
which  grants  us  so  perfect  a  life.  For  by  its  means  the  enlightened 
spirit  is  indifferent  to  pain  or  pleasure,  truly  balancing  like  and  unlike, 
incapable  of  disturbance  by  any  happening  whatsoever ;  hate  or  love  of 
men,  consolation  and  misery,  being  to  such  a  soul,  one  in  no  wise  differ- 
ent from  the  other. 

We  find  many  men,  both  of  the  clergy  and  the  laity,  who  would  gladly 
be  perfect  followers  of  Christ  if  all  things  were  pleasant,  if  they  met 
with  no  contradictions.  But  when  opposition  is  met,  inwardly  or 
outwardly  or  from  their  fellow-men,  then  they  turn  off  from  God.  And 
yet  trouble  would  be  much  better  for  them,  and  more  useful,  than  peace. 
Tribulation  leads  to  the  essence  of  truth  and  is  its  fruit,  and  peace  is  but 
its  flower.  Peace  is  serviceable  to  tribulation  which  it  precedes,  helping 
us  to  bear  trouble.  But  only  in  the  midst  of  tribulation  is  God  born 
into  our  lives,  all  in  a  hidden  manner.  Hence  must  a  man  stand  indif- 
ferent between  the  favorable  and  unfavorable  circumstances  of  life. 
But  alas,  nowadays  nobody  wants  to  follow  God  on  this  road  nor  love 
Him  in  adversity — many  would  on  this  account  almost  hate  Him  and 
forsake  Him. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  359 

These  are  by  no  means  true  witnesses  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for 
He  is  truly  typified  by  that  brazen  serpent  which  Moses  hung  up  before 
the  people,  and  upon  which  all  must  gaze  if  they  were  to  be  restored 
to  health.  Let  us  always  look  earnestly  upon  this  symbol,  and  bear  true 
witness  to  Him  in  all  poverty  of  spirit  and  boundless  self-denial.  We 
should  suffer  all  trials  and  all  opposition  with  burning  zeal,  whether 
they  afflict  our  inner  souls  or  oppress  us  from  without,  coming  from  the 
evil  one,  from  our  corrupt  inclinations,  or  from  our  neighbor. 

And  let  me  say  in  all  truth,  that  if  every  trial  were  done  and  over, 
all  contradictions  passed  and  opposition  overcome,  then  we  should 
most  earnestly  invite  them  back  again.  For  by  suffering  them  again 
they  might  cleanse  us  from  the  rust  that  they  had  left  after  them.  A 
true  and  enlightened  man  needs  to  suffer  from  the  feelings  and  the  ten- 
dencies to  sin  that  lurk  in  his  flesh  and  blood,  in  order  to  know  himself 
thoroughly,  and  to  hate  his  weakness  and  sinfulness.  A  great  sinner, 
who  stands  amid  his  sinful  inclinations,  is  sure  to  fall  and  is  lost.  A 
perfect  man,  on  the  contrary,  strujiftling  with  his  natural  weakneses,  is 
only  made  the  purer,  and  from  this  painful  conflict  passes  into  eternal 
life.  The  bad  man  knows  nothing  of  the  steadfast  resistance  of  virtue 
against  vice,  gladly  if  painfully  maintained  by  a  good  man  to  the  very 
end. 

And  now,  children,  let  me  ask  why  there  is  such  a  difference  between 
these  two  men.  both  whose  souls  are  nevertheless  occupied  with  the 
forms  and  images  of  sin.  I  answer  that  they  have  an  essentially  differ- 
ent way  of  acting.  The  devout  man  suffers  these  imaginations  for 
God's  sake — God  is  exclusively  his  thought  and  his  support ;  from  God 
he  accepts  the  sweet  and  bitter  of  life,  giving  himsell  up  to  God  wholly. 
The  wicked  man  makes  no  account  of  God,  and  falls  wilfully  into  sin; 
he  would  do  so  without  any  temptation.  No  matter  how  God  would  treat 
him,  he  would  never  be  content.  If  he  had  his  way,  his  whole  life  would 
consist  in  having  much  of  everything  without  price  or  labor,  and  this 
state  of  mind  is  in  the  end  his  death.  Therefore,  dear  children,  if  you 
seek  God  purely,  and  love  Him  in  all  your  ways,  nothing  whatsoever 
can  hurt  you — if  all  the  devils  in  hell  pour  all  their  malice  and  unclean- 
ness  through  your  soul  and  body  and  your  flesh  and  blood,  and  if  the 
wicked  world  joins  all  its  baseness  and  filthiness  to  that  flood  of  evil_, 
as  long  as  it  all  happens  against  your  will,  and  if  you  had  rather  die  than 
commit  a  single  sin  against  God,  then  all  this  wickedness  can  do  you  not 
a  hair's  weight  of  harm,  even  though  your  temptation  lasted  ten  years 


360  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

and  longer.  Naj,  the  very  contrary.  For  this  trial  would  undoubtedly 
merit  a  great  reward,  and  would  prepare  your  soul  for  incalculable 
good  both  here  and  hereafter.  God  works  miracles  in  the  life  of  such  a 
man — a  steadfast  soul,  that  never  falls  away  from  the  Divine  friend- 
ship in  word  or  work. 

Therefore  the  Son  of  God  teaches  us  in  the  gospel :  "Unless  a  man  be 
born  again  of  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  King- 
dom of  God"  (John  iii,  5).  By  the  word  ghost  or  spirit  one  may  mean 
the  joys  of  life,  and  by  the  word  water,  its  sorrows.  The  ugly  external 
aspect  of  adversity  disguises  its  noble  interior  advantages.  Be  assured, 
children,  that  whosoever  will  persevere  in  patient  suffering,  to  him  will 
be  unveiled  a  clear  view  of  the  unspeakably  precious  qualities  to  be 
found  in  suffering.  This  revelation  is  to  be  gained  only  by  one  who 
accepts  adversity  with  a  loving  spirit,  loving,  that  is  to  say,  to  suffer 
pain  more  than  to  enjoy  pleasure,  yea,  even  in  all  things  and  under  all 
circumstances.  The  clearer  the  value  of  afflictions  is  understood,  the 
deeper  is  the  inner  joy  found  in  outward  suffering.  To  this  was  Lucifer 
wilfully  blind — he  would  be  established  in  joy  without  passing  through 
sorrow.  And  therefore  did  he  lose  all  joy  and  was  buried  in  unspeakable 
and  eternal  sorrow.  But  the  good  angels,  faithful  and  true,  were  will- 
ing to  suffer  the  sorrowful  trial  God  imposed  on  them,  and  forthwith 
they  were  absorbed  in  the  unspeakable  joy  of  God. 

Ah,  children,  how  sweet  is  the  fruit  grown  upon  this  soil — a  spirit 
fully  enlightened  about  adversity,  and  pervaded  with  Divine  love.  Such 
a  man,  entirely  melted  into  God's  will  to  receive  all  trials,  is  presently 
given  a  spiritual  power  far  above  his  nature  and  rooted  in  the  Divine 
life.  He  is  cleansed  from  the  imperfections  of  his  inner  and  outer  exist- 
ence ;  he  grows  well  accustomed  to  self-denial ;  and  he  is  finally  absorbed 
most  sweetly  in  the  Divinity.  When  a  man  does  his  own  utmost,  reach 
ing  the  highest  possible  point  of  his  striving,  then  does  God's  infinitude 
take  up  the  work.  In  the  innermost  spirit  of  such  a  man  the  Divine 
light  begins  to  gleam,  and  with  it  is  imparted  a  supernatural  force. 
Finally  the  soul  is  drawn  out  of  itself  into  thoughts  of  God  wholly 
5)eyond  power  of  expression — a  preparation  on  earth  for  the  eternal  hap- 
piness of  Heaven.  This  is  the  work  of  God's  power,  a  turning  inward 
not  to  be  told  in  words,  not  to  be  conceived  in  the  mind.  Although 
the  soul  is  so  far  advanced  beyond  the  previous  time  of  suffering,  yet 
that  patient  endurance  has  served  to  win  it  the  grace  of  interior  union. 
The  steadfast  uprightness  of  intention,  the  will  all  pliant  to  God's 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  361 

influence,  the  deep  longings  for  God,  all, words  and  works  offered  for 
God,  every  pang  of  pain  meekly  borne  for  God's  sake — this  has  all  served 
to  prepare  the  devout  soul  for  the  inward  reception  of  God's  heavenly 
visitation. 

Children,  this  turning  toward  God  is  not  the  gift  of  angels  or  saints, 
much  less  of  any  earthly  benefactor,  but  comes  forth  direct  from  the 
deepest  heart  of  God  Himself;  by  Him  granted,  by  Him  to  be  perfected. 
Into  the  Divine  obscurity  the  soul  enters,  to  be  there  joined  to  God  in  a 
Divine  stillness.  And  now  all  sense  of  what  is  pleasant  or  unpleasant 
in  life  is  quite  lost,  nay  the  soul's  very  identity  seems  gone,  and  its 
knowledge  of  God  is  so  elevated,  that  it  seems  as  if  it  were  not  knowl- 
edge, but  just  a  perfect  union. 

You  should  know,  children,  that  to  find  this  happy  lot,  a  man  must 
die  to  all  created  things.  Joy  and  sorrow,  whether  in  body  or  mind,  or 
in  flesh  and  blood,  must  be  indifferent  to  him.  He  must  love  God  alone. 
He  must  diligently  cultivate  the  interior  virtues  with  a  view  to  suffering 
gladly  all  adversity.  He  must  behave  himself  very  virtuously,  be  fond 
of  a  hidden  life,  never  complain,  never  seek  outward  comfort — very  dif- 
ferent from  those  who  have  made  little  progress  in  virtue,  who  know 
little  of  God  in  their  interior  souls.  Really  good  men  fly  from  all  the  mul- 
tiplicity of  external  human  existence,  are  ever  removing  hindrances  to 
virtue,  offer  up  everything  to  God,  and  by  this  manner  of  life  are  brought 
to  that  blessed  and  ever-adorable  Trinity  of  which  I  am  wholly  unworthy 
to  speak,  or  even  to  have  any  knowledge.  That  such  a  grace  may  be 
granted  to  us,  help  us,  O  God  the  Father,  and  God  the  Son,  and  God  the 
Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 


302  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


JJIye  UrUiit^  mh  Hit  Jnt^rinr  HXft 

Synopsis — Definitions  of  the  Trinit'if — Inner  perception  of  the  mys- 
tery— Witness  of  a  pagan  writer — How  a  detached  soul  is  taught 
the  divine  generation  interiorly — And  also  the  divine  procession 
— The  imparting  of  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ohost  in  this  experience 
— Practical  suggestions. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  TRINITY  SUNDAY. 

Amen,  amen  I  say  to  thee,  that  we  speak  what  we  know,  and  we  testify  what 
we  have  seen,  and  you  receive  not  oiir  testimony.  If  I  have  spoken  to  you 
earthly  things,  and  you  believe  not;  how  will  you  believe  if  I  shall  speak  to 
you  heavenly  things. — John  iii :  11,  12. 

We  read  these  words  in  the  Gospel  of  this  feast  of  the  Holy 
Trinity,  the  most  glorious  feast  of  the  year,  the  end  and  perfection  of 
all  others ;  just  as  the  beginning  and  course  and  term  of  all  creatures, 
especially  reasonable  creatures,  is  in  God  one  and  triune.  We  are  at 
a  loss  for  words  to  tell  the  glory  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  and  yet  words 
must  be  used  to  endeavor  to  describe  this  overpowering  mystery  of 
the  Godhead.  To  rightly  discourse  on  this  theme,  is  as  impossible  as 
to  reach  from  earth  to  heaven;  for  as  a  needle  point  is  compared  to 
the  bulk  of  the  earth  and  sky,  so,  only  a  thousand  times  less,  is  all 
human  speech  and  thought  compared  to  the  Trinity. 

It  is  beyond  all  comprehension  how  God,  who  is  so  simply  one  in 
His  essence,  is  yet  with  this  essential  unity  three  fold  in  personality. 
And,  again,  the  distinction  of  the  persons:  how  the  Father  begets 
His  Son,  and  how  the  Holy  Ghost  proceeds  from  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  and  yet  remains  in  Himself,  self-conscious ;  how  the  Father  utters 
His  eternal  Word,  and  from  the  knowledge  going  forth  therefrom 
there  proceeds  an  inexpressible  love  which  is  the  Holy  Ghost;  how 
this  outflowing  is  also  in  turn  an  inflowing  into  inexpressible  perfec- 
tion of  the  deity's  essential  unity — all  this  is  absolutely  beyond  our 
power  to  comprehend.    So  is  the  Father  what  the  Son  is  and  what  the 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illiuninated  Doctor  353 

Holj  Ghost  is  in  power,  wisdom  and  love;  and  the  Son  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  with  the  Father  are  all. one;  and  yet  is  there  great  distinction 
between  the  persons,  though  one  in  nature  mutually  and  formlessly 
inflowing  and  outflowing. 

Many  wondrous  words  may  be  uttered  about  this  divine  unity  in 
distinction,  but  all  must  yet  remain  unspoken  and  uncomprehended, 
for  it  is  better  to  feel  this  mystery  than  to  speak  of  it.     Nor  is  it 
pleasant  to  discourse  about  the  Holy  Trinity  or  even  to  listen  to  others 
discoursing,  no  matter  from  what  source  the  words  may  be  drawn, 
for  every  one  is  unequal  to  the  task.    The  mystery  is  a  strange  thing 
to  us  and  far  removed  from  us,  deeply  hidden,  incapable  of  under- 
standing even  by  the  minds  of  angels.    Men  in  high  places  must  treat 
of  it  in  order  to  defend  it;  let  them  do  so,  whilst  we  on  our  part  shall 
be  content  to  believe.     St.  Thomas  says:  "Let  no  man  go  beyond  the 
teaching  of  the  doctors  of  the  Church;  these  have  been  disciples  of  the 
Holy  Trinity  in  their  lives,  and  therefore  has  the  Holy  Spirit  guided 
them  in  their  teachings."    To  feel  the  Holy  Trinity  is  the  sweetest 
experience;  to  err  concerning  it,  is  the  worst  calamity.     Therefore 
refrain  from  disputation  and  hold  your  faith  in  all  simplicity,  giving 
your  souls  up  to  God,  longing  to  have  Him  bom  within  your  souls,  not 
after  the  manner  of  human  reason,  but  in  the  essential  depths  of  your 
being. 

We  shall  experience  the  divine  Trinity  within  us  in  proportion  as 
we  are  conformed  to  it  in  all  truth  and  reality.  The  resemblance  to 
God  is  in  our  souls  certainly  by  nature,  though  of  course  in  no  such 
noble  manner  as  the  resemblance  of  the  divine  persons  one  to  another 
Hence  we  need  to  cherish  the  determination  to  consider  the  divine  image 
within  us  most  attentively,  the  glory  of  which  no  man  can  rightly 
describe.  For  God  is  here  formed  in  us  in  a  formless  way:  truly  is  it 
formless,  though  spiritual  writers  often  strive  to  picture  this  divine 
image  to  us  by  many  forms  and  comparisons.  All  teachers  say  that 
He  is  in  the  highest  faculties  of  our  soul,  memory,  understanding  and 
will,  by  means  of  which  we  are  made  rightly  conscious  of  the  Trinity. 
Yet  all  this  is  but  in  the  lowest  grade  of  perception  of  God's  presence, 
for  It  is  merely  in  the  natural  exercise  of  the  soul's  powers.  St. 
Thomas  gives  us  a  plainer  description:  "The  perfection  of  this  divine 
image  is  rather  in  its  operation  in  the  soul  and  in  the  activity  of  its 
powers— the  active  memory,  active  understanding,  active  love."    So 


364  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

far  St.  Thomas.  Other  doctors  go  much  farther.  They  say  it  is  in 
the  most  secret  recesses  of  the  soul  that  God  is  most  essentially  to 
be  known,  in  which  He  acts,  and  exists,  and  enjoys  His  own  divine 
life.  And  while  that  state  continues  a  man  can  no  more  separate 
himself  from  God  than  from  his  own  self.  This  union  is  rooted  in  the 
depths;  and  therein  has  the  soul  by  grace  a  participation  of  all  that 
God  has  by  nature.  As  the  soul  yields  itself  to  God,  so  is  grace  born 
in  the  highest  degree  within  its  interior  life — there  and  in  no  other 
part. 

The  pagan  writer  Proclus  says:  "As  long  as  a  man  is  concerned 
with  images  of  things  beneath  him,  so  long  is  it  impossible  for  him  to 
fathom  the  depths  of  his  being."     It  seems  to  some  of  us  a  sort  of 
delusion  that  men  should  think  there  is  such  an  inner  depth  to  our 
soul.     Wilt   thou   realize   its    actual   existence?     Then    renounce    all 
multiplicity  and  observe  thy  inner  life  intelligently.     Wilt  thou  have 
a  yet  clearer  knowledge?    Then  renounce  even  thy  reason's  observa- 
tion of  the  interior  life — for  reason's  activity  is  beneath  thee — and 
become  one  with  the  One.     The  same  Proclus  considers  this  state  as 
a  silent,  insensible,  slumbering  and  divine  perception.     Children,  how 
great  a  shame  it  is  that  this  heathen  philosopher  attained  to  such 
knowledge,  while  we  Christians  are  so  far  from  it  and  are  so  unequal 
to  acquiring  it.     But  our  Lord  teaches:  ''The   Kingdom   of  God  is 
within  you"(Luke  xvii:21) — namely,  in  those  interior  depths,  tran- 
scending all  the  operations  of  the  mental  faculties — there  it  is  guaran- 
teed by  God's  grace.     But  we  do  not  search  it  out,  as  this  day's  gospel 
tells  us:  "We  speak  what  we  know,  and  we  testify  what  we  have 
seen,  and  you  receive  not  our  testimony."    Alas,  how  can  a  brutish, 
sensual  man,  ever  absorbed  in  outward  things,  accept  this  testimony 
of  an  interior  life  wholly  incredible  to  him.     Thus  spoke  the  Lord  by 
His  prophet:  "As  the  heavens  are  exalted  above  the  earth,  so  are  My 
ways  exalted  above  your  ways  and  so  are  My  thoughts  above  your 
thoughts"  (Isaias  lv:9).     And  thus  our  Savior  reproached  the  Jews 
in  this  day's  Gospel  "If  I  have  spoken  to  you  earthly  things,  and  you 
believe  not;  how  will  you  believe  if  I  shall  speak  to  you  heavenly 
things?" 

Formerly,  children,  I  spoke  to  you  of  the  wounds  of  love,  and  you 
told  me  that  you  did  not  know  what  I  was  saying — and  that  was  a 
discourse  about  earthly  things:  how  then  can  you  now  understand 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  365 

me,  since  our  subject  is  the  divine  work  in  our  interior  soul?  Your 
life  is  wholly  given  up  to  outward  occupation,  all  absorbed  in  the 
activity  of  the  senses,  and  this  testimony  of  mine  is  not  about  that. 
Our  testimony  is  truly  found  in  the  depths  of  the  soul,  all  formless. 
There  it  is  that  the  heavenly  Father  generates  His  only  begotten  Son 
swifter  a  thousand  times  than  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  It  is  done 
in  the  swiftness  of  eternity,  in  an  eternal  newness  of  life,  and  in  the 
unspeakable  glory  of  the  divinity.  Whosoever  would  experience  this, 
let  him  turn  himself  inward,  abstract  himself  from  all  outward  works, 
suspend  the  activity  of  his  faculties,  and  exclude  from  his  imagination 
all  that  it  has  drawn  from  the  outer  world.  Then  let  him  melt  away 
into  the  depths.  And  now  the  fatherly  power  of  God  will  come  and 
call  the  soul  through  His  only  begotten  Son.  And  as  the  Son  is 
begotten  of  the  Father  and  returns  again  into  the  Father,  so  shall  the 
soul  of  this  man  be  born  of  the  Father  in  the  Son,  return  into  the 
Father  with  the  Son,  and  be  made  one  with  Him.  It  is  thus  that  the 
Lord  would  have  us  call  Him  our  Father,  and  never  cease  to  follow 
after  Him  as  He  mounts  upwards;  as  if  to  say:  This  day  have  I 
begotten  thee  by  My  Son  and  in  My  Son.  And  at  the  same  time  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  poured  into  the  inmost  depths  of  the  heart  with  un- 
speakable love  and  joy,  bestowing  His  heavenly  gifts  of  justice  and 
of  knowledge. 

A  man  then  becomes  most  righteous  and  most  gentle,  and  his  knowl- 
edge of  the  path  he  must  tread  becomes  entirely  clear.  But  this 
supposes  that  all  virtues  have  already  been  acquired,  for  the  gifts  now 
imparted  lead  the  soul  into  a  state  of  perfection  beyond  that  of  the 
ordinary  virtues.  Then  follow  the  passive  virtues  which  work 
together,  namely,  counsel  and  fortitude,  to  which  are  added  the  con- 
templative gifts.  These  are  fear,  which  holds  fast  in  all  carefulness 
the  graces  granted  by  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  understanding  and 
wisdom — the  two  highest — which  give  the  taste  of  God's  truth  to  the 
soul.  Children,  the  enemy  of  mankind  antagonizes  a  man  of  that 
kind  more  than  all  other  men  in  the  world. 

Especially  is  he  combatted  by  the  more  subtle  demons,  and  hence 
he  is  in  special  need  of  the  gift  of  knowledge. 

Children,  a  moment  of  this  divine  influence  is  better  for  the  soul 
than  all  the  outward  works  a  man  can  do.  And  the  prayers  of  such  a 
man  united  so  deeply  to  God,  when  offered  for  his  friends  living  and 


366  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

dead,  are  of  more  avail  than  the  reading  of  a  hundred  thousand 
pBalters  by  an  ordinary  Christian. 

This  is  the  true  witnessing  of  the  Holy  Ghost  within  us  that  we 
are  the  Sons  of  God,  as  in  this  day's  epistle  it  is  spoken  of.  In  this 
thy  inner  heaven  there  are  three  witnesses,  the  Father,  the  Word,  and 
the  Spirit,  testifying  to  thee  most  truly  that  thou  art  God's  child, 
and  brightly  illuminating  thy  soul's  depths.  This  in  turn  reveals 
thy  own  self  to  thee  with  all  thy  defects  in  deed  or  omission,  and  that 
whether  thou  wiliest  or  not.  All  thy  life  is  hereby  manifested  to 
thee  if  thou  wilt  but  advert  to  it.  If  thou  shalt  heed  this  interior 
witnessing  and  be  guided  by  it  in  thy  outer  and  inner  conduct,  then 
shalt  thou  be  exempt  from  the  adverse  testimony  of  the  last  day.  If 
in  word  and  work  and  life  thou  dost  reject  this  hidden  witnessing, 
then  at  the  end  of  all  it  shall  be  thy  condemnation,  and  thine  the  blame 
for  it,  not  God's,  for  not  God  only  but  also  thy  own  self  shall  be  thy 
judge. 

Therefore,  dear  children,  keep  a  watchful  eye  upon  your  interior 
life,  recognize  God's  witness  there,  and  it  will  be  a  joy  to  you.  Hast 
thou  overcome  thy  external  weaknesses?  Then  hasten  home  to  thy 
interior  soul.  There  thou  shalt  find  thy  real  self — there  more  than 
in  thy  outward  life,  or  in  thy  outward  methods  and  devotions.  We 
read  in  the  Lives  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Desert  that  once  a  devout 
married  man  retired  into  a  forest  to  escape  the  obstacles  to  his  per- 
fection, and  that  his  wife  in  like  manner  went  into  a  solitude.  And 
soon  this  good  man  had  two  hundred  brethren  living  under  him  and 
she  had  many  women  with  her.  This  shows  the  value  of  single- 
minded  and  hidden  retirement,  a  state  of  soul  in  which  the  senses  with 
their  methods  are  no  longer  in  control. 

But  you  might  say:  I  am  a  help  to  interior  souls,  and  I  would 
gladly  aid  all  those  who  are  touched  interiorly  by  God  and  have  seen 
the  divine  light.  And  I  answer  that  whatsoever  external  minded 
person  forces  good  souls  to  accept  his  rude  external  methods  in  place 
of  the  interior  ones,  subjects  himself  to  a  terrible  condemnation,  for 
he  thus  hinders  God's  work  more  than  the  pagans  and  Jews  did  of  old. 
Therefore,  ye  hard  and  censorious  spirits,  take  heed  to  yourselves,  with 
your  bitter  words  and  your  scornful  manner,  how  you  meddle  with 
these  good  souls. 

And  now,  dear  child,  wouldst  thou  attain  to  the  union  of  thy  80«1 
with  the  Holy  Spirit,  then  must  thou  diligently  do  three  things.    One 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illxuninated  Doctor  367 

is  to  keep  God  and  His  honor  in  view  in  all  that  thou  dost  and  in  all 
that  happens  to  thee,  and  make  no  account  of  thyself.  The  second  is 
to  hold  a  vigilant  watch  over  thyself  in  all  thy  doings,  keeping  at  home 
to  thyself  in  thy  thoughts,  and  recognizing  thy  utter  nothingness; 
meanwhile  cautiously  observing  thy  surroundings.  Thirdly,  meddle 
not  with  what  does  not  concern  thee;  what  is  not  committed  to  thee, 
let  it  take  care  of  itself — what  is  good,  let  it  alone,  what  seems  evil, 
trouble  not  thyself  about  it.  Turn  into  thy  interior  life  and  therein 
abide,  listening  to  the  fatherly  voice  that  there  is  calling  to  thee.  If 
one  were  thus  absorbed  in  the  interior  life,  a  great  wealth  of  gifts 
would  be  bestowed  on  him,  and  he  would  be  so  enlightened  that  even 
priests  would  receive  instruction  from  him. 

Dear  child,  if  thou  wouldst  forget  all  that  has  so  far  been  said  to 
thee  in  this  discourse,  yet  hold  fast  to  two  thoughts.  One  is  that  thou 
shouldst  be  a  little,  insignificant  thing  in  thy  own  estimation,  and  not 
in  words  but  in  the  deep  sincerity  of  thy  soul,  not  in  outward  show 
but  in  the  very  truth  of  thy  conviction.  The  other  is  that  thou 
shouldst  love  God;  and  this  should  be  not  in  the  way  of  sentiment  and 
feeling  so  much  as  essentially,  and  in  the  deepest  interior  life  of  divine 
love.  Nor  should  this  be  simply  an  advertence  to  God  in  thy  outward 
conduct,  as  we  commonly  understand  when  we  speak  of  good  inten- 
tion. No,  it  is  more  than  that.  It  is  having  God  for  one's  end  in  one's 
very  soul ;  just  as  a  man  racing  towards  a  goal  fixes  his  eye  upon  it ; 
or  one  shooting  at  a  mark  never  for  an  instant  loses  sight  of  it.  That 
we  may  all  obtain  this  interior  spirit,  that  we  may  all  totally  annihi- 
late self  and  find  instead  the  Holy  Trinity  within  ourselves,  we  pray 
the  same  Holy  Trinity  graciously  to  grant  us.    Amen. 


368  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


®n  Hfnlg  CCommutttnn 


Synopsis — God's  goodness  shown  in  the  real  presence — The  process  of 
assimilation  between  God  and  man — The  hitter  taste  and  the 
sweet  nourishment — The  inner  change  from  the  human  into  the 
divine — Tlie  good  of  frequent  communion — Advice  about  prepara- 
tion. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  CORPUS  CHRISTI. 

For  My  flesh  is  meat  indeed. — John  vi :  56. 

This  is  a  most  blessed  day,  on  which  we  venerate  the  precious  body 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Although  the  Sacrament  of  the  Altar  is 
honored  every  day  of  the  year,  and  has  a  special  festival  on  Maunday 
Thursday,  yet  our  holy  mother,  the  Church,  sets  this  day  apart  that 
we  may  do  particular  honor  to  our  Lord  in  the  blessed  Sacrament, 
thereby  renewing  our  devotion  to  Jesus  really  present  with  us.  Thus 
has  holy  Church  done  her  part ;  and  she  has  met  with  hearty  response 
from  her  children,  who  honor  our  Lord  in  the  blessed  Sacrament  by 
carrying  Him  in  procession  from  one  church  to  another,  with  splendid 
and  costly  ornaments,  the  sound  of  church  bells  and  of  organs  and  of 
loud  musical  chants. 

Children,  all  this  is  good,  because  it  helps  the  interior  praise  of  Christ 
in  our  souls — everything  even  the  littlest  may  be  made  to  serve  that 
end.  Let  us  gladly  do  reverence  to  God  every  way  we  can  think  of — 
the  humblest  little  earth  worm,  had  it  but  the  use  of  reason,  would 
willingly  lift  up  its  head  to  God  and  then  bow  down  in  all  reverence 
to  Him.  But  as  to  man,  he  has  a  high  degree  of  praise  to  offer,  for  he 
has  the  privilege  to  love  and  honor  God  out  of  the  depths  of  a  heart 
endowed  with  intelligence ;  and  this  far  surpasses  all  that  he  can  ever 
do  without  this  in  the  external  order  of  religion. 

And  he  can  reach  a  yet  higher  grade  of  praise,  namely,  by  having  so 
full  a  knowledge  of  God's  greatness  and  of  his  own  littleness,  that  he 
feels  that  he  cannot  praise  Him  enough — a  veneration  of  God  exceed- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  3159 

ing  all  speech,  song,  memory  and  understanding.     A  certain  master 
teaches,  that  the  man  who  discourses  most  beautifully  of  God,  is  the 
one  who  from  his  knowledge  of  the  interior  riches  of  God,  can  be 
content  to  remain  silent  about  Ilim.     Once  a  certain  doctor  praised 
God  with  many  words,  and  another  doctor  bade  him  hold  his  peace, 
saying:  ''Thou    blasphemest   God."     And   both    were   right.     It   is   a 
wonderful  thing,  that  the  unspeakable  Goodness  is  so  great  that  no 
one  can  rightly  praise  it.     Right  praise  of  God  is  infinitely  beyond  the 
two  degrees  we  have  mentioned,  and  exceeds  all  words  and  methods  of 
veneration.     Let  a  man  be  absorbed  in  God,  blending  selfhood  into 
God,  until   in   this  man's  soul  it  is  God   who  praises  Himself  and 
returns  thanks  to  Himself;  and  whosoever  reaches  this  state,  it  can 
hardly  be  supposed  that  God  will  permit  him  to  fall  away  from  Him. 
Our  Lord  says :  "My  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink 
indeed,"  and  He  adds:  ''He  that  eatheth  My  flesh  and  drinketh  My 
blood,  abideth  in  Me  and  I  in  him."     Behold  our  Lord's  fathomless 
humility,  in  that  He  is  silent  about  His  infinite  greatness,  and  speaks 
only  of  the  least  of  His  attributes.     His  greatness  is  His  adorable 
Godhead,  and  yet  he  speaks  only  of  His  flesh  and  His  blood.     Yet  in 
the  Holy  Communion  His  blessed  soul  and  His  divine  nature  are  also 
present.    His  amazing  and  unspeakable  love  for  us  is  shown  in  that 
He  was  not  content  to  make  Himself  our  brother  and  assume  our  poor 
human  nature.     No,  He  became  man  that  man  might  become  God- 
nay  more:  He  insists  that  He  shall  become  our  food.     Of  this  St. 
Augustine  speaks:  "No  nation  is  so  great  as  the  Christian  people, 
nor  any  to  whom  God  has  come  so  close  as  to  us:  we  feed  upon  our 
God."    How  wonderful  a  love  is  His,  to  invent  this  way  of  union. 
This  love  overwhelms  us;  it  should  wound  every  heart  of  man  with  its 
overpowering  greatness.     No  act  in  our  material  existence  is  so  close 
to  us,  or  enters  so  intimately  into  our  bodily  life,  as  eating  and  drinks 
ing.     And  this  is  the  reason  why  our  Savior  chose  this  marvellous 
way  of  being  brought  into  the  closest  and  most  interior  union  with  us. 
Let  us  consider  the  processes  of  taking  bodily  food ;  it  may  seem  a 
gross  thing,   but   it  serves  to  illustrate  the   Holy   Communion.     St. 
Bernard   says:  "When   we  eat   this   food,    we   ourselves   are   eaten." 
When  we  take  food  we  first  chew  it,  then  it  passes  into  the  stomach 
and  is  changed  in  the  heat  of  our  organs  of  digestion,  which  separate 
the  coarser  and  useless  portions  from  the  good  parts;  sometimes  out 


370  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

of  a  whole  pound  of  food  only  a  small  portion  really  serves  for  oar 
nourishment,  and  the  rest  is  rejected,  the  good  part  passing  through 
three  processes  of  digestion.  When  the  bodily  powers  have  done  their 
work,  a  higher  force  comes  from  the  soul,  making  flesh  and  blood,  and 
distributes  the  food  into  the  head  and  the  heart  and  every  member, 
filling  the  veins  with  blood.  It  is  thus  with  us  and  our  Lord's  body  and 
blood,  only  differently  in  this:  whereas  our  bodily  food  is  changed 
into  ourselves,  on  the  contrary  when  we  receive  our  Lord's  body  and 
blood  we  are  changed  into  Him.  Thus  did  He  say  to  St.  Augustine: 
"I  shall  not  be  changed  into  thee,  but  thou  shalt  be  changed  into  Me." 
Whosoever  receives  this  divine  food  worthily,  it  penetrates  the  veins 
of  his  most  interior  existence. 

Let  us  explain  St.  Bernard's  saying:  "When  we  eat  this  food,  we 
ourselves  are  eaten."  For  then  God  feasts  upon  us;  as  He  enters  He 
scourges  us  for  our  sins,  which  He, reveals  plainly  to  us — His  divine 
presence  scourges  our  conscience.  As  one  turns  his  food  over  aad 
over  again  in  his  mouth  and  continually  bites  it,  so  is  a  man  cast  back 
and  forth  under  God's  scourging,  namely,  in  anguish,  dread  and  sor- 
row about  his  sins.  Dear  child,  gladly  endure  this  biting  of  God's 
presence  in  thee,  let  Him  eat  thee  and  chew  thee  to  pieces,  seek  not  to 
escape  His  chastisement,  and  offer  Him  the  deep  sighs  of  thy  heart :  Oh, 
Lord,  have  mercy  on  me  a  poor  sinner ;  and  meantime  keep  close  within 
thyself.  Be  sure  that  all  this  is  more  for  thy  profit  than  much  pious 
reading  or  praying  if  these  should  take  thee  out  of  thyself.  But  be 
on  thy  guard  lest  the  evil  one  cunningly  afflict  thee  with  excessive 
sadness  about  thy  sins ;  for  he  would  gladly  sow  in  thy  heart  the  seed 
of  bitter  sorrow.  Our  Lord  sows  the  seed  of  a  sorrow  that  is  sweet 
and  good. 

After  the  chastisement  comes  a  gentle  softening  of  one's  soul,  loving 
trust,  divine  confidence,  holy  hope:  it  is  now  that  God  is  absorbing 
and,  as  it  were,  swallowing  thee.  And  just  as  well-cooked  food  when 
it  is  chewed,  softly  and  gently  sinks  into  the  stomach,  so  shall  it  be 
with  thee  in  Communion  when  thy  conscience  has  been  prepared.  But 
thou  must  give  thyself  up  to  our  Lord  with  all  trust,  and  then  shalt 
thou  be  gently  absorbed  in  Him.  If  we  have  followed  St.  Paul's 
directions  about  the  Eucharist:  "Let  a  man  prove  himself,  and  so  let 
him  eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink  of  the  chalice"  (I  Cor.  xi:28),  then 
our  Lord  will  consume  us  as  we  consume  our  food.    This  is  done  by 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  371 

renounoing  all  our  selfhood,  and  destroying  out  of  our  lives  all  attach- 
ment to  created  things.  The  more  carefully  food  is  masticated  the 
more  it  becomes  unlike  its  former  self.  Thou  shalt  find  out  if  thou 
art  absorbed  into  God  as  His  food,  if  thou  are  so  changed  as  to  find 
nothing  in  thyself  except  Him,  and  findest  thyself  nowhere  else  but 
in  Him.  For  does  He  not  say :  "He  that  eateth  My  flesh  and  drinketh 
My  blood  abideth  in  Me  and  I  in  him."  Therefore  must  thou  be 
stripped  of  thy  old  self,  as  it  were,  by  the  divine  mastication  of  thy 
soul — ^just  as  thou  dost  change  thy  food  by  chewing  it.  If  anything 
will  be  turned  into  what  it  is  not,  surely  it  must  cease  to  be  what  it 
is — when  wood  is  turned  into  fire  it  is  perforce  no  longer  wood.  If 
thou  shalt  be  changed,  as  it  were,  into  God  thou  must  cease  to  be 
thyself. 

Again,  our  Lord  says:  "He  that  eatheth  Me,  the  same  shall  live  by 
Me."  Hence,  if  thou  wouldst  gain  the  life  of  Jesus,  thou  must  receive 
the  blessed  Sacrament  often,  for  thereby  the  old  Adam  within  thee 
shall  be  wholly  destroyed.  As  the  forces  of  nature  fill  our  veins  with 
the  strength  that  is  in  our  food,  making  it  one  thing  with  ourselves, 
so  shall  the  divine  food  entirely  change  thee  into  itself.  Thou  shalt 
know  if  this  is  done,  if  after  receiving  this  Sacrament  thou  feelest 
thy  heart  wholly  detached  from  whatever  is  not  God.  And  this  new 
life  within  thee  will  work  outwardly  and  be  manifested  in  thy  conduct 
and  actions  and  conversation.  This  adorable  Sacrament  separates 
all  that  is  bad,  profitless  and  superfluous,  casting  it  all  out  of  the  soul ; 
and  then  God  enters  into  all  one's  life,  love,  thought,  intention,  making 
all  newer,  cleaner  and  more  divine. 

This  Sacrament  cures  a  man's  inner  blindness  and  gives  him  to 
know  himself,  teaching  him  how  to  turn  away  from  self  and  all  created 
things.  Thus  says  the  wise  man :  "With  the  bread  of  life  and  under- 
standing, she  shall  feed  him"  (Eccli.  xv:3).  This  divine  food  so 
changes  a  man  into  itself,  that  his  whole  life  is  regulated  by  God.  He 
is  led  by  God,  he  is  changed  by  God,  through  this  food.  Therefore,  if 
a  man  goes  to  Communion  and  still  remains  empty  of  heart,  vain  and 
arrogant,  his  demeanor  frivolous,  if  he  be  yet  addicted  to  fine  clothes, 
fond  of  amusements — if,  I  say,  he  wilfully  adheres  to  these  defects, 
then  his  going  to  Communion  is  a  perilous  thing.  Better  a  thousand 
times  that  he  stayed  away.  He  goes  to  confession,  indeed,  but  he  does 
not  give  up  the  occasions  of  sin.   Not  the  Pope  himself  can  forgive  the 


372  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

sins  of  an  impenitent  man ;  yet  such  a  one  goes  to  the  altar  along  with 
the  rest. 

Prudent  confessors  will  tell  each  one  how  often  he  should  receive 
Communion,  some  every  week,  others  every  month ;  and  these  should 
be  able  to  spend  a  week  before  and  after  each  Communion  very  piously. 
Yea,  yea,  and  nay,  nay,  should  be  their  guileless  rule  of  life,  besides 
much  moderation  at  their  morning  and  evening  meals.  Others,  again, 
may  receive  Communion  at  the  great  festivals,  and  some  at  Easter. 
These  will  do  little  enough  if  they  spend  all  Lent  in  preparation.  And 
some,  alas,  should  never  approach  the  holy  table  as  long  as  they  have 
no  grief  for  their  sins  nor  any  firm  purpose  of  amendment  of  life — 
such  a  one  would  make  himself  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Children,  you  know  not  how  serious  a  matter  this  is,  for  some  seem 
to  think  going  to  Communion  a  sort  of  recreation.  But  I  assure  you 
that  it  is  a  matter  of  life  and  death  as  to  what  diligence  one  exercises 
in  preparing  for  this  Sacrament.  Any  man  who  neglects  the  teaching 
of  the  Church's  ministry  in  this  matter  of  preparing  for  Communion^ 
falls  into  a  state  of  the  greatest  possible  danger.  There  is  a  class, 
besides,  who  will  go  to  Comunion  weekly,  often  actuated  by  no  spirit 
of  devotion  nor  moved  by  any  divine  impulse,  but  rather  out  of  mere 
custom,  or  because  they  see  others  going.  No,  no — let  none  yield 
to  such  a  tendency.  If,  however,  a  man  would  approach  the  altar 
weekly  out  of  gladness  of  heart  towards  God,  and  with  reverent  fear, 
and  in  order  to  strengthen  his  soul  against  damnation — by  no  means 
to  put  on  airs  of  perfection — a  man,  in  fact,  who  is  of  good  life  and 
carefully  guarded  against  the  occasions  of  sin,  then  let  him  do  it, 
after  obtaining  the  counsel  of  his  father  confessor.  Let  me  tell  you 
this:  if  I  found  a  man  who  had  been  a  vile  sinner,  and  who  now  has 
given  up  his  vices  and  turned  to  God  with  all  his  heart,  I  had  rather 
give  him  Communion  every  day  for  half  a  year,  than  do  so  a  single 
time  to  a  half-hearted  and  lukewarm  man.  For  1  believe  that  thereby 
I  should  drive  the  world  out  of  my  poor  penitent's  heart. 

I  have  shown  you  the  reasons  why  the  holy  Sacrament  does  these 
tepid  men  so  little  good — men  who  once  had  some  trace  of  God  in 
them,  and  who  now  after  Communion  remain  cold-hearted.  One  rea- 
son is  a  secret  sin,  a  deed  of  inner  or  outer  wickedness.  Perhaps  it 
is  the  sin  of  unguarded  speech.  The  harm  thereby  done  is  often 
incalculable — attend  to  that,  for  God's  sake,  or   you    will  come    to- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  373 

nothing.     Another  reason  is  going  to  Communion  not  out  of  real  love 
but  from  custom. 

Now  there  are  some  customs  that  are  really  good,  such  as  that  of 
staying  home  in  one's  interior  self  after  Communion,  the  lack  of 
which  does  much  harm,  and  hinders  the  realizing  of  the  good  effects 
of  this  heavenly  food.  The  immediate  fruits  of  Communion  are  per- 
ceptible for  three  or  four  days,  if  one  will  but  advert  devoutly  to  them. 
Dwelling  with  one's  interior  self  sweetly  and  happily,  one  will  not  fail 
to  experience  them,  no  matter  in  what  circumstances  he  may  be  placed 
or  in  what  company,  as  long  as  he  avoids  as  much  as  possible  what 
hinders  his  soul's  solitude.  Be  sure  that  if  thou  keepest  faithfully  to 
thyself,  the  holy  Sacrament  will  keep  thee  company  and  work  its  way 
in  thee,  changing  thee  into  a  noble  being.  Any  priest  whatsoever  will 
serve  thee  for  receiving  this  Sacrament,  and  it  may  happen  to  be  better 
for  thee  than  for  himself.  And  every  time  thou  hearest  mass  thou 
shouldst  cherish  a  longing  for  Communion,  a  practice  which  tends  to 
train  one's  thoughts  towards  God.  And  may  God  grant  us  that  we 
may  all  worthily  receive  this  adorable  Sacrament.    Amen. 


374  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


g!jB)}OBttuitt0  for  ^oi^  (Somitmntiin 

Synopsis — The  four  requisites  according  to  St.  Dionysius:  freedom 
from  sin,  the  virtues  of  Christ,  devoted  to  divine  things,  and  peace- 
fully disposed — How  the  onslaughts  of  Satan  may  he  made  a  help 
— And  the  persecutions  of  men — Preference  of  divine  visitations 
over  self-chosen  austerities — Daily  communion — Spiritual  com- 
munion— The  holy  inner  silence  that  should  follow  communion — 
How  to  use  this  Sacrament  in  periods  of  inner  desolation. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  CORPUS  CHRISTI. 

He  that  eateth  My  flesh  and  drinketh  My  blood  abideth  in  Me  and  I  in  him. 
— John  vi,  57. 

Dear  children,  rightly  to  praise  the  holy  and  adorable  Sacrament  is 
beyond  the  power  of  the  tongues  and  hearts  of  men,  and  yet  to  that 
end  are  our  devotions  now  directed,  for  in  it  is  concentrated  all  our 
Joy,  all  our  hopes  of  salvation.  Let  us  avail  ourselves  of  St.  Bernard's 
words  (although  they  may  seem  somewhat  coarse  to  us),  as,  by  com- 
parison with  bodily  food,  he  tells  of  the  qualities  of  this  heavenly 
nourishment — of  the  chewing  and  the  swallowing,  the  digestion  and 
the  assimilating  of  the  Son  of  God.  Proud  men  and  subtle  minds  may 
not  be  pleased  with  such  figures  of  speech,  but  a  humble  spirit  always 
loves  simple  ways  of  explaining  divine  things.  Thus  says  our  Lord: 
"I  confess  to  Thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  because  Thou 
hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent  and  hast  revealed 
them  to  little  ones"  (Matt.  xi:25). 

Dear  children,  we  must  view  this  glorious  gift  of  God  with  both 
enlightened  reason  and  ardent  love.  How  humble  is  our  Lord,  to  thus 
give  Himself  to  us  under  such  lowly  appearances  as  bread  and  wine, 
so  that  all  may  partake  of  Him  just  as  they  do  of  their  ordinary  food. 
This  can  mean  nothing  else  than  His  purpose  to  press  in  so  close  to 
US,  to  sink  so  deep  within  us,  to  be  so  entirely  made  one  with  us  as 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  375, 

possibly  could  be — made  one  with  us  with  all  His  gifts  and  graces. 
He  might,  indeed,  have  chosen  to  come  to  us  with  greater  outward 
splendor,  as  He  does  sometimes  miraculously  appear  in  Communion, 
according  to  St.  Hildegrade.  He  was  once  seen  by  a  sister  of  our 
order  with  her  bodily  eyes,  lighting  up  priest  and  altar  with  indescrib- 
able splendor,  surrounded  by  His  glorious  angels,  whilst  He  imparted 
to  her  soul  the  most  beautiful  sentiments.  But  in  this  era  of  grace 
nothing  is  more  precious  to  us  than  receiving  this  adorable  Sacrament 
devoutly  and  humbly.  Nor  is  there  anything  more  frightful  than 
Communion  received  unworthily  or  without  preparation.  Hence, 
says  our  beloved  St.  Dionysius :  "Four  things  are  necesary  for  receiv- 
ing the  holy  Sacrament:  first,  to  be  free  from  all  sin;  second,  to  be 
clothed  with  the  virtues  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  third,  to  be  eman- 
cipated from  self  and  given  over  to  God ;  fourth,  to  be  God's  temple." 

As  to  being  free  from  sin :  that  means  clear  knowledge  of  one's  sins, 
then  Sacramental  confession  of  them  and  acceptance  and  performance 
of  the  penance  imposed  according  to  the  rules  of  holy  Church.  After 
that  let  a  man  interiorly  sigh  for  a  perfect  knowledge  of  his  sinfulness, 
a  spiritual  exercise  of  far  more  benefit  than  vacantly  reciting  vocal 
prayers.  In  addition  to  this  one  must  have  a  firm  purpose  of  amend- 
ment, including  a  determination  to  avoid  all  occasions  of  sin  in  the 
future.  These  dispositions  being  posessed,  one's  soul  is  set  free  from 
sin.  The  second  is  to  possess  the  virtues  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
namely,  mildness,  obedience,  purity  of  intention,  patience,  gentleness 
and  mercy,  readiness  to  be  silent,  and  love  for  all  men,  friends  and 
enemies,  good  and  bad,  for  the  sake  of  God.  The  third  is  emancipa- 
tion from  self  and  subjection  to  God.  This  means  that  having  become 
possessed  of  the  virtues  of  Christ,  one  cultivates  peacefulness  of  soul 
in  God's  inner  presence.  Then  it  is  that  one  experiences  the  meaning 
of  our  Lord's  words:  "He  that  eatheth  My  flesh  and  drinketh  My 
blood  abideth  in  Me  and  I  in  him."  One  should  with  carefulness 
preserve  this  peace,  allowing  himself  never  to  be  disturbed  by  any 
word  or  deed,  for  it  must  not  be  mistaken  for  any  natural  state  of 
restfulness,  but  rather  the  inward  peace  that  belongs  to  God's  Spirit 
alone,  extending  to  all  sorrow  and  joy,  all  things  natural  and  spiritual. 
For  in  so  far  as  a  man  is  in  God  truly,  just  so  securely  is  he  placed  in 
quietness  of  soul ;  and  in  so  far  as  he  is  out  of  God,  so  is  he  in  unrest, 
And  when  he  has  thus  entered  essentially  upon  peace,  he  becomes  the 
temple  of  God  in  very  truth,  for  the  abode  of  God  is  in  peace.    Thereby 


378  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

does  he  attain  to  the  fourth  holy  state  spoken  of  by  St.  Dionysius,  in 
which  God  inspires  all  this  man's  works,  he  being  now  only  God's 
instrument  for  both  his  interior  and  exterior  activity. 

But  let  us  again  consider  St.  Bernard's  words  about  receiving  our 
Lord  in  holy  Communion :  "As  we  have  eaten  Him,  in  like  manner 
shall  we  be  eaten  by  Him."  Now  by  the  word  eating  he  means — as  we 
have  already  said — the  punishment  and,  as  it  were,  the  biting  which 
the  Lord  inflicts  on  our  conscience,  and  which  He  causes  all  created 
things  to  inflict  upon  it.  Herein  does  a  man  find  himself  hunted  like 
a  wild  animal  that  the  emperor's  huntsmen  pursue,  in  order  that  their 
master  can  capture  him.  We  know  that  the  emperor  is  better  pleased 
to  have  the  animal  resist  so  that  the  hounds  shall  bite  and  tear  him, 
rather  than  if  he  meekly  submitted.  Dear  children,  the  eternal  God 
is  the  divine  monarch  who  will  possess  Himself  of  our  hunted  souls, 
and,  as  it  were,  feed  upon  them.  His  dogs  are  the  evil  spirits,  who 
pursue  and  bite  the  soul  with  many  unclean  temptations.  Again  they 
assail  the  soul  with  pride,  avarice  and  various  other  evil  suggestions; 
now  from  one  side,  again  from  another,  striving  to  throw  him  into 
despondency  and  excessive  sadness.  I  say  to  thee,  stand  thy  ground. 
Nothing  of  this  can  hurt  thee.  If  thou  shalt  ever  succeed  in  the 
spiritual  life  thou  must  thus  be  hunted. 

But  besides  the  evil  spirits,  this  world  and  thy  fellowmen  will  hunt 
thee  with  their  injurious  words  and  their  false  accusations.  And  yet 
further  thy  own  imperfection,  thy  tendency  to  yield  to  corrupt  nature, 
will  assail  thee.  And  thus  is  a  man  hunted  and  driven  by  everything 
that  is  bad,  if  he  is  ever  going  to  acquire  patience  by  true  humility 
and  mildness  in  all  things  of  soul  and  body.  Meanwhile  he  must  culti- 
vate a  merciful  and  forgiving  feeling  for  those  dreadful  men  who  have 
thus  persecuted  him,  scofl'ed  at  him,  tortured  him,  despised  him,  and 
maligned  him  to  others  as  a  wicked  man.  Let  him  now  cry  out  from 
a  heart  all  full  of  love:  O  eternal  Lord  and  God  of  all  creatures!  Have 
pity  upon  them  and  upon  me.  Thus  pray  to  God.  Also  be  on  thy 
guard  by  thy  very  soul  lest  thou  endeavor  to  escape  from  thy  trials — 
as  if  by  running  away  from  thy  hunters  across  hedges  and  through  the 
woods:  our  wild  animal  keeps  to  the  straight,  smooth  road  that  lies 
before  him,  nor  does  he  bite  back  at  his  hunters  nor  bellow  at  them. 

Now  the  heavenly  Father  has  His  hunting  hounds  everywhere — in 
convents  and  monasteries,  in  our  homes   and  in   cities,  and  in   the 


cf  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  377 

forests;  and  you  may  be  certain  that  all  chosen  friends  of  God  are 
going  to  be  sorely  hunted  by  all  created  things.  As  the  hart  is  driven 
by  the  hunters,  tormented  with  thirst,  so  must  thou  be  driven  on  till 
thou  findest  thy  refuge  in  God.  To  make  us  thirst  for  God  alone  in 
time  and  in  eternity — that  is  the  divine  purpose  in  allowing  us  men 
to  be  thus  hunted,  each  one  according  to  his  special  circumstances  of 
life.  Go  forward,  then,  in  all  humility,  patience  and  mildness,  for 
without  doubt  thou  shalt  at  last  come  to  our  Savior's  sweet  fountains, 
which  will  refresh  thee  beyond  the  power  of  words  to  describe.  Once 
thou  hast  truly  gained  His  refuge,  thou  shalt  attain  the  highest  perfec- 
tion, and  then  will  How  into  thy  spirit  all  those  noble  virtues  of  which 
we  have  already  treated,  humility,  merciful  sympathy,  divine  love 
for  God  and  thy  neighbor. 

Ah,  dear  children,  how  sad  it  is  that  the  universal  virtue  of  love  of 
God  is  quenched  out  of  the  world,  gone  from  all  states  of  life.  If  we 
could  find  a  man  pui'suing  the  course  of  divine  love,  we  ought  to  revere 
liiin  above  all  others,  no  matter  what  his  condition  in  life.  All  crea- 
tures should  do  him  service,  for  he  has  gained  the  eternal  inheritance 
of  the  heavenly  Father.  And  yet  God  sometimes  withdraws  His 
comfort  from  these  elect  souls,  because  He  thereby  advances  them 
still  further  in  virtue;  they  must  yet  again  be  willing  to  be  hunted 
by  all  creatures,  suffering  in  silence  and  in  self-abnegation,  com- 
plaining by  no  word  or  action. 

i^uch  an  immolation  of  the  soul  to  God  is  more  pleasing  to  Him,  and 
is  more  valued  b^'  all  choice  spirits,  than  any  kind  of  self-chosen 
means  of  perfection,  such  as  fasting,  vigils,  reciting  prayers — yea,  or 
a  thousand  strokes  of  the  discipline  every  day,  although  it  all  be  done 
for  God's  sake.  The  reason  is  because  the  trials  sent  by  God  work 
their  good  effects  in  the  inner  depths  of  thy  soul — and  there  it  is  that 
God  must  be  united  to  thee  in  very  truth.  Stand  this  test  bravely, 
and  God  will  make  thee  worthy  to  partake  of  His  heavenly  nourish- 
ment in  holy  Communion  as  often  as  thy  soul  desirest,  were  it  even  as 
often  as  every  day.  For  the  High  Priest  of  eternal  truth  would  thus 
permit,  since  He  has  at  heart  in  everything  He  does  for  thee  thy  wel- 
fare for  time  and  for  eternity. 

How  perilous  a  thing  for  a  man  to  approach  this  holy  table  unpre- 
pared and  unworthy,  especially  if  he  be  absorbed  in  the  love  of  crea- 
tures living  or  dead,  and  unwilling  freely  to  give  them  up  for  the  love 
of  God.     How  different  is  it  with  the  soul  that  gladly  gives  up  every 


378  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

creature  of  God  for  God's  own  sake,  as  far  as  he  is  conscious  of  loving 
them  and  realizes  that  God  would  wean  him  from  them.  Such  a  one, 
entirely  resigned  to  God's  chastening  hand,  wholly  willing  to  be 
hunted  by  God  and  by  all  created  things,  is  furnished  with  the  great 
virtue  of  holy  patience.  If  thou  art  such  a  one,  then  the  oftener  thou 
receivest  Christ  the  better  for  thee. 

Art  thou  conscious  that  God's  work  of  purification  is  increasing 
within  thee,  and  that  thy  soul  is  being  softened  to  its  influences  and 
humbled  beneath  God's  hand  in  real  detachment?  Dost  thou  perceive 
an  increase  of  the  love  of  God  in  thee?  Dost  thou  also  perceive  the 
lessening  and  the  quenching  of  thy  desires  after  earthly  things,  with  an 
increase  of  childlike  and  reverent  fear  of  God?  Are  these  thy  disposi- 
tions in  very  truth?  Then  the  wide  world  does  not  possess  a  more 
profitable  thing  for  thy  soul  than  to  receive  the  body  and  blood  of  our 
dear  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Dost  thou  inquire  how  often  ?  St.  Ambrose, 
in  commenting  on  the  words,  "Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread,"  takes 
them  to  mean  daily  Communion.  But  where  shall  we  find  a  priest  so 
kind  as  to  allow  us  to  be  daily  communicants?  But  be  not  distressed 
if  thy  priest,  dear  child,  shall  refuse  thee  this  privilege.  Earnestly 
endeavor  to  maintain  thy  detachment  of  spirit,  keep  thy  soul  in  quiet 
peace,  fall  back  upon  the  thought  of  thy  own  nothingness,  and  mean- 
while do  not  doubt  but  that  the  Lord  will  grant  thee  in  compensation 
spiritual  gifts  greater,  perhaps,  than  those  which  thou  wouldst  have 
received  in  the  holy  Sacrament.  Eat  and  drink  of  Him  spiritually 
and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  even  then  His  words  will  be  true:  "He 
that  eateth  My  flesh  and  drinketh  My  blood,  abideth  in  Me  and  I  in 
him."  This  kind  of  dwelling  in  Him  is  one  of  the  degrees  of  holiness 
granted  by  this  Sacrament. 

And  there  are  yet  two  more  degrees,  both  of  them  higher  and  more 
glorious  than  any  we  have  yet  spoken  of.  By  one  we  receive  graces 
of  both  knowledge  and  feeling,  bestowing  on  us  the  emptying  of  self 
unto  its  annihilation.  The  other  is  feeling  without  knowledge,  an 
oppression  of  spirit  bom  of  this  annihilation ;  for  in  proportion  as 
selfhood  possesses  us,  just  in  that  degree  must  our  anguish  be  bitter 
and  sore. 

Thus  does  St.  Bernard  teach  us,  when  he  says  that  we  must  be  con- 
sumed as  food  by  God  in  our  process  of  detachment.  For  as  food 
suflfers  a  change  into  something  not  itself,  so  must  we,  if  we  would  be 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  379 

truly  united  to  God.  All  our  preferences  and  our  activities  and  our 
acquisitiveness  and  selfhood  must  be  destroyed.  Nothing  less  than 
this  can  happen  to  us,  for  two  rival  existences  cannot  be  united  into 
one,  of  that  we  may  be  sure.  If  heat  enters  in  cold  must  go  out.  If 
God  enters  in  all  created  life  that  is  not  sanctified  must  go  out,  and  all 
created  proprietorship.  If  God  really  acts  in  thee,  thou  must  rest  in 
a  passive  state,  all  thy  powers  being  stripped  of  their  own  activity, 
their  own  initiative,  placed  in  self-renunciation  and,  as  it  were 
resting  in  their  own  nothingness.  The  more  perfect  is  that  sense  of 
thy  own  nothingness,  the  truer  and  the  more  essential  is  thy  union 
with  God.  See  the  annihilation  of  self  that  happened  to  the  adorable 
soul  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  If  it  were  possible  (as  it  is 
not)  that  any  man  could  show  the  same  in  his  soul,  his  union  with  God 
would  be  the  same. 

If  God  shall  truly  speak  within  thy  soul,  then  all  thy  soul's  powers 
must  sit  in  silence.  This  is  not  a  case  of  doing  but  of  undoing.  If 
bodily  food  shall  be  changed  into  the  natural  man,  it  must  be  first 
annihilated  out  of  its  own  self  and  be  made  totally  unlike  itself,  as  if 
it  had  never  been  the  food  that  once  it  was.  If  this  be  true  of  the  food 
of  our  natural  life,  it  is  a  thousand  times  more  true  of  the  food  of 
our  spiritual  life.  But,  dear  children,  I  must  tell  you  that  hurt  is 
herein  done  by  the  interference  of  the  human  reason,  which  too  often 
insists  on  having  a  share  in  this  divine  work,  wanting  to  know  all 
about  it,  and  refusing  to  be  willingly  undone  by  God.  Be  on  your 
guard  against  this;  I  warn  you  for  God's  sake  and  for  the  sake  of  your 
eternal  welfare.  And  if  frequently  receiving  the  holy  Sacrament  be 
an  aid  to  thee  in  yielding  willingly  to  God,  thou  mayst  receive  it,  even 
two  or  three  times  a  week.  But  do  not  run  to  it  over  eagerly,  espe- 
cially when  thou  art  conscious  that  God  is  interiorly  leading  thee  to 
the  degree  of  self-renunciation  proper  for  the  best  effects  of  Com- 
munion. 

Dear  child,  thou  must  know  that  a  soul  so  placed  feels  an  intolerable 
inward  woe  in  its  self-destitution,  so  that  the  whole  earth  seems  too 
narrow  for  it,  until  it  is  at  loss  to  know  what  ails  it,  so  bitter  is  the 
oppression  upon  it,  for  God  seems  gone  from  it  never  to  return.  It 
is  all  caused  by  the  self-surrender  to  God:  it  is  a  dreadful  thing  to 
wish  not  to  die  and  yet  be  compelled  truly  to  die  to  oneself.  In  this 
state  St.  Paul's  words  about  the  holy  Sacrament  are  applicable  to 


380  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

the  soul  itself:  "As  often  as  you  shall  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  the 
chalice,  you  shall  show  the  death  of  the  Lord  until  He  come"  (I  Cor. 
xi:  26).  This  showing  of  the  Lord's  death  is  not  simply  in  words  tell- 
ing of  the  actual  fact  of  His  decease — that  is  no  difficult  thing.  No ; 
it  is  rather  to  show  the  Lord's  death  in  the  dying  of  the  soul  to  itself 
by  the  power  of  His  death.  And  this  is  hindered  by  three  things,  all 
of  which  thou  must  overcome.  One  is  clinging  too  selfishly  to  the 
adorable  Sacrament;  the  second,  clinging  in  the  same  spirit  to  God's 
word;  and  the  third,  over-attachment  to  thy  own  chosen  devotional 
practices.  For  in  truth  everything  that  might  be  a  help  to  thee  in 
ordinary  circumstances  may  during  this  trial  be  turned  into  a 
hindrance.  Ah,  dear  child,  if  in  this  thy  time  of  anguish  thou  wouldst 
but  make  up  thy  mind  willingly  to  suffer,  and  positively  resist  the 
tendency  to  break  away  from  the  visitation  of  God,  that  would  avail 
thee  more  than  all  that  thou  couldst  possibly  do.  And  that  is  just  the 
trouble;  for  many  a  one  runs  about  from  one  counsellor  to  another, 
vainly  seeking  comfort,  and  therefore  remains  uncomforted  by  the 
eternal  truth.  Stand  fast  and  be  patient,  and  the  very  essence  of  that 
eternal  truth  will  be  born  within  thee. 

One  cannot  express  the  harm  that  is  done  souls  by  yielding  to 
nature's  weakness,  and  seeking,  while  in  this  process  of  purification,  to 
be  relieved  from  the  inner  distress  that  accompanies  it.  Reason  rises 
up  within  thee  and  demands  an  object  for  its  activity ;  and  it  says  to 
thee:  Alas,  what  art  thou  about?  Hast  thou  no  end  in  life?  Thou 
art  neglecting  thyself  in  everything.  And  then  thou  fanciest  that 
thou  must  say  prayers;  and  forthwith  the  evil  spirit  says:  What  art 
thou  doing  here?  Thou  art  wasting  thy  time;  thou  shouldst  be  en- 
gaged in  some  good  work ;  get  up  at  once  and  set  to  work.  After  that 
come  rude  men  with  their  favorite  pious  devices,  and  these  say  to  thee : 
My  dear  man,  what  art  thou  about?  Thou  shouldst  go  to  Church 
and  listen  to  God's  word.  Now  let  me  remind  thee  that  all  these  are 
God's  hunting  dogs,  and  thou  thyself  art  a  hunting  dog  teasing  and 
barking  at  thyself  along  with  them,  and  saying  to  thyself:  What  ails 
thee  to  be  wandering  about  this  way? — thou  shouldst  receive  the  holy 
Communion. 

Now  children,  while  one  is  thus  interiorly  tried  he  should  not  ex- 
pect to  be  relieved  by  the  holy  Sacrament.  If  thou  camest  to  me  for 
advice  about  going  to  Communion  while  thus  suffering,  I  should  cross- 
question  thee  to  discover  whether  it  were  God  moving  thee  thereto,  or 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  381 

only  an  impulse  of  nature,  or  the  force  of  pious  custom.  If  nature  or 
custom  guided  thee,  then  I  would  refuse  to  allow  thee  to  receive  Com- 
munion, unless,  indeed,  thou  wert  reduced  to  a  state  of  misery  simply 
unbearable.  Then,  indeed,  once  or  twice  a  week  thou  mightst  receive 
Communion ;  but  not  to  relieve  thee  of  thy  distress — rather  to 
strengthen  thee  in  bearing  it. 

God's  generation  within  thee  shall  never  take  place — be  sure  of 
that — until  thou  hast  passed  through  this  agony.  Whatever  gives 
thee  relief,  that  same  and  not  God  is  born  in  thee.  Be  sure  that  thy 
distressed  nature  had  rather  journey  to  Kome  than  patiently  suffer 
this  trial  to  the  bitter  end — a  trial  of  far  greater  advantage  than  any 
other  possible  gift;  for  it  is  better  to  suffer  than  to  labor.  And  some- 
times this  poor  man  calls  to  mind  his  former  sweetness  of  devotion  at 
Communion  and  while  hearing  the  word  of  God,  and  afflicted  nature 
would  gladly  enjoy  that  comfort  again.  But  it  has  been  withdrawn, 
and  to  that  withdrawal  the  soul  must  submit  in  its  inmost  depths, 
in  misery,  in  death — yea,  a  death  more  bitter  to  nature  than  any  other 
death. 

But,  dear  children,  thou  must  not  misunderstand  me,  as  if  I  had 
forbidden  thee  the  Sacrament  and  the  word  of  God.  Thou  art  aware 
that  in  the  first  two  degrees  nothing  is  more  profitable  to  a  blessed, 
a  divine  life  than  Communion  and  sermons — these  stand  above  all  else. 
Only  this :  in  the  present  degree  of  God's  dealing  with  the  soul,  every- 
thing that  ordinarily  helps  the  soul  is  liable  to  become  a  hindrance. 
For  in  seeking  help  the  soul,  as  it  were,  turns  its  back  on  God  and 
seems  to  say  to  Him :  I  will  not  go  by  Thy  guidance,  but  I  will  go  by 
my  own — and  that  is  to  our  Lord  as  if  He  were  crucified  again ;  for  His 
adorable  will  cannot  now  be  effectuated  in  that  soul-.  Alas,  that  this 
incalculable  benefit  should  be  lost  to  that  soul,  simply  because  it  will 
not  yield  itself  up  to  suffer  the  want  of  all  comfort  in  body  and  in 
spirit. 

And  now  let  us  consider  these  words  of  St.  Bernard :  "I  am  eaten  by 
God  when  I  am  transformed  by  Him ;  I  am  made  one  with  Him  when  I 
am  conformed  to  Him."  And  we  exclaim :  O  blessed  Father,  when 
shall  this  sorowful  state  of  soul  have  an  end? — with  all  its  undoing, 
and  anguish,  and  pain.  But  O  how  noble  an  end  that  shall  be,  when 
at  last  the  soul  is  made  over  again  and  new-formed  in  God,  united 
to  God.  St.  Paul  teaches  us  this,  having  himself  learned  it  in  the 
school  of  God,  in  the  third  heaven:  "But  we  all,  beholding  the  glory  of 


382  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

the  Lord  with  open  face,  are  transformed  into  the  same  image  from 
glory  to  glory,  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord"  (II  CJor.  iii:  18).  Therein 
does  God's  Spirit  draw  a  man  into  Himself,  changing  him  into  Him- 
self. We  have  already  recalled  that  St.  Augnstine  heard  God  speaking 
to  him:  "Thou  shalt  be  changed  into  Me,  not  I  into  thee."  As  to 
how  this  change  takes  place  the  man  himself  is  made  aware,  but  not 
by  any  manifold  way  of  knowing,  but  rather  in  a  very  simple  way, 
beyond  words  to  describe. 

You  should  also  know  that  there  are  men  who  are  only  in  the  first 
degree  of  those  who  follow  devout  practices,  and  to  whom,  neverthe- 
less, the  new  forming  of  soul  is  granted.  It  comes  as  in  a  flash  of 
supernatural  light,  sometimes  once  or  twice  a  week.  It  is  granted 
wholly  according  to  God's  merciful  will,  for  it  is  something  that  can- 
not be  merited.  Sometimes  it  comes  with  clear  knowledge,  at  other 
times  without  knowledge  and  in  darkness.  Such  a  man  is  left  in  a 
state  of  soul  all  wounded  by  love.  But  those  of  whom  we  treated 
above  are  fettered  by  love,  being  conformed  to  love  and  drawn  into  it, 
and  one  can  better  feel  this  condition  than  describe  it.  This  class 
is  made  up  of  men  wholly  self-abandoned,  perfectly  well  ordered — far 
beyond  spiritual  men  who  lack  this  divinely  established  degree  of 
holiness.  May  God  prepare  us  all  for  this  detachment  of  spirit.  May 
God  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  perfect  His  great 
work  within  us,  removing  all  hindrances.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  383 


ail|f  ii^tttt^  mh  fflnrtly  of  l^alg  (ttommuninn 

Synopsis — Difficulty  of  explaining  so  divine  a  gift — It  is  knoton  only 
to  very  detached  spirits — Various  comparisons  to  help  understand 
this — The  elimination  of  defectiveness  natural  and  acquired — 
Heretical  exaggerations — Delusions  of  certain  imperfect  communi- 
cants— Marvellous  results  of  careful  preparation  for  communion — 
Daily  communion  according  to  8t.  Augustine — Striking  comment 
on  a  passage  from  St.  Thomas. 


THIRD  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  CORPUS  CHRISTI. 

He  that  eateth  My  flesh,  and  drinketh  My  blood,  hath  everlasting  life,  and  I 
will  raise  him  up  in  the  last  day.  For  My  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  My  blood 
is  drink   indeed. — John  vi :  55,56. 

The  more  a  man  receives  from  God  the  more  is  he  a  debtor;  the 
greater  is  his  debt  of  thanks  and  praise,  honor  and  service  to  God.  All 
devout  practises  lead  to  God  and  prepare  the  way  for  Him,  so  that  a 
man  may  at  last  come  to  God  and  be  in  Him.  and  herein  is  the  holy 
Sacrament  both  the  end  and  the  reward,  for  it  gives  us  God  without 
intermediary.  It  unites  a  man  to  God  directly,  in  simple  unity — the 
most  adorable  and  superessentially  divine  of  all  gifts, far  surpassing  all 
others.  The  celebration  of  Holy  Thursday  is,  therefore,  not  enough  for 
us,  for  Easter  Sunday  comes  too  soon  afterwards.  Hence  has  holy 
Church  remedied  this  difficulty  by  calling  us  to  celebrate  this  festival 
of  Corpus  Christi  with  all  possible  thankfulness,  praise  and  love. 

"My  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  My  blood  is  drink  indeed."  If  under- 
stood as  an  outward  ceremony,  this  Sacrament  is  but  drinking  and 
eating  wine  and  bread ;  and  thus  one  knowfe  nothing  of  the  unspeakable 
sweetness,  the  heavenly  fruit,  hidden  in  the  Sacrament.  The  food  of 
our  bodies  is  dead  matter,  and  gets  its  life  from  the  man  who  eats  it, 
who  thereby  gives  it  a  noble  destiny.  But  this  sacramental  food  is 
living  bread;  it  is  the  very  essence  of  life,  and  all  who  are  fed  by  it 
receive  from  it  everlasting  life — as  our  Lord  teaches :  "He  that  eateth 


384  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

My  flesh  and  drinketh  My  blood,  hath  everlasting  life."  And  as  He 
spoke  these  words,  many  of  His  friends  went  away  from  Him;  they 
did  not  understand  what  He  meant.  "This  saying  is  hard,  and  who  can 
bear  it,"  they  said.  They  understood  Him  only  in  the  outward  way 
of  the  senses,  and  that  was  why  they  left  Him,  whereas  in  truth  this 
gift  is  far  above  the  senses,  for  the  food  that  is  given  and  the  giver 
of  the  food  are  one. 

Three  things  may  here  be  considered.  One  is  the  pre-eminent  dignity 
of  this  food;  the  second,  its  inestimable  worth  to  all  who  worthily 
receive  it;  the  third  has  reference  to  the  preparation  one  should  make 
for  this  divine  banquet.  Now  in  speaking  of  all  this,  as  God's  grace 
guides  me,  I  am  at  a  loss  for  words,  or  even  thoughts ;  for  this  marvel- 
ous Sacrament  surpasses  all  grasp  of  human  reason,  aye  even  angelic 
thoughts.  Dear  children,  only  a  perfectly  detached  man,  one  given 
over  wholly  to  the  interior  life,  can  rightly  understand  and  inwardlv 
taste  the  meaning  of  the  holy  Sacrament.  But  even  he  could  not  frame 
right  words  for  its  description,  for  sense  and  reason  are  wholly  at 
fault  in  its  contemplation.  And  yet,  alas,  we  find  not  a  few  seemingly 
spiritual  persons,  who,  from  childhood  to  old  age,  rest  in  themselves; 
they  are  engaged  in  multiform  religious  activity,  and  yet  know  nothing 
of  the  real  nature  of  this  precious  treasure,  never  enjoy  the  real  taste 
of  this  holy  food,  however  often  they  may  partake  of  it.  It  can  not 
be  otherwise  with  them,  because  they  receive  the  Sacrament  absorbed 
in  the  life  of  the  outward  senses. 

Whosoever  would  know  the  dignity  of  this  marvelous  banquet,  must 
be  a  man  detached  and  set  free  from  created  things,  and  given  up  to 
the  interior  life.  But  this  must  not  be  misunderstood.  I  do  not  mean 
that  one  must  literally  separate  himself  from  his  state  of  life  in  order 
rightly  to  communicate,  nor  adopt  aay  peculiar  ways  and  customs. 
Some  think  that  when  they  cannot  do  the  like  of  that  they  must  give 
over,  and  therefore  they  turn  away  from  Communion.  Do  not  thou 
act  thus,  dear  child;  do  not  imagine  that  this  supreme  good  of  our 
life  cannot  be  fully  thine,  .because  thou  livest  in  a  secular  state  of 
life.  Only  be  earnest,  only  be  diligent  and  thou  shalt  possess  God  in 
this  Sacrament  without  at  all  interfering  with  the  duties  and  cus- 
toms of  thy  state  of  life.  Thou  must,  indeed,  acquire  a  true  knowledge 
of  thyself;  thou  must  keep  a  strong  guard  over  multiplicity  in  all 
thy  doings,  methods,  devotions,  for  these  should  be  mainly  engaged 
with  the  interior  life.     Seek  God  earnestly  in  thy  soul's  depths;  for 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  335 

this  end  leave  on  one  side,  as  far  as  possible,  certain  very  external 
devout  practices,  gathering  together  inwardly  thy  outer  senses  and 
thy  soul's  powers,  all  deep  sunken  in  the  soul. 

Children,  for  me  rightly  to  speak  of  and  you  rightly  to  understand 
the  dignity  of  this  Sacrament  is  not  possible.  We  could  not  under- 
stand the  dignity  of  Adam  as  he  stood  in  Paradise,  even  while  as  yet 
unendowed  with  grace,  but  only  full  of  the  sweetness  and  beauty  of 
guileness  nature.  How  then  can  our  poor  little  minds  comprehend 
what  takes  place  in  the  inmost  depths  of  the  soul,  as  it  becomes  united 
to  this  living  food,  changing  man  into  its  divine  self.  The  human  soul 
becomes  like  a  drop  of  water  lost  and  mingled  in  a  cask  of  wine;  like 
a  pane  of  glass  with  the  sunshine  pouring  through  it;  like  the  body 
united  to  the  soul  and  made  into  one  man,  one  being  with  it. 

By  this  union  our  spirit  is  elevated  above  all  its  natural  weakness 
and  is  cleansed  and  illuminated.    It  is  raised  above  its  natural  forces. 
It  is  penetrated  with  God.     It  is  led  away  from  itself  in  a  divine  man- 
ner, and  experiences  within  itself  the  divine  generation,  losing  mean- 
while its   native   incompatibility   with   God;   and   it   is   brought  to 
divine  unity.     Compare  this  union  to  that  of  fire  and  wood.     First  the 
dampness  and  greenness  is  consumed,  and  gradually  the  wood  grows 
hotter  and  hotter  till  it  is  made  like  unto  fire;  as  the  fire  approaches 
nearer  and  nearer  so  does  the  resemblance  increase,  until  in  one  short 
hour  the  fire  has  absorbed  the  substance  of  the  wood.     The  diflference 
between  the  fire  and  the  wood  is  gone,  for  the  wood  has  become  fire— 
the  two  are  not  simply  alike,  they  are  the  same  thing.     So  does  this 
spiritual  food  draw  out  of  the  soul  and  consume  all  difference,  chang- 
ing difference  into  resemblance,  and  changing  resemblance  into  unity. 
That  happens  to  an  enlightened  spirit,  losing  likeness  and  difference  in 
unity  with  God.     The  fire  of  divine  love  has  absorbed  all  the  soul's 
foulness,  all  its  unresemblance  to  God.     In  partaking  of  this  food  the 
soul  is  absorbed  and  lost  in  the  Godhead.     It  is  as  St.  Augustine 
heard  our  blessed  Lord  say:  "I  am  the  food  of  the  full-grown;  purify 
thyself  and  eat  Me;  thou  shalt  not  change  Me  into  Thee,  but  thou  shalt 
be  changed  into  Me." 

O  children,  before  this  shall  happen  nature  must  die  many  a  death. 
By  many  a  wild  and  desert  way  does  God  lead  the  soul  as  He  teaches 
It  to  die.  But,  O  children,  what  a  noble  life  is  bom  of  this  death- 
noble  and  Joyous  and  fruitful.  O  how  precious  a  thing  it  is  to  be  able 
thus  to  die.     You  know  well  enough  how  our  bodily  food  must  die  to 


386  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

itself  and  be  undone  before  it  is  absorbed  into  our  nature  and  united 
to  us,  undergoing,  so  to  speak,  many,  a  death  in  the  process,  ere  it  enters 
our  vitals  and  receives  a  new  existence,  entering  into  our  heart  and 
liver  and  the  organs  of  the  senses,  into  close  union  even  with  the 
reason  in  the  brain.  At  the  end  it  is  so  unlike  its  former  self  that  the 
sharpest  eye  could  not  perceive  any  resemblance,  nor  could  the  sub- 
tlest mind  detect  it.  We  know  it  to  be  the  same  food  in  substance, 
but  we  cannot  perceive  it  to  be  so  with  our  senses.  Much  less  can  we 
understand  how  in  this  Sacrament  our  soul  is  unmade  and  then 
remade  and  absorbed  into  divine  union,  itself  being  lost  so  entirely 
as  to  escape  our  power  of  understanding  it. 

Foolish  men  understand  this  in  a  fleshly  way,  affirming  that  they 
are  changed  into  divine  nature;  and  that  is  a  heresy,  false  and  wicked. 
For  after  the  very  highest  union  of  our  soul  with  God,  closest  and 
most  intimate,  the  divine  nature  and  essence  is  removed  to  a  height 
far  beyond  us,  higher  than  all  height.  That  is  a  divine  eminence  unto 
which  no  creature  can  ever  attain.  I^t  us  not  be  too  curious  about  the 
union  of  the  soul  with  God  in  the  holy  Sacrament.  Even  the  marvel- 
lous change  of  bodily  food  into  our  physical  system  is  beyond  the  keen- 
est search  of  our  mind,  so  noble  is  human  nature.  And  wilt  thou 
intrude  upon  the  hidden  ways  and  deepest  mysteries  of  the  union  of 
the  Sacrament  with  a  holy  soul,  superior  as  this  is  to  its  dull  and  cum- 
bersome body?  That  union  is  a  fathomless  mystery.  Give  up  thy 
disputations  about  it,  for  it  is  removed  far  from  thy  reach,  being 
hidden  in  the  depths  of  the  illuminated  soul  and  in  God. 

It  happens  to  some,  that  if  they  experience  the  sweetness  of  devotion 
two  or  three  times  a  day  at  their  prayers,  they  are  sure  that  all  goes 
well  with  them.  No,  children,  no — they  are  immeasurably  far  from 
what  they  fancy.  We  are  all  too  ready  to  involve  our  souls  in  the 
excessive  sweetness  of  the  grosser  kinds  of  spiritual  joy,  and  that  is 
evil  in  God's  sight  He  is  not  pleased  that  we  should  be  content  with 
the  trifles  of  the  spiritual  life.  Nothing  is  so  pleasing  to  God  as  to 
give  us  His  own  very  self,  and  that  in  the  best  and  highest  way. 
Therefore  we  should  go  forward  beyond  every  gift.  We  should  strive 
right  onward  with  all  our  senses,  powers,  longings — with  all  our 
heart — directly  to  God  Himself.  We  should  be  content  with  nothing 
less  than  God,  and  not  simply  in  sensible  mental  forma,  but  in  a  way 
that  is  supernatural.    This  leads  us  into  the  divine  depths,  for  one 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  j87 

can  never  attain  to  so  deep  a  place  in  God  bnt  that  a  deeper  depth 
opens  out  before  him. 

O  children,  many  men  do  themselves  incalculable  hurt  by  tarryinir 
a^id  their  senses'  life  and  in  prayer  using  only  the  lowest  facultiw 
of  their  souls.     Nothing,  therefore,  comes  of  their  spirituality:  any 
more  than  bodily  food  helps  head  and  heart  and  bodily  members  when 
It  lodges  imdigested  in  the  stomach.    The  food  must  change  its  nature 
or  no  good  comes  of  it.    We  shall  never  secure  the  real  good  of  this 
blessed  food,  to  eat  which  God  has  invited  us,  until  our  whole  interior 
life,  with  Its  powers  highest  and  lowest,  shall  be  conformed  to  God  and 
de  ivered  over  to  Him,  far  beyond  natural  effort,  with  single-hearted 
faith  living  m  good  works,  and  full  of  the  practice  of  virtue 

For  our  faith  must  not  be  a  mere  pretence,  but  must  be  shown  forth 
ki  our  life.    And  when  God  sees  that  a  man  can  do  no  more,  then  He 
Himself  comes  and  works  in  a  hidden  way  that  nature  knows  nothing 
of,  leading  the  soul  beyond  and  above  its  natural  ways.    These  aidB 
f  i^     .wu       ""^^  aproaches  the  adorable  Sacrament  best  prepared, 
and  with  the  most  devout  sentiments.     To  such  a  one  God  truly  gives 
Himself  m  a  personal  manner  and  esentially.    All  who  long  with  lov- 
ing hearts  to  attain  the  highest  perfection,  should  keep  themselves 
well  disposed  often  to  partake  of  this  living  bread.    Whosoever  feels 
withm  himself  an  increase  of  divine  love,  nor  yields  to  any  disregard 
or  belittling  of  spiritual  things,  the  oftener  such  a  one  commmiicates 
the  more  profitable  it  is.     St.  Augustine  plainly  shows  this.  "Whoso- 
ever feels  the  love  of  God  growing  within  him,  and  at  special  times 
knows  himself  to  be  not  unworthy  to  receive  the  Sacrament,  why 
should  he  not  be  made  worthy  to  receive  it  every  day?"    Worthiness 
does  not  ever  come  from  human  effort  or  deserving,  but  purely  from 
the  grace  and  merits  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  flowing  from  God  into 
our  souls.    And  if  this  happens  once  a  year,  or  monthly  or  weekly, 
why  shal   It  not  happen  daily,  as  long  as  a  man  yearns  for  it,  and  do4 
his  part  to  obtain  it?  >  v/^ 

nL^^'Z  l^""  '^.^'*''  ^'  """^^  ""^^  *^^°  ^'^  ^«^  ^  interior  man  to 
attain  his  best  spiritual  state.  I  make  bold  to  counsel  all  my  friends, 
that  If  God's  fear  does  not  lessen  within  them,  and  if  God's  love  grows^ 
within  them,  then  let  them  come  often  to  Communion.  Nothing  pre- 
pares fuel  for  the  fire  so  well  as  to  bring  it  close  up  to  the  fire.  Wet- 
ness and  hardness  gradually  yield  to  the  heat  as  the  closeness  of 


388  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

contact  continues,  until  at  last  the  fuel  is  like  the  fire,  and  then  it  is 
actually  turned  into  fire — all  in  proportion  as  the  fuel  is  apt  and  pre- 
pared. No  man  is  so  soaked  with  sin,  so  hard  and  perverse,  so  inclined 
to  the  wickedness  of  the  world  or  of  creatures,  but  that  this  fire  will 
communicate  its  heat  to  him,  melt  his  stony  heart,  and  make  him  a 
godly  man — supposing  he  receives  Communion  with  true  devotion, 
does  all  his  part  in  preparation,  and  will  keep  his  place  close  to  the 
divine  warmth. 

And  as  to  preparation,  none  is  better  than  what  God  Himself  gives. 
Suppose  that  to-morrow  is  to  be  some  high  festival ;  how  better  can  I 
prepare  to  celebrate  it  than  to  receive  to-day,  with  all  devotion,  the 
eternal  and  all-merciful  God  in  holy  Communion?  How  better  can  I 
honor  God  than  by  offering  God  His  own  very  self?  How  better  can 
I  give  a  new  life  to  my  imperfect  and  unspiritual  nature,  how  better 
baptize  anew,  as  it  were,  my  old  corrupt  nature,  than  to  receive  God's 
true  and  only  Son,  His  living  divine  flesh,  His  all  cleansing  blood.  His 
Holy  Spirit,  His  all-loving  heart  and  His  sweet  human  nature,  even 
the  Holy  Trinity  itself,  and  all  that  God  is  and  has  and  may  do? 
How  can  God  refuse  the  least  to  one  to  whom  He  has  promised  to  give 
the  greatest?  What  gift  is  too  great  for  Him  to  give  who  has  given 
Himself  wholly,  and  yet  wills  to  give  Himself  again.  God's  purpose  is 
not  gained  by  the  mere  outward  granting  of  the  Sacrament.  But 
rather  in  that  He  shall  be  with  this  child  of  the  human  race  according 
to  His  word:  "My  delights  are  to  be  with  the  children  of  men"  (Prov. 
viii:  31).  And  by  this  is  meant  men  of  loving  hearts  and  souls.  All 
this  have  I  spoken  to  you  by  the  grace  of  God ;  but  what  follows  is  the 
best  that  I  have  found  in  the  writings  of  the  masters. 

St.  Thomas  says:  "All  the  graces  which  our  Savior  Jesus  Christ  in 
His  humanity  brought  to  the  whole  world,  these  brings  He  to  each  par- 
ticular man  with  His  holy  body  and  blood.  And  He  grants  all  the 
fruit  of  His  death,  resurrection  and  ascension,  together  with  the  glory 
and  blessedness  of  His  holy  body  and  blood,  soul  and  divinity."  St. 
Thomas  thus  embraces  in  his  teaching  about  holy  Communion  the 
granting  of  every  grace  that  one  may  imagine.  Take  a  commonplace 
comparison,  for  worldly-minded  men  view  things  only  after  the  man- 
ner of  the  senses.  Suppose  a  mighty  monarch  to  whom  belonged  all 
the  riches,  dominion,  beauty  and  pleasures  of  all  mankind  taken 
together,  his  every  heart's  desire  gratified  perfectly;  suppose  him  to 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  389 

take  a  man  who  was  the  outcast  of  the  human  race,  covered  with  the 
scabs  of  leprosy,  offensive  with  foulest  odors,  blind  and  crippled,  and 
to  join  him  to  himself,  and  that  he  should  make  the  union  absolute, 
so  that  he  poured  into  this  miserable  man  his  own  glorious  heart,  head, 
hands,  feet  and  whole  being,  inner  and  outer,  poured  himself  thus 
wholly  into  this  man's  body,  so  that  the  body  and  the  members  that 
were  the  monarch's  have  now  become  the  unfortunate  man's  own  body 
and  members: — would  not  this  be  a  great  and  marvelous  act  of  love? 
But  a  thousand  times  greater,  incomprehensibly  greater,  is  the  loving 
union  that  God  gives  us  in  the  holy  Sacrament.  And  now  it  remains 
for  us  to  discourse  of  the  fruit  of  this  holy  Sacrament.  That  we  may 
well  succeed  in  that  task,  let  us  beg  our  beloved  Lord  to  remedy  our 
deficiencies  by  His  blessed  grace.     Amen. 


390  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


(SllF  Jrutt  0f  Ifulg  (Hommmtuin 

Synopsis — The  purification  of  the  heart  and  life  of  the  worthy  re- 
cipient— Grades  of  worthiness — Advantages  of  spiritual  commu/n- 
ion  to  highly  devout  souls — Venial  sins:  ihe  many  hindrancm 
they  place  in  the  way  of  the  fruitfulness  of  comm/union — A  dis- 
quisition on  venial  sins,  deliberate  and  indeliberate,  with  special 
reference  to  communion — Interior  spiritual  self-indulgence  is  the 
fault  of  spiritual  m^n — Ood's  painful  way  of  curing  this  fault — 
Effect  of  communion  in  relieving  souls  in  purgatory. 


FOURTH  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  CORPUS  CHRISTL 

For  My  fl^sh  is  meat  Indeed,  and  My  blood  is  drink  indeed. — John  vi,  56. 

Yesterday  I  spoke  of  the  dignity  of  the  holy  Sacrament  (thcwgh, 
indeed,  no  one  can  worthily  do  so) ;  of  its  benefits;  and  finally  of  the 
preparation  we  should  make  to  receive  it.  If  this  be  too  high  for  ub, 
yet  the  words  of  St.  Thomas,  which  I  quoted,  in  some  measure  aid  us — 
that  all  the  glory,  grace  and  happiness  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
brought  to  the  world  with  His  humanity,  living,  suffering,  dead,  risen 
again  and  ascending  into  heaven,  that  all  of  this  He  bestows  on  every 
single  man  witk  His  holy  body  and  blood.  There  is  no  imaginable 
grace  not  embraced  in  this  divine  gift.  Think  as  deep  or  as  high  or  aa 
interiorly  as  thou  mayst  in  thy  devotions,  whatever  thou  framest  by  thy 
own  powers  Is  all  nothing  compared  to  the  holy  Sacrament.  Other 
devotioHs  may  be  indeed  divine,  but  this  one  is  the  divinity  itself. 
Here  the  illuminated  man  is  changed  into  God,  as  St.  Augustine  was 
taught  by  our  Lord :  "Not  I  into  thee,  but  thou  into  Me." 

What  is  thy  pious  purpose?  Wilt  tho«  overcome  thy  failings,  win 
grace,  acquire  virtue,  consolation,  love?  Thou  shalt  find  all  here,  if 
thou  seekest  rightly.  If  a  man  had  lived  a  hundred  years,  and  had 
committed  a  hundred  mortal  sins  every  day,  and  if  God  should  but 
give  him  a  true  conversion  from  sin,  and  if  with  that  disposition  he 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  391 

should  go  to  holy  Communion,  then  it  would  be  but  a  little  thing  for 
our  Lord  to  forgive  him  all  his  sins  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  with 
this  blessed  gift  of  the  Sacrament — as  easy  as  to  blow  a  grain  of  dust 
from  off  His  hand.  Yes,  and  the  conversion  thus  wrought  could  be 
so  eflQcacious  that  every  penalty  and  penance  due  to  the  man's  sins 
should  be  at  once  remitted,  and  he  should  be  made  entirely  holy. 

In  the  city  of  Cologne  there  is  a  good  custom  of  receiving  the 
blessed  Sacrament  quite  often,  but  it  is  done  with  much  ditference  of 
dispositions.  Some  receive  it  sacramentally,  indeed,  but  not  spirit- 
ually nor  happily,  and  these  do  so  in  a  state  of  mortal  sin,  as  did 
Jndas.  Others  receive  it  both  sacramentally  and  spiritually  in  their 
souls,  and  yet  gain  little  comfort,  grace  or  fruit,  for  they  are  stained 
with  many  venial  sins,  and  communicate  without  preparation  and  in- 
devoutly.  A  third  class  receive  it  with  great  and  holy  fruit  and 
incalculable  advantage  to  their  souls.  A  fourth  class  receive  it  spir- 
itually without  actual  sacramental  communion — good  and  clean 
heai;ted  souls  full  of  holy  desires  for  Communion,  more  so,  perhaps, 
than  those  who  receive  sacramentally.  One  may  do  that  a  hundred 
times  a  day,  if  he  is  a  good  man,  and  in  any  place,  be  he  sick  or  well, 
whereas  once  a  day  is  all  he  could  receive  it  sacramentally.  This 
spiritual  Communion,  if  made  with  deep  desire,  secures  incalculable 
fruit  of  divine  grace.  Many  a  man,  receiving  this  Sacrament  in  his 
soul,  will  enjoy  it  in  life  eternal — supposing  him  to  be  free  from  grave 
sin.  But  not  so  if  the  priceless  treasures  of  holy  Communion  are  to 
him  not  in  the  depths  of  his  soul,  but  are  matters  of  outward  observ- 
ance, his  life  meanwhile  being  lukewarm,  being  full  of  venial  sins, 
and  graceless.  Then  is  the  soul  cold  and  barren  and  grace  inoperative, 
on  account  of  these  hindrances. 

What  then  are  the  hindrances  which  do  men  such  a  harm,  prevent- 
ing this  treasury  of  the  riches  of  earth  and  heaven  from  benefiting 
them? — a  misery  that  we  daily  behold  around  us.  Mark  well  that  it 
is  all  venial  sin  daily  committed.  This  it  is  that  cools  the  warmth  of 
love,  dissipates  the  heart's  affections,  lessens  devotion,  expels  the 
consolation  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  makes  God  a  strange  thing  to  the 
soul.  Venial  sins  do  not  destroy  the  grace  of  God,  but  this  harm  they 
do:  they  lay  the  soul  open  to  dangerous  occasions  of  losing  His  grace 
and  to  perilous  tendencies  to  mortal  sin.  And  these  sins  are  of  two 
kinds. 


392  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

One  kind  of  venial  sin  is  obstinate  and  continued  yielding  to  affec- 
tion for  created  things — affection  that  has  not  God  for  its  motive. 
Love  for  creatures  for  their  own  sake,  satisfaction  in  their  possession 
and  joy  in  them,  hinder  the  effects  of  Communion.  Children,  all  sensi- 
ble pleasures  in  created  things  enjoyed  wholly  apart  from  God  are 
venial  sins ;  and  these  sometimes  are  so  gross  that  ten  years  and  more 
of  the  fires  of  purgatory  will  not  atone  for  them,  if  one  dies  without 
having  done  proper  penance.  Of  course  this  means  that  such  affection 
for  creatures  is  for  their  own  sakes,  whereby  they  usurp  the  place  of 
God  in  our  heart,  hindering  His  supremacy  and  His  action  there. 
Hence  the  need  of  closely  observing  our  interior  life,  marking  all  dis- 
orderly inclinations  and  joys,  watching  our  self-satisfaction  in  what 
we  have  or  what  we  do. 

Ah,  children,  how  sad  a  state  of  transgression  is  this.  And  how 
commonly  do  we  meet  men  in  all  states  of  life,  eagerly  gathering 
together  all  they  can  of  this  world's  goods,  going  beyond  all  meas- 
ure. No  one  has  enough,  everyone  is  planning  to  get  more.  They 
build  great  houses,  adorn  them  foolishly  and  furnish  them  with  rare 
thmgs,  consulting  only  their  worldly  taste,  amassing  silver  table  serv- 
ice, rich  bodily  ornaments,  and  then  luxuriously  feasting.  Pleasure  is 
fheir  universal  aim,  and  venial  sins  are  their  regular  habit.  Their 
only  pain  is  that  they  have  so  little  of  what  they  covet.  They  run 
after  company  and  recreations  and  all  sorts  of  frivolity,  neither  seek- 
ing God  nor  thinking  of  Him,  and  of  course  never  finding  Him.  Ah, 
children,  how  close  are  these  to  mortal  sm  and  its  pitiable  ruin.  Ere 
they  think  of  it  they  fall  into  it  and  are  sunk  into  its  depths. 

Venial  sins,  therefore,  dear  children,  are  the  standard  obstacles  that 
prevent  men  from  receivng  the  graces  of  the  body  and  blood  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Yet  amid  all  this  each  one  has  his  own  particular 
devotions,  meantime  refusmg  to  give  up  his  dangerous  practices.  In 
Communion  they  feel  neither  God's  presence  nor  enjoy  His  consolation. 
They  leave  that  on  one  side,  clinging  to  their  own  consolation,  namely, 
the  love  of  the  creature.  And  yet  sometimes  they  spend  forty  of  fifty 
years  with  a  show  of  spirituality.  They  do  not  realize  what  their 
state  is,  but  it  is  a  serious  question  as  to  whether  or  not  they  are 
saved;  for  to  the  very  end  their  hearts  are  entangled  with  created 
things.  And  they  are  full  of  excuses:  I  must  have  such  and  such  a 
thing,  they  say ;  or,  that  will  do  me  no  harm ;  and  again :  this  is  not 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  393 

sinful.  They  thus  create  their  own  hindrances  to  grace,  until  the 
evil  goes  so  far  that  they  have  no  conscience  left  about  it.  These  pow- 
erful obstacles  are  built  up  like  a  wall  against  the  action  of  God  upon 
the  soul.  And  yet  the  soul  is  often  unconscious  of  them.  Such  a 
soul  may  do  what  it  pleases  to  better  its  condition :  so  long  as  it  is 
filled  with  the  love  of  created  things,  so  long  does  God  turn  away 
from  it. 

Besides  this  first  kind  of  obstacles,  namely,  wilful  venial  sins,  there 
is  the  other  kind  yet  to  consider.  These  are  venial  sins  of  weakness. 
There  are  men  who  are  by  no  means  enslaved  by  love  of  created 
things,  who  are  ever  ready  to  renounce  what  they  are  made  aware  is 
not  according  to  God,  whether  it  be  affection  for  friends  or  for  the 
goods  of  this  life,  and  who  are  nevertheless  not  careful  enough.  They 
are  not  suflSciently  guarded  against  their  natural  weaknesses.  They 
do  not  readily  enough  repress  anger,  or  it  may  be  pride,  sloth,  frivol- 
ous talk.  Nor  do  they  search  earnestly  after  the  causes  of  these 
defects,  such  as  excessive  talk,  excessive  mirth,  lack  of  restraint  of 
appetite  at  table,  too  great  absorption  in  wordly  occupations.  If  such 
venial  sins  are  due  to  ill  health,  or  happen  in  moments  of  forgetfulness, 
the  obstacle  to  grace  is  less  serious  than  when  they  are  more  deliberate. 

If  these  faults  occur  the  day  itself  of  Communion  or  the  day  before, 
the  harm  is  all  the  greater,  hindering  union  with  God,  distracting  the 
mind,  weakening  confidence,  making  the  soul  unresponsive  to  the 
light  and  the  sweetness  of  the  Sacrament.  If  the  faults  were  done 
yesterday  and  without  wilfulness,  and  I  sincerely  deplore  them  to-day 
at  my  Communion,  they  do  not  hurt  me  so  much  as  if  they  happened 
to-day,  for  the  bitterness  of  my  sorrow  cleanses  off  the  rust  of  my 
transgressions,  at  least  in  great  part.  It  is  different  when  one  frivol- 
ously yields  to  distractions  the  very  day  of  Communion,  chats  and 
gossips  freely,  is  over  occupied  with  secular  affairs ;  this  adds  obstacle 
to  obstacle  and  is  a  serious  harm.  But  yet  in  such  a  case  one  should 
not  omit  his  Communion,  for  he  does  not  sin  in  receiving,  and  his 
weakness  is  a  matter  of  regret  to  hina. 

Nature,  again,  puts  an  obstacle  to  grace  by  yielding  to  excessive 
sleep  or  eating.  One  should  hardly  eat  a  mouthful  without  question- 
ing his  soul  about  excess.  Children,  the  soul  into  which  God  shall 
enter  by  holy  Communion  must  be  entirely  detached,  or  the  divine 
influence,  the  divine  generosity,  is  hindered  in  its  secret  work. 


394  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

But  if  honest  self-denying  men  are  dnll  and  sleepy  against  their  will, 
nature  demanding  much  more  rest  than  they  like  to  yield,  in  such 
case  they  need  not  struggle  against  it. 

Again,  there  are  hindrances  of  a  hidden  kind  which  beset  spiritual 
men.  These  are  spiritual  self-seeking,  indulgence  in  sensible  consola- 
tions and  in  devotional  feelings.  Some,  if  they  do  not  experience  these 
emotions,  will  not  receive  Communion.  They  unconsciously  crave  for 
something  besides  God.  But  God  often  intervenes  and  draws  these 
men  to  Him  forceably  by  outward  painful  visitations,  and  so  violently 
that  it  seems  as  if  He  were  striking  them  with  a  sledge  hammer.  Or, 
perhaps,  inwardly  He  cures  them  by  an  anguish  so  dreadful  that  it  is 
like  the  agony  of  hell.  And  if  they  are  not  thus  visited,  then  will 
their  purgatory  be  dreadful  hereafter.  They  too  often  remain  to  the 
end  of  their  days  thus  imperfectly  disposed. 

Others  are  good  souls  who  are  fuH  of  blind  fear.  If  they  do  not 
feel  a  veritable  fire  of  love  within  them  or  experience  some  great 
movement  of  God,  they  abstain  from  Communion,  even  though  they  are 
not  aware  of  any  real  reason  for  it.  And  so  they  remain,  making  no 
progress. 

But  the  ones  who  best  receive  the  blessed  fruit  of  the  holy  Sacra- 
ment, are  they  whose  souls  are  cleansed  of  all  sin  and  whose  intention 
is  wholly  pure,  who  rest  entirely  upon  God's  mercy.  To  them  it  is 
all  one  if  God  gives  or  takes;  they  trust  Him  ever  the  same  in  abun- 
dance or  in  want.  In  holy  Communion  God  is  bom  in  them  and  they 
are  bom  in  God.  If  they  find  any  obstacle  to  God's  grace,  whether 
it  be  in  their  inner  or  their  outer  life,  they  are  not  distressed;  they 
instantly  reject  and  turn  away  from  it.  They  recognize  God's  will  in 
everything.  They  dwell  upon  Him  and  not  upon  His  gifts — upon  His 
very  self  alone.  All  that  they  have  they  accept  from  Him,  and  to  Him 
they  refer  it  all  back  again.  Marvellously  does  the  holy  Sacrament 
do  its  work  in  men  like  these,  flooding  their  souls  with  blessed  light, 
and  giving  them  the  shortest  road  to  perfection.  A  man  may  reach 
such  an  earnestness  of  devotion  in  communicating,  that  if  he  were  to 
depart  this  life  immediately  afterwards,  instead  of  attaining  to  the 
lowest  choir  of  the  blessed — to  which  he  was  destined — ^he  would  by 
this  Communion  be  granted  entrance  into  the  second,  perhaps  into 
the  third  or  fourth  choir.  Nay,  by  frequent  Communion  in  such  dispo- 
sitions he  would  be  made  worthy  of  the  highest  choir,  surpassing  the 
seraphs  and  all  the  angelic  natures.    But  of  this  he  must  not  think, 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  395 

nor  desire  any  such  lot,  but  only  long  to  do  the  blessed  will  of  God 
and  advance  His  honor. 

The  miracles  of  grace  wrought  by  this  Sacrament  in  a  truly  mor- 
tified spirit,  are  beyond  the  comprehension  of  angels,  for  it  is  now 
elevated  above  itself,  drawn  into  God  in  its  interior  life,  and  closely 
united  to  Him.  And  if  it  happens  that  such  a  man  is  unable  to  receive 
(Communion,  he  humbly  resigns  himself ;  he  daily  communicates  spirit- 
ually, and  this  he  does  whether  he  can  hear  mass  or  not.  Ah,  chil- 
dren, what  wonders  of  grace  will  not  God  work  within  us  if  we  will  but 
be  converted  sincerely  to  Him.  We  shall  find  all  good  things  in  His 
Sacrament,  and  heaven  will  be  established  in  our  souls.  But,  alas, 
we  do  not  do  our  part.  Dissipation  of  mind  goes  beyond  all  limits. 
We  may  go  to  a  sermon  and  hear  its  lessons — and  presently  we  forget 
all  about  it — wandering  about  from  one  preacher  to  another,  like  silly 
women,  unstable  of  mind,  to-day  glad  and  to-morrow  sorrowful. 

I  have  been  in  a  certain  country,  where  the  people  are  so  manly  and 
turn  to  God  so  earnestly  and  steadfastly,  that  the  word  of  God  pro- 
duces more  practical  fruit  among  them  in  one  year  than  here  in 
CJologne  in  ten.  There  among  that  lovely  people  do  we  see  marvels  of 
divine  grace.  Some  countries  breed  only  eflfeminate  characters :  no 
matter  what  one  may  do  for  them,  nothing  comes  of  it.  You  do  not 
find  it  pleasant  to  hear  such  things  said  about  you;  but,  children,  we 
must  become  men.  We  must  make  a  free  and  vigorous  start  away 
from  created  things,  and  go  forward  to  God.  We  must  have  God  in 
mind  in  all  our  life  as  the  final  end — God,  and  not  creatures.  We 
must  live  in  Him,  not  in  self  nor  in  creatures.  How  lamentable  it  is 
that  the  blessed  grace  of  God  is  ignored  among  us:  it  is  enough  to 
break  one's  heart  to  think  of  it.  Alas,  even  in  many  convents,  it  is 
what  is  the  latest  news  that  interests  souls,  filling  them  with  foolish 
thoughts.  There  are  those,  to  be  sure,  who  gladly  hear  about  divine 
things,  but  the  others  condemn  them  for  it.  Children,  depart  from 
them,  and  have  nothing  to  do  with  their  pretended  piety.  Hide  your- 
selves away  and  wait  upon  the  will  of  God.  When  that  appears, 
follow  it  faithfully. 

And  if  you  are  seeking  to  know  the  divine  will,  let  me  give  you  some 
good  advice.  WTien  the  question  comes  as  to  doing  or  net  doing,  then 
enter  into  yourself  and  earnestly  consider.  And  bear  in  mind  that 
the  safest  course  is  to  choose  what  is  most  opposed  to  nature.  What- 
ever nature  is  fondest  of,  that  is  the  most  unsafe.    The  more  you  liv* 


390  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

in  natnre  and  in  its  pleasure,  the  less  do  yon  live  in  God  and  in  His 
will.  The  less  of  nature,  the  more  of  God.  The  more  you  live  in  the 
Spirit,  the  less  you  live  in  nature. 

Such  is  my  teaching  about  this  Holy  Sacrament.  It  is  but  a  small 
part  of  what  one  should  say  of  its  worth  and  its  holiness.  It  is  God's 
honor,  it  is  the  joy  of  the  blessed,  it  is  the  reformation  of  mankind, 
the  conversion  of  sinners,  the  release  of  souls  from  purgatory. 

It  is  related  that  once  a  friend  of  God  had  a  vision.  A  soul  ap- 
peared to  him  clothed  in  a  burning  flame,  and  said  to  him:  "These 
intolerable  pains,  the  agony  of  which  words  cannot  tell,  I  suffer  in 
punishment  for  having  received  the  blessed  Sacrament  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  without  due  preparation."  And  the  soul  then  added: 
"If  thou  wilt  receive  our  Lord's  body  and  blood  once  for  me  that  will 
help  me."  The  good  man  did  this,  and  the  next  day  the  soul  appeared 
to  him  again  shining  as  bright  as  the  sun ;  it  announced  that  it  had 
been  freed  from  all  its  imbearable  pains  and  taken  up  into  eternal 
happiness.  May  God  grant  us  thus  to  receive  holy  Communion,  and 
to  live  a  life  in  accordance  with  its  graces.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  lUiuninated  Doctor  397 


JforrtafiUja  0f  ^tunm 


Synopsis — TJie  first  is  granted  to  those  who  turn  away  from  the  ban- 
quet of  worldly  joy — This  is  not  always  accompanied  hy  devotional 
stoeetness — the  second  is  holy  Communion — A  doctrinal  expla- 
nation— The  various  benefits  of  mass  and  communion — How  these 
are  hindered  hy  venial  sins,  and  also  hy  neglect  of  spiritual  exer- 
cises— They  are  made  permanent  hy  detachment  and  self-ahase- 
ment. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  SECOND   SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.* 

A  certain  man  made  a  great  supper  and  Invited  many.  And  he  sent  his 
servant  at  the  hour  of  supper  to  say  to  them  that  were  invited,  that  they  should 
come,  for  now  all  things  were  ready.  And  they  began  all  at  once  to  make  excuse. 
The  first  said  to  him :  I  have  bought  a  farm,  and  I  must  needs  go  out  to  see  it : 
I  pray  thee,  hold  me  excused.  And  another  said :  I  have  bought  five  yoke  of 
oxen,  and  I  go  to  try  them :  I  pray  thee,  hold  me  excused.  And  another  said :  I 
have  married  a  wife,  and  therefore  I  cannot  come.  .  .  .  But  I  say  unto  you 
that  none  of  these  men  that  were  invited,  shall  taste  of  my  supper. — Luke  xiv, 
16-24. 

St.  Gregory  says  that  we  may  understand  this  supper,  to  which  we 
are  all  invited,  as  a  most  interior  self-knowledge,  a  most  clear  knowl- 
edge of  that  inmost  depth  of  our  soul  which  is  God's  kingdom.  And 
also  the  very  taste  of  how  it  is  that  God  dwells  and  works  there, 
experiencing  the  same  knowledge  and  love.  In  another  sense,  this 
supper  means  the  holy  Sacrament.  In  yet  another  meaning  it  is 
eternal  happiness,  which  is  the  true  supper  of  our  souls,  and  compared 
with  which  all  banquets  of  soul  or  body  which  the  whole  worid  could 
set  before  us,  would  be  no  more  than  a  single  morsel  of  bread. 

Whatsoever  man  would  come  to  this  last-named  glorious  supper, 
must  diligently  take  into  account  the  other  two.  For  devout  writers 
tell  us  that  whosoever  attains  to  the  banquet  of  eternal  life  in  heaven, 
must  have  had  a  foretaste  of  it  in  this  life.  But  inasmuch  as  the 
foretaste  is  different  in  different  men,  so  very  truly  shall  the  enjoyment 


•No  sermon  of  Tauler's  for  the  First  Sunday  after  Trinity  Is  extant. 


398  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

be.  And  jet  during  some  good  men's  whole  liyes,  Qod  withholds  all 
savor  of  eternal  joy,  granting  never  a  drop  of  sweetness  until  they 
arrive  at  the  very  end.  But  these  may  be  a  thousand  degrees  higher 
than  others  who  have  enjoyed  much  devotional  sweetness.  A  man 
may  be  granted  supernatural  revelations,  and  yet  these  may  be  of  no 
profit  to  him;  while  one  who  never  had  such  privileges,  may  be  placed 
much  nearer  to  God  in  the  celestial  banquet.  God  measures  His  gifts 
with  love's  measure;  He  gives  to  each  what  is  best  for  him.  And  if 
any  one  will  taste  of  this  sweetness  in  his  deepest  life,  he  must  turn 
his  heart  away  from  all  that  is  not  God. 

The  second  supper  is  that  of  the  holy  Sacrament,  bringing  such 
grace  and  joy  as  no  words  can  explain.  And  we  should  be  all  the 
more  gratified  for  it  because  it  is  a  holy  feast  that  we  can  &i}oj 
every  day. 

One  might  enquire  how  it  happens  to  be  necessary  that  we  should 
daily  renew  in  the  Eucharist  the  commemoration  of  our  Lord's  death, 
since  on  Good  Friday  our  Lord  was  offered  up  once  for  all,  and  for  all 
the  world,  and,  if  it  were  needed,  for  a  thousand  sinful  worlds  besides. 
The  answer  is  that  our  Savior  devised  this  blessed  way  of  daily  renew- 
ing His  death,  out  of  pity  for  our  human  weakness  and  our  daily 
necessity.  He  would  give  us  His  adorable  sacrifice  of  Cavalry  newly 
oflfered  up  every  day  for  the  sins  and  miseries  of  mankind.  It  is  thus 
that  St.  Thomas  teaches :  "All  the  fruitfulness,  all  the  benefit  that  God 
granted  us  the  day  He  died,  is  found  every  day  in  every  mass  that  is 
celebrated;  and  all  this  grace  is  received  by  every  man  each  time  he 
worthily  receives  the  Lord's  body  and  blood." 

This  holy  Sacrament  banishes  sin.  It  puts  sin  to  death,  and  causes 
a  man  to  grow  strong  in  a  virtuous  life,  imparting  new  graces.  It 
safeguards  him  from  future  dangers,  and  from  the  snares  of  the  enemy, 
snares  incessantly  being  laid  for  us.  Without  its  strong  help  one  may 
easily  fall,  either  by  inner  or  outer  sinfulness.  Besides  this,  the  holy 
Sacrament  is  a  great  grace  when  offered  for  the  souls  in  purgatory; 
many  souls  would  suffer  there  till  the  last  day  were  it  not  for  holy 
mass,  especially  when  offered  by  very  devout  priests.  This  blessed 
observance  works  wonders  in  purgatory,  especially  during  this  part  of 
the  year.  Each  one  should  assist  at  mass  with  deep  longings  of  spirit, 
oniting  his  fervent  intention  with  every  mass  offered  in  the  whole 
world,  especially  remembering  those  who  are  dear  to  him,  whether 
living  or  dead.    We  thus  feel  ourselves  present  not  only  at  the  masi 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  300 

being  celebrated  before  us,  but  at  all  the  masses  being  said  in  the  whole 
world.     I  strongly  counsel  any  interior  man  to  hear  mass  every  day, 

What  is  the  reason  that  so  many  who  receive  this  holy  Sacrament, 
full  of  graces  as  it  is,  show  little  or  no  sign  of  improvement,  even 
though  they  remain  in  the  state  of  grace?  The  blame  is  their  own. 
They  take  no  diligent  account  of  their  venial  sins;  they  do  not  look 
on  themselv^  with  disfavor.  These  defects  hinder  the  influence  of 
grace.  A  man  must  scrutinize  his  life  closely  and  watch  his  conduct 
strictly,  and  take  measures  to  stop  any  habitual  venial  sins.  Espe- 
cially should  he  guard  against  idle  words — and  all  word^  are  idle 
that  are  not  spoken  thoughfully.  This  he  should  do  to  the  best  of  his 
ability. 

Another  obstacle  to  the  practical  working  of  the  grace  of  holy  Com- 
munion, is  when  one  interrupts  and  omits  his  regular  and  daily  devo- 
tional practices.  Many  a  one  has  no  steady  religious  observance,  runs 
after  every  distraction,  will  not  wait  with  a  recollected  spirit  for  God's 
grace  to  work  within  him.  But  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  graces 
of  this  Sacrament  often  become  active  in  a  willing  soul  only  after  two 
or  three  days  have  passed. 

^Tiosoever  will  experience  these  benefits,  must  journey  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt  and  out  of  the  land  of  darkness,  ere  he  can  eat  the  bread 
of  heaven,  whose  sweetness  is  proportioned  to  our  heart's  desires. 
The  bread  of  heaven  was  not  given  to  the  chosen  people,  as  long  as  the 
flour  lasted  that  they  had  brought  with  them  out  of  Egypt.  But 
when  that  was  gone,  the  manna  came  to  them,  full  of  every  sweetness 
their  hearts  desired.     So  it  happens  to  us. 

When  we  have  gone  forth  out  of  Egypt,  out  of  the  world  and  its  ways, 
and  when  we  have  become  spiritualized,  we  are  fed  with  heavenly 
graces — but  not  before:  not  while  we  feast  on  the  bread  of  nature  and 
of  creatures,  that  is  to  say,  our  evil  and  imperfect  tendencies.  For 
while  that  is  the  case  we  can  never  interiorly  enjoy  the  divine  nourish- 
ment of  the  Sacrament.  All  who  would  interiorly  receive  the  fruits  of 
CJommunion  will  not  allow  the  world,  creatures  or  their  own  weakness 
to  cleave  to  their  souls.  They  will  not  approach  the  Sacrament  trust- 
ing to  their  own  perfection,  but  rather  to  strengthen  their  weakness. 
They  feel  as  weak  as  a  man  reduced  so  low  by  illness  that  his  life  is 
despaired  of — who,  if  he  were  able,  would  purchase  the  medicine 
needed  for  his  recovery  with  an  immense  amount  of  gold  and  jewels. 


400  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

The  wise  Christian  does  not  receive  Communion  for  the  joy  of  it,  but 
out  of  dire  necessiay,  so  that  his  very  life  may  be  preserved.  In  no 
other  spirit  should  we  receive  Communion,  than  to  strengthen  our 
weakness  and  save  ourselves  from  death,  that  is  to  say,  from  the  love 
of  created  things.  With  some  it  is  as  if  you  poured  water  on  fire — 
such  is  the  effect  of  their  conduct  after  Communion.  For  after  re- 
ceiving it  they  open  their  soul  to  the  images,  the  fooleries  of  the  world, 
which  absorb  it  in  thoughts  of  outward  things.  These  cool  the 
warmth  of  love.  The  soul  is  incapacitated  to  receive  the  graces  of  the 
Sacrament.  It  is  incapable  of  waiting  in  recollection  the .  action  of 
God  upon  the  soul. 

But  when  one  is  in  a  frame  of  mind  to  give  up  attachment  to  crea- 
tures, then  it  sometimes  happens  that  the  enemy  says  to  him:  This 
is  foolish;  thou  canst  not  keep  this  up.  Then  this  deluded  soul  does 
what  the  people  of  Israel  did.  As  Moses  led  them  forth  out  of  Egypt, 
they  looked  backwards  and  saw  their  pursuers  coming  with  their  six 
hundred  chariots,  and  they  exclaimed :  ''Why  wouldst  thou  do  this,  to 
lead  us  out  of  Egypt?  .  .  .  For  it  is  much  better  to  serve  the 
Egyptians  than  to  die  in  the  wilderness"  (Exod.  xiv:12).  Thus  act 
these  fainthearted  men,  men  of  little  faith.  As  they  hear  the  enemy 
coming  on,  hear  the  noise  of  his  many  chariots,  as  it  were,  rolling  over 
the  stones,  feel  the  attacks  of  temptation,  they  begin  to  think:  O, 
this  is  all  foolishness;  it  is  much  better  to  be  back  in  Egypt,  in  the 
world,  busy  with  creatures,  full  of  their  love,  rather  than  to  lose  it  all. 
Thus  it  is  with  many  a  man  who  trusts  not  God.  Fall  at  the  feet  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  therefore,  and  beseech  Him  to  plead  for  you 
with  His  eternal  Father,  that  He  may  bestow  on  you  great  confidence 
in  Him. 

We  shall  draw  lessons  from  the  third  supper  when  we  come  to  con- 
sider it,  and  meanwhile  may  God  help  us  thereto.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  40i 


Synopsis— Our  inborn  frailty  and  our  evilful  pride  reveal  the  need  of 
humility—Look  inward,  look  outward,  and  we  behold  only  our 
sins  and  our  tendency  to  sin— Difference  between  humility  and 
despondency-Loving  God:  how  natural  it  scem^,  and  yet  hoio 
easily  hindered— From  humanity  and  love  springs  the  divine 
virtue  of  hope— An  exhortation  to  earnestness  and  courage,  spring- 
ing from  love  and  hope— Detachment,  inwardly  practiced,  is  en- 
tire obedience— Many  reasons  for  praising  this  high  virtue— De- 
tachment also  shown  by  patience. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  THE  THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

Be  ye  humbled  therefore  under  th€  mighty  hand  of  God,  that  He  may  exalt 
you  in  the  time  of  visitation.  Casting  all  your  care  upon  Him,  for  He  hath  'i 
care  of  you.  Be  sober  and  watch;  because  your  adversary,  the  devil  as  \ 
roaring  lion,  goeth  about  seeking  whom  he  may  devour.  Whom  resist  ve 
strong  in  faith :  knowing  that  the  same  afflliction  befalls  your  brethren  who  aiA 
in  the  world  But  the  God  of  all  grace,  who  has  called  us  into  H?s  eternal 
glory  in  Christ  Jesus,  after  you  have  suffered  a  little,  will  Himself  Se^t  you 
and  confirm  you,  and  establish  you.  To  Him  be  glory  and  empire  tor  e^r  and 
ever.     Amen.— I  Pet.  v,  6-11.  i     '^  lur  ever  ana 

Dear  children,  this  is  the  teaching  of  St.  Peter's  very  instructive 
epistle,  giving  us  a  perfect  doctrine,  by  means  of  which  we  can  com- 
plete all  that  holy  Church  has  done  for  us  the  entire  year  past,  with 
which,  if  we  take  it  seriously,  we  shall  find  it  to  coincide  perfectly. 

"Be  humbled,"  he  says,  "under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,"  in  which 
we  see  the  essence,  life  and  wo»k  that  a  man  must  have  in  all  his 
devout  practices.  It  consists  in  three  things,  all  most  essential,  so 
that  if  any  one  of  them  be  lacking,  the  essence,  life  and  work  of  our 
piety  comes  to  naught.  The  first  is  that  we  must  be  humble.  Humil- 
ity is  the  solid  foundation  on  which  the  whole  structure  is  to  be  built, 
if  it  is  going  to  be  worth  anything  in  the  sight  of  God.  Whatever  a 
man  builds  without  this  foundation  falls  down.    The  second  thin«^ 


*®2  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

is  true  and  divine  love  for  God  and  our  neighbor.  The  third  is  genuine 
detachment  from  all  things.  With  these  three  things  a  man  reaches 
the  perfection  of  a  true  and  godlike  life. 

Dear  children,  God  has  by  His  grace  implanted  in  us  the  beautiful 
virtue  of  humility,  knowing  how  greatly  we  stand  in  need  of  it.  In 
this  he  does  us  a  great  favor,  for  He  thereby  places  in  our  souls  a 
divine  spark  much  closer  to  our  nature  than  we  may  imagine.  If 
humility  seems  an  alien  thing  to  us  that  is  to  be  blamed  on  pride.  If 
human  nature  be  rightly  ordered,  we  find  matter  for  humility  within 
us  without  fail.  We  cannot  expel  it  from  its  place  there,  for  as  we 
look  into  ourselves  we  find  two  great  causes  for  it.  One  is  our  natural 
frailty.  Every  man  can  see  how  miserably  needy  he  is,  how  many 
things  he  lacks,  and  how  all  that  he  gets  fails  to  satisfy  him.  Noth- 
ing is  better  known  than  the  inborn  deficiencies  of  the  natural  man, 
and  that  just  as  every  man  comes  from  nothing,  so  all  ends  in  nothing- 
ness— all  of  which  furnishes  material  for  humility.  The  other  reason 
for  humility  is  our  sinful  frailty,  something  perfectly  plain  to  anyone 
who  searches  his  interior.  He  finds  in  himself  a  bottomless  depth  of 
natural  depravity.  Unless  God  guarded  him  constantly  by  his  mer- 
ciful graces,  how  unspeakably  ready  would  he  not  be  to  commit  sin, 
even  to  fall  into  mortal  sin,  and  to  be  condemned  therefor  to  eternally 
suffer  in  hell  among  all  the  devils.  Tell  me,  dear  children,  is  not  this  a 
great  cause  for  true  humility?  Thus  our  own  nature  inclines  us  to 
the  practice  of  this  holy  virtue.  Looking  inward,  looking  outward,  we 
find  there  is  nothing  good  in  us,  nor  of  ourselves  can  we  do  any  good. 

The  second  virtue  is  true  love  of  God,  and  this  has  God  rooted  in 
our  nature;  for  by  a  law  of  our  nature  every  man  must  love.  Even 
humility  is  not  an  interior  growth,  but  comes  from  without,  whereas 
love  is  inborn,  as  Venerable  Bede  teaches :  "As  it  is  impossible  to  live 
without  a  soul,  so  it  is  impossible  to  live  without  love."  If  a  man, 
therefore,  is  naturally  rightly  ordered  he  must  love  God  more  than 
himself  or  all  creatures.  It  is  a  pitiful  thing  that  man  should  pervert 
80  noble  a  trait,  turning  deliberately  away  from  God,  his  creator  and 
the  creator  of  all  things,  and  inclining  towards  creatures. 

The  third  virtue  is  prudence  or  discretion,  which  belongs  to  reason 
itself.  Mark  well,  children,  that  every  act  of  man  that  is  not  guided 
by  discretion  comes  to  naught,  and  is  not  pleasing  to  God.  Therefore 
does  St.  Peter  say  in  this  epistle :  "Be  sober  and  watch."  This  means 
that  discretion  should  soberly  guide  our  whole  life,  our  words  and 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  403 

works,  eating  and  sleeping  and  watching — let  discretion  direct  all  men 
in  all  states  of  life  in  all  their  conduct. 

Dear  children,  let  us  return  to  the  first  virtue,  humility:  "Be  ye 
humbled,  therefore,  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  that  He  may  exalt 
you  in  the  time  of  visitation."  Ah,  dear  children,  when  the  time  of 
visitation  comes  and  God  does  not  find  us  humble,  it  will  be  an  evil 
thing  for  us  without  doubt;  for  "God  resisteth  the  proud,  and  giveth 
grace  to  the  humble"  (James  iv:  6).  Therefore,  the  greater  our  humil- 
ity, the  greater  the  grace  of  God.  If  He  finds  us  proud.  He  will 
crush  us  down ;  if  He  finds  us  lowly  minded.  He  will  undoubtedly 
raise  us  up.  The  mighty  hand  of  God  is  wise  and  good,  aye,  it  is 
kindly  and  loving:  "Casting  all  your  care  upon  God,  for  He  careth  for 
you."  If  this  loving  watch  of  God  over  us  were  his  only  favor,  His 
daily  care  for  all  our  spiritual  and  bodily  needs  the  only  gift  he  were 
to  give  us;  if  His  loving  intervention  against  our  heartache  and  all 
misery  were  His  single  benefit  to  us,  it  alone  ought  to  be  enough  in  our 
eyes  to  inspire  a  return  of  love.  It  should  cause  us  ceaselessly  to 
adore  His  Providence,  to  direct  all  our  longings  towards  Him  alone, 
and  to  enkindle  in  our  hearts  a  deep  love  of  His  holy  will  in  ordering 
our  life. 

Again,  dear  children,  does  St.  Peter  speak:  "Be  sober  and  watch, 
because  your  adversary,  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  goeth  about  seek- 
ing whom  he  may  devour.  Whom  resist  ye,  strong  in  faith."  Now 
when  the  lion  roars,  all  the  beasts  of  the  forest  fall  to  the  ground 
with  terror,  and  he  comes  and  tears  them  to  pieces.  And  in  like  man- 
ner, when  the  evil  spirit  comes  roaring  upon  poor,  weak  men,  they 
instantly  fall  down  helpless,  and  he  comes  and  tears  them  to  pieces. 
But  St.  Peter  bids  us  be  bold  and  vigilant,  and  bravely  to  withstand 
the  assaults  of  the  demon  with  the  weapons  of  holy  faith.  One  should 
act  like  the  garrison  of  a  beleaguered  city  which  knows  that  the 
enemy's  army  is  superior  in  number.  On  whatever  side  the  ramparts 
are  weakest,  there  is  concentrated  the  strongest  defense — or  the  city 
and  its  defenders  and  treasures  are  lost.  So  must  each  one  of  ub  care- 
fully mark  the  weakest  side  of  his  character,  for  there  without  doubt 
the  evil  one  will  deliver  his  fiercest  attack — that  is  to  say,  where  he 
finds  the  greatest  tendency  to  vice. 

Sometimes  the  devil's  readiest  temptation  is  to  despondency.  He 
shows  a  man  his  native  frailty  and  his  sinfulness,  and  tries  to  make 
tim  heavy-hearted  on  that  account.    And  then  he,  as  it  were,  roan 


404  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


in  his  ear :  Art  thou  so  foolish  as  to  spend  thy  life  in  anguish  and  in 
penance?  No!  No!  Live  in  joy.  Enjoy  thy  carnal  pleasures. 
Almighty  God  will  give  thee  time  for  penance  at  the  end  of  life.  Have 
thy  own  will,  enjoy  creatures  whilst  thou  art  young  and  strong;  when 
old  age  comes,  then  shalt  thou  become  pious  and  serve  God.  Ah,  dear 
children,  what  treacherous  counsel  is  this.  Be  on  your  guard.  Dili- 
gently watch  while  it  is  day,  for  soon  eternal  darkness  will  enshroud 
you.  Regulate  your  life  by  no  such  false  confidence,  but  rather  by  a 
wise  understanding  of  what  is  a  really  God-guided  life.  And  let  there 
be  no  turning  back.  See  to  it  that  God  alone  shall  rule  you.  For  it 
is  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  Himself  who  says:  ''Every  plant  which  My 
heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted,  shall  be  rooted  up"  (Matt,  xv:  13) 

Look  into  this  matter,  dear  children,  very  carefully,  for  the  evil  one 
lays  many  a  snare  for  you.  One  will  say  in  time  of  temptation:  O 
God,  would  that  I  had  a  father  confessor  in  this  my  great  distress ;  I 
wish  I  knew  how  I  now  stand  with  our  dear  Lord.  Now,  children,  I 
know  about  this  case,  and  I  say  to  you,  do  not  annoy  your  father 
confessor.  Keep  up  good  courage.  Evil  thoughts  have  come?  Then 
let  them  come  and  let  them  go.  Be  at  peace;  think  no  more  about  it, 
but  turn  thy  heart  straight  to  God.  Make  no  parley  with  thy  tempta- 
tion, but  just  let  it  alone.  By  debating  about  it  in  thy  mind,  thou 
shalt  sufifer  more  misery  than  the  demon  himself  has  caused  thee> 
All  this  trouble  comes  from  excessive  despondency,  which  may  end  by 
his  suggesting  despair,  and  saying:  Everything  thou  dost  is  vain  and 
useless — thou  art  lost  forever. 

The  thing  to  do  in  such  a  case  is  to  cast  "all  care  upon  God"  and 
rest  in  Him,  Turn  to  the  eternal  God  with  unshaken  trust  in  His 
goodness  and  mercy.  Do  as  mariners  do  when  threatened  with  ship- 
wreck— cast  thy  anchor  deep  down  to  the  bottom  of  God's  love  and 
grace.  Place  thy  confidence  firmly  in  God  our  Lord.  If  it  comes  even 
to  the  end  of  life,  and  a  man  in  deep  distress  shall  but  anchor  all  his 
hopes  in  God  and  die  in  that  mind,  it  is  truly  a  happy  and  a  holy 
death. 

Children,  be  well  assured  that  a  really  godly  man  must  dwell  in  the 
practice  of  divine  hope  just  as  much  as  in  any  other  of  the  divine 
virtues;  and  that  is  a  great  help  to  him  when  at  last  he  comes  to  meet 
death.  But  this  must  not  be  a  false  and  deceitful  confidence  in  God, 
trusting  in  which  a  man  presumes  to  lead  a  sinful  life ;  for  whosoever 
trusts  in  God  and  on  the  strength  of  that  lives  wickedly,  sins  against 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  405 

the  Holy  Ghost.  The  confidence  in  God  that  I  mean  springs  from  the 
depths  of  true  humility  and  love.  It  is  based  on  consciousness  of  one's 
helplessness;  it  is  a  most  reasonable  recogfnition  of  the  need  of  God's 
help;  it  is  part  of  a  true  and  full  and  joyful  conversion  to  God;  for 
whosoever  gives  himself  up  to  God  loves  and  trusts  God  sincerely. 
Shalt  thou  not  trust  Him  who  has  already  done  thee  so  many  favors? 
Before  thou  wast  created  God  foresaw  thy  weakness;  knew  that  thou 
wouldst  sin,  foresaw  in  His  divine  wisdom  how  it  was  that  he  would 
redeem  all  mankind  from  sin,  namely,  by  the  bitter  death  of  our  be- 
loved, innocent  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Therefore,  dear  children,  turn  away  from  sin  with  all  earnestness. 
I  say  to  you  that  any  man  under  temptation,  who  does  not  courage- 
ously resist,  but  stands  halting  and  hesitating,  not  turning  from  sin 
with  his  whole  heart  for  the  sake  of  God,  such  a  man  the  evil  one 
pursues  with  the  object  of  dragging  him  down  into  everlasting  damna- 
tion. Dost  thou  really  wish  to  overcome  the  demon?  Then  do  thy 
part  manfully,  fly  from  sin,  and  say  in  thy  inmost  soul :  O  Eternal 
God,  come  to  my  help  with  Thy  divine  grace,  for  I  am  firmly  resolved 
never  to  commit  mortal  sin.  Thus  by  thy  good  will  and  by  thy  resolute 
purpose,  thou  shalt  overcome  the  evil  spirit  and  put  him  shamefully 
to  flight. 

Children,  you  should  know  what  a  disgraceful  thing  it  is  for  a  man 
endowed  with  reason  to  allow  himself  to  be  vanquished  by  the  devil, 
to  be  led  into  greivious  sin  and  to  forfeit  the  grace  of  God.  A  man 
gifted  with  reason  who  gives  up  to  the  evil  one,  is  like  a  well-armed 
soldier  who  runs  away  from  a  fly.  Think  of  the  powerful  weapons 
with  which  we  can  withstand  the  devil — our  holy  faith,  the  blessed 
Sacrament,  God's  holy  word,  the  glorious  example  of  the  saints  and 
of  all  good  men,  the  prayers  of  holy  Church,  and  more  besides — all 
strong  weapons  against  the  demon.  He  has  no  greater  force  against 
these  arms  than  a  fly  has  against  a  big  bear.  Let  but  a  man  bravely 
resist,  and  he  never  can  be  overcome.  Therefore  turn  away  from  thy 
sins  and  cheerfully  and  manfully  fight  thy  battle.  See  to  it  carefully 
that  thou  goest  not  into  the  next  world  without  having  fought  and 
conquered  the  devil,  nor  without  having  sincerely  repented  of  thy  sins; 
for  then  thou  shalt  be  the  scoflf  of  all  those  evil  spirits,  who  will  eter- 
nally torment  thee.  It  will  be  a  deeper  pain  to  thee  then  that  thorn 
hast  followed  the  devil  than  any  other  misery  connected  with  thy  sins. 


406  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Confer^ices 

Fnthermore,  a  man  must  examine  his  inmost  soul,  lest  there  should 
be  aught  there  but  just  simply  God  and  His  eternal  glory.  For,  alas, 
there  are  many  men  in  all  states  of  life  who  make  a  show  of  a  good 
life,  as  if  fancying  that  they  can  deceive  the  eteraal  God.  No,  not  so; 
but  in  reality  thou  deceivest  thyself,  and  thou  losest  the  precious  time 
of  grace.  Thou  art  so  guilty  before  God  that  He  permits  the  evil  spirits 
to  have  power  over  thee,  so  that  they  will  not  let  thee  do  any  good 
work.  Take  heed,  dear  children,  whilst  it  is  day,  lest  the  time  of  dark- 
ness overtake  you,  and  the  grace  of  God  be  withdrawn  from  you. 
Search  deep  into  your  hearts;  have  God  there  and  only  God,  making 
him  your  only  aim  in  life,  whether  consciously  or  unconsciously. 

Such  is  not  the  way  of  men  who  follow  not  after  God.  Creatures 
are  their  object  in  life.  And  if  they  find  sorrow  for  sin  beginning  to 
stir  their  hearts,  they  run  away  from  it ;  they  go  into  another  country 
or  city,  they  start  new  ways  of  wickedness,  and  thus  they  leap  into  ever- 
lasting death.  Or  acting  otherwise,  such  a  one  is  caught  in  a  panic 
and  adopts  a  life  of  poverty,  or  enters  a  monastery.  Others,  again, 
obtain  a  securer  refuge  by  entering  an  approved  order,  even  one 
strictly  enclosed. 

Now  it  may  happen  that  some  have  entered  an  order  from  motives 
not  divine;  but  finding  themselves  there  they  say:  Dear  Lord,  I  thank 
Thee  eternally  that  I  am  here,  and  I  will  ever  remain  here,  to  love  Thee 
and  serve  Thee.  Blessed  are  all  those  who  persevere  in  this  holy  state 
till  death,  for  without  doubt  they  will  be  saved.  The  least  little  work 
Aere  done  in  holy  obedience,  is  nobler  in  God's  eyes  and  more  worthy 
of  reward  than  many  great  works  performed  by  one's  own  will.  I 
declare  to  you  in  all  truth,  that  no  lovelier  offering  can  be  made  to  the 
Almighty  God  than  a  truly  humble  and  obedient  heart.  In  a  single 
instant  a  man  can,  by  means  of  obedience  and  giving  up  of  his  own  will 
to  God,  be  made  bo  humble  that  he  will  be  led  directly  to  God — more 
directly  than  if  he  spent  ten  years  in  practicing  high  devotions.  Take 
an  example:  suppose  a  man  so  full  of  God's  grace  that  God  con- 
stantly dwelt  with  him,  and  was  as  personally  present  as  He  will  be 
in  heaven ;  and  suppose  him  now  to  be  required  to  pay  a  real  obedience 
to  God  by  some  external  act  of  charity.  Such  a  one  would  humbly 
•ay  to  God :  O  beloved  God,  let  me  go  out  of  Thy  presence  and  follow 
Thy  holy  will  in  obedience;  and  this  would  please  God  more  than  to 
see  that  man  enter  eternal  life  surrounded  by  all  the  angels  of  heaven. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  407 

Children,  this  example  is  straight  against  all  the  religious  men  who 
go  by  their  own  will,  and  who  do  not  quickly  respond  to  God's  will 
manifested  to  them  in  obedience.  There  are  such  men  in  communis 
ties ;  they  lay  out  their  devotions  and  other  good  works  for  themselves. 
When  obedience  would  draw  them  out  to  the  active  labors  of  their 
order,  then  is  shown  how  little  liberty  of  spirit  they  have — self- 
conceited  men,  with  a  god  to  rule  them  who  is  a  divinity  of  their  own 
appointment.  A  man  truly  obedient  is  always  obedient,  cheerfully 
dropping  everything,  even  prayers  and  meditations,  at  the  voice  of 
lawful  authority.  If  God  is  really  in  his  heart,  then  does  he  offer 
himself  in  all  meekness  to  the  disposal  of  his  superiors.  It  is  this  that 
leads  him  to  union  with  God;  without  this  he  will  lack  God's  favor. 
Obedience  is  that  very  noble  virtue  which  is  more  pleasing  to  God  than 
any  of  the  others,  even  when  we  obey  in  matters  which  are  in  then)- 
Helves  of  little  moment.  The  eternal  Son  of  God  was  for  our  sakes 
made  obedient  to  His  heavenly  Father,  in  His  coming  down  from  the 
Godhead  to  our  poor  human  nature,  and  then  in  the  embracing  of  His 
holy  cross;  finally  in  His  cruel  and  bitter  death.  Therefore  must  we 
one  and  all  be  obedient  men,  in  all  divine  things  and  human  things, 
interiorly  and  exteriorly,  without  murmuring  or  contradiction — if 
God  shall  do  His  work  of  love  unhindered  and  continuously  within 
onr  sonls. 

Yet  this  doctrine  is  directly  opposed  to  the  practice  of  those  pious 
men  who  obey  unwillingly.  These  make  interpretations  and  excuses 
in  order  to  avoid  this  beloved  virtue,  and  they  cleave  to  their  own 
customary  opinions.  They  insist  on  having  their  own  way.  I  de- 
clare to  yon  that  such  conduct  separates  yon  from  God,  from  His 
graces,  from  the  sweetness  of  His  love — all  this  you  will  lack  as  long 
as  you  persist  in  a  self-willed  course. 

Therefore,  child,  when  thou  beginnest  a  good  work,  humbly  approach 
the  fountain  of  divine  grace,  and  crave  that  thou  mayst  begin  and  end 
it  wholly  to  the  praise  and  honor  of  God,  sinking  deep  within  thy  soul 
till  thou  art  fully  conscious  of  thy  own  nothingness  when  without 
God's  grace.  In  the  quiet  of  that  interior  life,  search  out  very  humbly 
what  is  God's  all  lovely  will— rest  upon  that  without  further  running 
about  for  motives.  This  is  a  better  way  than  taking  the  whole  world 
into  thy  counsel  with  a  dissipated  spirit.  Any  man  who  is  conscious 
of  having  true  humility  of  heart  and  real  love  of  God,  together  with 
discretion,  in  such  a  man's  soul  God  does  a  work  greater  than  words 
can  describe. 


408  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

St.  Peter  teaches  us  that  we  suffer  the  same  as  do  our  brethren  in 
the  world.  And,  children,  I  say  to  you  that  we  must  suffer,  whether 
we  turn  this  side  to  escape  or  that  side — we  must  suffer.  We  must 
be  willing  to  suffer  or  go  straight  against  God.  Now  there  are  many 
young  people  who  risk  life  and  limb  in  the  service  of  the  world,  and 
whose  whole  reward  is  to  pamper  their  wretched  bodies,  food  for 
worms  as  they  are,  and  commit  their  souls  to  the  devil.  Such  are  the 
only  wages  the  world  pays  to  its  hirelings.  How  different  with  you. 
You  gladly  serve  God  and  suffer  for  His  sake,  and  He  will  give  you  as 
your  wages  His  own  very  self,  together  with  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
and  everlasting  life.  O  how  gladly  should  you,  His  chosen  friends, 
.suffer  for  Him,  since  for  your  sake  He  suffered  shame,  poverty,  and  all 
misery.  Since  the  head  of  the  human  race,  God's  eternal  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  has  thus  suffered,  surely  we  His  members  ought  to  blush  for 
shame  that  we  are  not  always  glad  to  suffer.  Who  in  this  world  has 
ever  endured  the  blasphemy,  disgrace  and  shame  that  befell  Jesus 
Christ  God's  eternal  Son?  He,  indeed,  would  continue  thus  to 
suffer  for  us  were  it  now  possible  for  Him  to  do  so.  Daily  and  often 
in  the  day  is  He  crucified  in  spirit  by  men's  curses;  constantly  is  He 
rejected  and  cast  out,  His  wounds  opened  again  and  His  innocent 
and  precious  blood  poured  out  by  every  mortal  sin  that  is  committed. 
Think  of  the  sacrilege,  the  blasphemy  that  is  done  Him  by  unworthy 
Communions,  foul  sinners  taking  Him  into  their  filthy  souls,  all  full  of 
deadly  sensuality.  Could  such  a  wretch  feel  the  wickedness  of  that 
profanation  of  God,  his  horror  would  be  worse  than  that  of  Judas. 
For  these  men  confess  the  Godhead  of  Jesus  Christ,  acknowledging 
Him  to  be  their  God  and  their  creator,  whereas  this  divinity  of  our 
Savior  was  not  known  to  Judas.  If  God's  true  friends  could  feel  a 
pain  equal  to  the  guilt  of  this  sacrilege,  a  pain  of  a  bodily  kind  as  well 
as  the  spiritual  grief  of  a  loving  heart,  their  very  bones  would  be 
pierced  to  the  marrow,  and  their  souls  would  be  wounded  to  their 
very  depths.  If  they  could  turn  away  from  God  this  foul  indignity 
by  offering  up  their  own  lives,  then  death  would  be  to  them  far  more 
joyous  than  life. 

Such  then,  dear  children,  is  St.  Peter's  teaching  of  the  right  and 
the  sure  way:  humility  must  be  the  foundation  within  us  and  with- 
out. Upon  that,  again,  we  build  the  house  of  the  love  of  God,  and  we 
adorn  it  with  the  virtue  of  discretion.     And  all  this  God  brings  about 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  409 

by  His  days  of  visitation.  Hence  I  declare  to  you,  children,  that  those 
who  set  out  toward  perfection  by  ways  of  high  reasoning — not  travel- 
ing by  this  humble  road  of  St.  Peter — every  one  of  them  will  fall  into 
the  pit  of  hell :  for  the  higher  the  mountain  the  deeper  the  valley. 
May  God  grant  that  we  shall  be  found  resting  on  the  right  foundation. 
May  God  grant  us  to  go  forward  by  the  threefold  virtues  of  humility, 
love  of  God  and  discretion.    Amen. 


410  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


ttynopais — First,  coarse  men,  wholly  and  openly  regardless  of  divine 
things — Their  ways  described — How  timid  confessors  may  he  in- 
volved in  their  guilt — The  second  class  are  hypocrites-^These  are 
often  self-deluded — Our  Lord's  anatJiema  on  this  class — The  tJUrd 
class  are  spiritual  sluggards — These  ever  seek  the  easiest  way,  and 
never  escape,  falling  sooner  or  later — They  sin  against  the  light, 
and  dy  ingratitude — They  are  formalists  in  religious  things,  and 
excessively  resent  correction — The  fourth  cla^s  are  penitent  tin- 
ners — Marks  of  the  validity  of  this  happy  and  lovely  state — Rules 
for  their  guidance. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER 

TRINITY. 

Now  the  publicans  and  sinners  drew  nigh  unto  Him  to  hear  Him.  ABd  the 
Pharisees  and  the  scribes  murmured,  saying :  This  Man  receiveth  sinners,  and 
eateth  with  them.  And  He  spoke  to  them  this  parable,  saying:  What  man  of 
you  that  hath  a  hundred  sheep,  and  if  he  shall  lose  one  of  them,  doth  he  not 
leave  the  ninety-nine  in  the  desert,  and  go  after  that  which  was  lost  till  he  find 
it?  And  when  he  hath  found  It,  lay  it  upon  his  shoulders,  rejoicing;  and 
coming  home,  call  together  his  friends  and  neighbors,  saying  to  them :  Rejoic* 
with  me,  because  I  have  found  ray  sheep  which  was  lost. — Luke  xv,  1-6. 

Dear  children,  we  are  sinners  and  sinfully  inclined,  and,  as  St. 
John  teaches:  "If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves, 
and  the  truth  is  not  in  us"  (I  John  i:  8). 

And  I  will  speak  of  four  kinds  of  sinners.  The  first  are  coarse, 
worldly  men,  who  lead  a  frivolous  and  proud  life,  forgetful  of  God, 
without  the  fear  of  God,  regardless  of  divine  things,  a  cause  of  sin  to 
others.  They  neither  seek  nor  love  God,  nor  will  they  hear  or  learn 
anything  of  Him,  for  they  are  sunk  in  mortal  sm  all  their  days.  If 
they  happen  to  be  present  at  mass,  they  are  ready  to  spring  up  and  be 
away — ^it  is  all  too  long  for  them.  As  to  the  divine  honor,  they  arc 
wholly  unconcerned  about  it,  or  about  the  practice  of  virtue.     They 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  411 

may,  indeed,  receive  our  Lord  in  Communion  at  Easter,  yet  it  is  for 
appearance  sake,  and  without  the  purpose  to  give  up  their  evil  ways; 
they  intend  to  go  on  with  their  sinful  course.  Such  a  man  had  better 
receive  into  his  body  a  hundred  thousand  devils,  rather  than  receive 
our  Lord  as  Judas  did;  he  is  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ 

Dear  children,  if  we  fully  knew  the  peril  in  which  such  a  man 
stands,  it  would  wither  up  our  very  souls.  If  he  knew  it  himself— the 
torment  and  horror,  the  awful  doom  and  the  dreadful  agony  that 
awaits  him  in  his  eternal  punishment,  his  reason  could  not  endure  the 
thought.  Some  of  them,  as  they  reach  the  end  of  their  days,  and 
become  aware  of  this  misery,  fall  into  despair,  and  they  die  distrusting 
God,  being  lost  eternally.  When  such  a  one  on  his  death-bed  speaks 
out  the  anguish  and  horror  of  his  soul,  his  friends  say:  He  is  raving. 
And  hereby,  in  God's  mercy,  others  may  be  warned  against  a  bad  life. 
How  much  better  had  it  been  if  these  sinners  had  had  faithful  father 
confessors,  who,  knowing  how  badly  disposed  they  were,  had  refused 
to  allow  them  to  go  to  Communion,  and  had  warned  them  of  their 
danger:  courageous  teachers  and  confessors  are  most  necessary  for 
these  stony-hearted  sinners. 

The  second  class  are  also  great  sinners.    But  they  keep  up  an  ap- 
pearance  of  piety.    They  practice  devout  exercises,  do  good  works  and 
set  a  good  example.     But  they  are  hypocrites,  and  they  have  the  spirit 
of  Pharisees.    They  are  full  of  self-will  and  self-love,  proud,  unmorti- 
fied  and  quarrelsome.    These  are  secretly  great  sinners,  quite  unre- 
strained in  their  vices;  they  care  for  God  and  love  God  not  at  all— they 
are  absorbed  in  self-love.  Their  road  is  a  perilous  one,  indeed,  for  they 
are  enemies  of  God.     By  the  very  good  things  they  do  with  the  delu- 
sion that  these  practices  are  leading  them  to  God,  they  are  really  led 
only  the  farther  away  from  Him.    Their  works  have  a  show  of  virtue 
indeed,  and  are  accompanied  by  outward  signs  and  professions  of 
humility,  but  they  gain  their  authors  great  harm.    But  such  men  arc 
corrupted  by  self-love  and  their  motive  is  pride.     We  cannot  be  with- 
out uneasiness  concerning  them,  for  they  are  self-flatterers.     Mean- 
while they  are  harsh  in  their  judgment  of  others,  and  our  Lord's 
condemnation    of   the    Pharisees    falls    upon    them.    They    have    no 
patience  with  those  who  will  not  adopt  their  ways,  being  tainted  with 
spiritual  pride,  full  of  self-love-sins  that  of  old  thrust  the  highest 


412  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

angels  down  into  the  deepest  hell.  Avoid  this  spirit  as  you  would 
eternal  death.  Judge  no  man  but  yourself.  Even  if  you  see  anything 
that  is  plainly  evil,  excuse  it  as  best  you  may.  The  Good  Shepherd 
left  the  ninety-nine  sheep  to  go  in  search  of  one  that  was  lost.  As  to 
the  perverse  men  we  have  been  considering,  it  is  of  them  that  the  Lord 
speaks  in  the  Gospel:  "Amen,  I  say  to  you,  I  know  you  not"  (Matt. 
xxv:12). 

The  third  class  of  sinners  are  the  cold-hearted  and  slothful.  Holy 
baptism  was  given  them  by  God  that  they  might  have  grace  to  avoid 
mortal  sin,  according  to  His  laws  in  holy  Church.  But  they  have 
rejected  this  grace.  They  have  no  earnestness  for  God  or  divine 
things.  They  may  sing  hymns  and  recite  prayers  with  their  fellow 
Christians,  but  it  is  only  like  turning  over  the  leaves  of  the  book ;  they 
have  neither  savor  nor  grace  in  these  devotions — ^but  much  love  and 
pleasure  in  creatures.  To  the  utmost  of  their  ability  they  seek  for  the 
enjoyment  of  created  things,  exciting  all  their  energies  to  that  end, 
gladly,  habitually.  This  is  seen  in  their  manners,  words,  deeds 
clothes,  and  in  the  letters  they  write.  Their  conduct  is  without  re- 
straint, their  conversation  is  idle  chatter.  Yet  they  fancy  that  they 
would  not  willingly  commit  mortal  sin,  especially  of  the  grosser  kind. 
God  knows  full  well  the  state  of  these  souls — would  that  they  feared 
Him.  They  are  like  men  with  foul  stomachs,  belching  forth  offensive 
odors,  incapable  of  digesting  good  food,  or  knowing  the  taste  of  it. 
Such  souls  find  good  actions  bitter  to  their  taste;  they  are  like  preg- 
nant women  craving  unwholesome  food.  Their  souls  are  surfeited 
with  the  joys  of  creatures,  spoiled  for  the  taste  of  divine  food. 

Spiritual  teachers  say:  "The  raw  material  of  nature  hungers  and 
thirsts  after  its  proper  form."  At  first  there  is  the  mere  unformed 
matter,  then  an  animal  form,  finally  the  human  form.  This  hungers 
and  thirsts  after  an  imniortal,  reasonable  and  godlike-  form,  which 
can  never  know  rest  till  it  is  made  over  again  with  that  form  which 
perfects  all  others,  namely,  the  uncreated  and  everlasting  Word  of 
the  heavenly  Father.  Every  soul  has  a  spark  of  light  within  it,  or 
rather  a  thirst  within  it,  which  even  God,  who  can  do  all  things,  can- 
not quench  except  by  giving  the  soul  Himself — if  He  gave  the  soul  all 
that  earth  and  heaven  contains,  it  would  not  be  content  without  Him- 
self; and  that  thirst  for  God  is  implanted  in  the  soul's  very  nature. 
It  is  this  longing  for  God  that  these  perverse  men  destroy  in  their 
souls.    They  gape  with  wide-open  mouths  after  transitory  things,  as  if 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  413 

they  could  be  fed  by  the  wind.  Their  taste  is  spoiled,  they  are  filled 
with  creatures — they  draw  nigh  to  eternal  death.  Dear  children,  what 
do  you  suppose  such  men  will  do  as  their  end  approaches?  Then  they 
will  begin  to  realize  that  they  have  perverted  their  natural  nobility 
of  soul,  injured  themselves  essentially,  and  rejected  the  priceless 
good  that  was  offered  them.  Ah,  children,  one  cannot  describe  the 
misery  of  their  last  hours. 

You  know,  children,  that  all  that  we  have  has  been  received  from 
God — the  goods  of  nature  and  of  grace  and  of  Providence,  all  inner 
gifts  and  outer  ones.  And  all  are  bestowed  on  us  that  we  might  offer 
them  again  to  God  with  gratitude,  love  and  praise.  Now  a  soul  that 
thus  pays  God  His  due,  with  difficulty  accounts  for  the  favors  of  a 
single  day.  What  then  of  the  incalculable  debt  of  a  whole  life?  Look 
into  it,  calculate  the  last  farthing  that  we  owe  God :  how  much,  think 
you,  would  it  all  amount  to?  See  to  it  that  your  fate  shall  not  be  that 
of  the  foolish  virgins,  of  whom  it  is  not  certain  that  they  were  guilty 
of  greivous  sin,  but  only  that  they  were  found  unready  for  the  coming 
of  the  bridegroom.  Indeed,  they  would  have  made  ready,  for  they  had 
some  sort  of  good  will,  but  it  was  too  late.  And  so  they  were  shut  out, 
and  they  heard  the  words:  ''Amen,  I  say  to  you,  I  know  you  not'^ 
(Matt.  XXV :  12).  Alas,  it  was  not  as  they  had  hoped.  No,  no.  Men 
are  blind  who  fancy  that  they  can  trifle  with  the  sacred  passion  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  impunity,  and  with  His  precious  blood.  No, 
children,  such  cannot  be  the  case. 

They  may  say  that  they  are  in  a  holy  order,  are  surrounded  with 
decent  companions,  and  are  occupied  with  prayers  and  pious  reading. 
Yes;  but  it  is  all  without  love,  devoid  of  the  true  devotional  spirit, 
with  distracted  hearts,  cold  and  blind.  They  also  go  to  confession, 
but  only  with  words,  lacking  hearty  good  will ;  and  in  the  same  state 
they  receive  holy  Communion.  It  is  like  inviting  a  king  into  one's 
house,  and  then  lodging  him  in  a  filthy  pig  sty— it  were  a  thousand 
times  better  not  to  go  to  Communion  at  all  in  such  a  state.  And  if 
any  friends  warn  them  of  their  danger,  they  laugh  at  them,  and  call 
them  teachers  of  novelties.  Such  is  their  treatment  of  men  who  are 
pained  at  their  evil  course,  and  would  set  them  on  the  right  road— they 
treat  them  worse  than  Jews  and  pagans.  Be  sure  that  if  they 
persevere  wilfully  and  knowingly  in  their  wickednesses,  they  will  never 
see  the  face  of  God.  They  say  that  they  would  not  wilfully  commit 
sin.    But  (I  answer)  dost  thou  think  it  no  sin  that  thou  givest  only 


414  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

lip-service  and  religious  formalism  to  God  who  died  for  thee,  and  that 
thou  bestowest  on  creatures  thy  free  and  loving  service?  God  cares 
not  three  beans  for  such  an  offering  as  thou  givest  Him.  Thou  art 
indeed  the  sheep  that  the  Lord  had  lost — thou  hast  gone  astray  from 
His  flock.  Perhaps  God  will  give  thee  the  grace  of  repentance  on  thj 
death-bed,  though  this  cannot  be  counted  on.  But  even  so,  thou  shalt 
have  merited  a  terrible  purgatory,  lasting,  perhaps,  till  the  day  of 
judgment.  And  then,  finally,  thou  shalt  be  placed  in  an  obscure 
comer  of  heaven,  far  distant  from  the  special  friends  of  God.  Now 
such  men  rate  themselves  anything  but  sinners.  Outwardly  blameless, 
they  would  come  close  to  our  Lord ;  and  inwardly  their  hearts  are  alien 
to  Him. 

The  fourth  class  are  happy  and  lovely  sinners,  for  they  are  penitents. 
It  is  true  that  in  former  times  they  fell  deeply,  more  deeply,  perhaps, 
and  into  greater  mortal  sins  than  all  the  other  sinners  of  whom  we 
have  been  discoursing,  I  care  not  for  that,  for  now  they  have  with 
utmost  sincerity  come  close  in  to  our  Lord.  They  have  turned  away 
absolutely  from  all  that  is  not  simply  God.  Him  alone  they  love,  and 
above  all  things.  To  Him  they  yield  instantly  in  all  happenings  of 
life,  no  matter  what.  God  will  never  reckon  with  these  men's  sins. 
He  will  never  know  their  offenses  again :  they  are  wholly  turned  away 
from  them,  and  so  is  God.  Now  what  is  the  method  and  the  mark 
of  such  men  ?  It  is  that  of  a  man  who  with  absolute  sincerity  and  in 
his  inmost  heart  loves  God  and  Him  alone,  and  holds  Him  in  view  in 
all  His  life  and  work.  He  is  conscious  of  a  will  most  ready  to  do  or 
not  to  do  everything  just  as  God  wills.  He  searches  the  way  God 
would  lead  him,  whether  directly  or  by  His  representatives,  and  that 
way  he  gladly  takes,  wholly  detached  from  self-will. 

The  gospel  tells  us  that  the  Lord  went  in  search  of  the  lost  sheep. 
How  are  we  to  understand  this  search?  It  is  thus:  God  seeks  and 
searches  for  a  humble,  gentle  and  poor-minded  soul,  one  that  is  de- 
tached from  earthly  things  and  rests  indifferent — though  that  does 
not  mean  a  sluggard  who  sits  down  idly  with-  his  mantle  over  his 
head.  I  bid  you  prepare  for  God's  seeking  by  learning  humility,  by 
suffering  every  kind  of  oppression.  Now  if  anybody  seeks  anything 
earnestly,  it  is  not  in  one  little  comer  only,  but  in  every  comer  and 
place  till  he  finds  it.  And  so  God  seeks  thee — let  Him  find  thee  every- 
where He  may  look.  In  all  circumstances  of  thy  life.  Whatever  shame 
comes  on  thee,  know  that  that  is  the  place  in  which  God  is  looking 


of  John  Taulcr,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  4U 

for  a  gentle  and  meek  soul;  therefore  suffer  thyself  to  be  consttrntlj 
trodden  under  foot,  until  thou  hast  well  learned  thy  lesson  of  meek- 
ness. God  is  looking  for  a  poor  man  ;  therefore  if  anyone  will  take 
from  thee  thy  money,  thy  property  or  thy  friends,  let  him  do  so,  that 
thou  mayst  be  found  poor  by  God,  who  is  looking  for  thee  in  just  such  a 
state.  Let  thy  inner  life  answer  true  to  God's  searching,  in  purity  and 
in  poverty,  in  all  enlightenment  and  detachment  of  spirit,  after  no 
matter  what  struggles  and  combats.  In  every  occurrence  of  life  God 
seeks  thee.  What  happens  thee  from  friends  or  from  foes,  nay  from 
thy  very  mother  or  sister — no  matter  how  it  comes  or  from  whom, 
all  whatsoever  that  comes  to  thee  prepares  thee  for  God's  searching 
and  finding. 

Dear  children,  if  one  had  a  putrified  wound,  he  would  allow  himself 
to  be  cut  very  cruelly  and  would  suffer  much  pain,  so  that  greater 
pain  should  not  befall  him — he  would  not  spare  himself  until  the  cor- 
ruption were  cut  away,  so  that  he  might  recover  his  health.  So  must 
you  suffer  what  God  inflicts  upon  you,  in  order  that  your  soul  be  healed 
eternally.  When  unforseen  adversity  comes  upon  you,  say:  Welcome, 
dear  and  trusted  friend;  welcome  even  though  thy  coming  is  all  unex- 
pected. Let  us  bow  humbly  down  to  such  visitations.  Be  sure  that 
God,  who  would  make  thee  a  self-denying  man,  will  try  thee  in  every- 
thing. God  does  not  seek  men  exercised  in  great  and  peculiar  devo- 
tions, any  more  than  He  looks  for  large  horses  or  strong  oxen.  Nor 
does  He  look  for  men  of  mighty  outward  activity.  No,  He  seeks  only 
humble,  gentle-minded  and  mortified  men,  men  who  are  glad  to  be 
sought  by  God,  and  whom  God  finds  as  a  shepherd  finds  peaceful 
sheep. 

Wilt  thou  become  the  Lord's  sheep?  Then  cultivate  a  peaceful 
spirit,  no  matter  what  may  happen  to  thee.  Do  thy  best,  and  then 
rest  without  anxiety  as  to  how  things  will  turn  out  Remain  quiet 
in  mind,  and  recommend  all  to  God  our  Lord.  Place  thyself  in  His 
hands  in  a  heavenly  spirit,  even  in  thy  imperfections,  aa  long  as  thou 
art  displeased  with  thyself  and  turned  away  from  danger.  Be  not 
over-distressed  at  thy  faults,  argue  not  with  thyself  about  them,  for 
that  is  a  serious  obstacle  to  thy  progress.  And  let  this  peaceful 
condition  extend  over  God's  gifts.  The  Lord  giveth,  the  Lord  taketh 
away.  Let  thy  mind  be  equal  and  balanced  towards  God  in  joy  and  in 
■orrow,  in  things  sweet  and  bitter,  in  true  and  perfect  peace. 


416  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Children,  such  is  the  lovely  sheep,  sought  after  and  found  by  the 
Lord.  He  is  very  different  from  that  proud-hearted  sheep  that  says: 
We  are  the  ones  who  have  gained  such  and  such  a  prize,  who  have 
travelled  to  this  place  and  to  that;  but  who  and  what  are  you?  What 
can  you  do?  And  other  such  proud  words  they  speak,  striking  about 
them  right  and  left  like  an  unbroken  colt.  Ah,  children,  beware  of 
striking  about  your  neighbors  with  an  unbridled  tongue.  The  Lord 
left  ninety-nine  sheep;  aye,  and  He  would  leave  ninety-nine  hundred 
arrogant  and  self-willed  men  in  the  wilderness,  where  there  is  little 
pasture,  that  is  to  say,  little  fruit  of  a  good  life;  because  such  is  the 
state  of  these  men. 

But  when  He  had  found  the  lost  sheep,  He  laid  it  on  His  shoulders, 
and  coming  home  He  said  to  His  friends  and  neighbors :  "Kejoice  with 
Me,  because  I  have  found  My  sheep  which  was  lost."  Friends  and 
neighbors,  that  means  the  whole  company  of  the  angels  and  saints  in 
heaven,  and  all  His  friends  on  earth,  and  their  joy  is  exceeding  great. 
But  the  joy  of  this  sheep  himself  is  inexpressibly  great,  for  it  sinks 
down  into  God's  inmost  being.  And  when  the  Divine  Shepherd  takes 
the  beloved  sheep  on  His  shoulders,  it  is  thereby  placed  between  the 
Shepherd's  head  and  body — that  is  to  say,  it  is  brought  into  touch 
with  both  our  Lord's  all-holy  humanity  and  His  eternal  divinity.  The 
holy  humanity  is  the  soul's  stepping  place,  whereby  it  goes  into  the 
Lord's  divinity.  The  Lord's  humanity  is  united  and  blended  with 
His  sheep,  and  leads  it  on  in  all  its  works.  Heretofore  the  soul  did 
all  its  work  with  itself  and  by  itself;  and  now  God  draws  it  so  close 
to  Him,  that  He  works  in  all  and  by  all  its  activities — speaking  and 
eating  and  going  is  all  done  in  God.  This  soul  lives  and  moves  in 
God.  This  sheep  of  God  goes  forth  from  the  humanity  to  the  divinity, 
and  back  again  from  the  divinity  to  the  humanity,  always  finding 
good  pasture.  Its  joy  and  its  content,  even  in  this  life,  is  unspeakably 
great,  and  above  all  joy  of  all  creatures  put  together.  This  is  the  one 
penitent  sinner,  over  whom  the  Lord  said  that  the  angels  rejoiced 
more  than  over  many  just  ones;  for,  in  fact,  God's  honor  is  greatly 
advanced  by  his  repentance.  He  is  the  sinner  who  has  in  very  truth 
come  nigh  unto  God.  May  God  the  Father,  and  God  the  Son,  and 
God  the  Holy  Ghost  grant  us  the  grace  thus  to  be  sought  after,  and  as 
God's  true  sheep  thus  to  be  found.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  417 


Synopsis — Qualities  of  sound  spirituality — The  inteiior  and  exterior 
virtues  compared — The  inner  confusion  that  sometimes  Resets  be- 
ginners and  the  good  effects  of  it — Self -abasement  and  resignation 
to  Ood's  will  overcome  all  inner  troubles  and  outward  afflictions — 
How  cleansing  and  elevation  of  motives  leads  the  soul  to  contem- 
plative joys. 


THIRD  SERMON  FOR  THE  THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

Wbat  woman  having  ten  groats,  if  she  lose  one  groat,  doth  not  light  a  candle, 
and  sweep  the  house,  and  seek  diligently  until  she  find  it? — Luke  xv,  8. 

Our  last  discourse  was  about  our  Lord's  seeking  and  finding  the  lost 
sheep.  Children,  however  you  may  manage  it,  you  must  become  like 
a  sheep  in  meekness,  in  silence,  in  all  self  denial  and  patience,  and  in 
subjection  to  all  creatures.  It  is  thus  that  thou  shalt  submit  to  God's 
seeking  for  thee  and  finding  thee,  when  and  how  He  will,  directly  by 
Himself,  indirectly  by  thy  fellowmen,  whether  friends  or  foes,  by  His 
creatures  in  heaven  or  on  earth.  Sometimes  by  very  hard  words  He 
will  search  thee  out,  and  thou  must  be  still,  not  answering  Him,  no 
matter  in  what  plight  thou  art  placed.  Imitate  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
that  meek  lamb,  who,  when  He  was  led  before  His  judges,  opened  not 
His  mouth.  Men  blinded  by  pride,  men  who  for  forty  years  have 
stood  on  their  own  self-love,  will  revile  thee  and  call  thee  a  dumb  beast; 
never  mind  them,  suffer  what  they  inflict  on  thee.  I  declare  to  thee 
that  when  men  persecute  thee  it  is  nothing  else  than  God's  visitation : 
hold  thy  peace  and  let  them  afflict  thee.  Follow  the  example  of  our 
Lord,  that  innocent  and  suffering  lamb.  Follow  Him  in  His  suffering 
till  thou  art  brought  to  His  infinite  Godhead;  there  shall  be  thy  place 
of  perfect  pasture.  Self-willed  men  would  have  thee  answer  back,  and 
not  allow  thyself  to  be  oppressed.  Not  so;  but  do  thou  take  Jesus 
Christ  as  thy  pattern.     That  thou  must  do  if  thou  shalt  become  holy. 


418  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

And  now  thou  must  know  there  is  something  yet  higher  placed  before 
thee,  if  thou  dost  aspire  to  greater  perfection. 

Our  text  tells  us  of  a  woman  who  lost  a  piece  of  money,  and  then  lit 
a  candle  and  looked  for  it.  Consider  the  woman  as  the  Godhead,  the 
candle  as  our  Savior's  humanity,  the  groat  as  our  soul.  The  groat 
must  have  three  things,  wanting  any  of  which  it  is  not  good  money; 
the  right  material,  right  weight,  right  form  or  stamp.  Its  material 
must  be  gold  or  silver.  Ah,  children,  applying  this  figure  of  speech  to 
the  soul — ^how  wonderful  is  the  substance  of  our  soul,  far  beyond  our 
comprehension.  And  its  weight :  the  soul  if  spiritual  and  has  no  weight, 
yet  does  it  outweigh  all  earth  and  heaven,  for  God  is  contained  in  the 
soul,  which  thus  weighs  as  much  as  God.  And  it  is  stamped,  is  this 
spirit  of  ours,  with  the  very  Godhead  itself,  which,  indeed,  has  quite 
absorbed  it.  But  this  thou  must  attain  to  by  coming  much  closer  in 
thy  life  to  God,  quite  otherwise  than  outward  acting  men.  Thou  must 
pass  beyond  the  mere  outward  forms  and  observances  of  both  active 
and  passive  life.  Notice  that  the  woman  of  this  gospel  lit  a  candle, 
and  then  turned  her  house  upside  down  looking  for  her  lost  coin. 
Now  it  is  the  eternal  wisdom  that  lights  a  candle  in  our  soul,  and  its 
light  is  true  divine  love — it  must  be  lighted  in  thy  heart,  and  it 
must  burn  brightly  in  thy  heart. 

Dear  children,  you  know  not  what  love  is.  You  feel  great  sensible 
devotion  and  spiritual  sweetness,  and  that  you  call  love.  No,  by  no 
means;  love  is  the  burning  and  destroying  of  self,  real  self-denial,  stead- 
fast yearniug  for  God  in  a  spirit  of  abandonment  to  Him,  the  soul 
melted  into  God  in  a  persevering  state  of  resignation  to  Him ;  such  is 
love,  and  such  is  the  lighting  of  God's  candle  in  the  soul. 

Then  the  woman  turned  her  house  upside  down,  looking  for  her  piece 
of  money.  And  how  does  this  correspond  with  God's  treatment  o'  the 
soul?  His  searching  of  the  soul  is  both  active,  in  making  it  act;  and 
passive,  in  making  it  suffer  His  act.  In  the  active  searching,  God 
causes  the  soul  itself  to  work;  in  the  passive.  He  Himself  does  the 
searching.  The  first  is  in  the  external  order,  the  second  in  the  interior 
life;  and  the  interior  is  as  high  above  the  external  as  heaven  is  above 
the  earth.  The  active  and  outward  life  is  in  external  devout  practices 
and  good  works,  according  to  God's  guidance  and  the  suggestion  of 
God's  friends.  This  is  especially  seen  in  the  practice  of  virtue,  such  as 
humility,  meekness,  silence,  self-denial. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  419 

The  other  is  far  above  this,  namely,  our  entering  into,  our  soul's 
inmost  depths  in  search  of  God,  according  to  His  own  words :  ''Lo,  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  within  you"  (Luke  xvii:  21).  Whosoever  would'find 
God  and  all  His  kingdom,  all  His  essence  and  nature,  let  him  seek  Him 
where  He  is.  It  is  in  the  deepest  depths  of  the  soul  that  God  is  nighest 
to  it,  much  nearer  to  it  there  than  is  the  soul  to  its  own  self.  I^t  a 
man  enter  that  house,  leaving  outside  all  that  is  self,  all  that  belongs 
to  the  life  of  the  senses  in  forms  and  images  and  imagination ;  yea,  he 
must  in  a  manner  transcend  even  his  reason  and  all  its  ways  and  all 
Its  activity.  When  a  man  thus  enters  his  interior  house  in  search  ol 
God,  he  finds  it  all  turned  upside  down,  for  God  it  is  that  is  seeking 
him;  and  God  acts  like  a  man  who  throws  one  thing  this  side  and 
another  that  side  looking  for  what  he  has  lost.  This  is  what  happens 
m  the  interior  life  when  a  man  seeks  God  there,  for  there  he  finds  God 
seeking  him. 

And  now  I  will  say  something  that  not  every  one  can  understand    • 
though  I  always  speak  good  plain  German;  but  onlv  those  can  noiv 
understand  me  who  have  had  some  previous  experience  of  such  matters 
For  you  must  know  that  this  turning  inwards  is  not  to  last  for  only 
awhile,  to  be  followed  by  turning  back  again  to  busy  oneself  with 
created  things.    No,  by  no  means.    For  when  one  goes  deep  into  his 
heart  in  search  of  God  and  thus  finds  God  in  search  of  him,  and  when 
all  his  interior  life  is  thereby  thrown  into  confusion,  then  it  happens 
that  all  his  pious  practices  seem  set  at  nought,  and  the  spiritual  li-hts 
heretofore  granted  him  seem  to  have  gone  quite  out.     And  vet-^up- 
posing  that  nature  could  endure  it-if  a  man  could  be  thus^dav  and 
night  thrown  into  confusion  by  God's  seeking  for  him  seventy-seven 
times  over,  it  would  profit  him  more  than  any  favor  that  had  ever  been 
granted  him.    He  would  hereby  be  advanced  farther  in  perfection,  than 
by  all  the  good  deeds  and  good  purposes  he  ever  could  do  or  think  ol 
<loing:- -happy  is  he  who  is  rightly  guided  in  this,  for  evervthing  will 
soon  become  plain  and  easy  to  him.    As  often  as  he  wills  he  can  elevate  • 
his  soul  far  above  all  created  things. 

The  trouble  is  that  poor  human  nature  is  so  tenacious  of  its  own 
that  It  cleaves  obstinately  to  it.  Like  uneven  .ground,  nature  requires 
a  sharp,  heavy  harrow  to  level  it  down ;  but  when  once  leveled,  even  a 
feather  duster  will  finish  the  work.  So  is  the  soul  of  some  men  full  of 
lumps  and  clods,  all  crude,  and  quite  unsubmissive  to  God.  A  sharp 
harrow  must  tear  across  it,  that  is  to  say,  many  temptations  and  much 


420  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Buflfering,  so  that  it  may  learn  to  be  resigned  to  the  divine  actioii. 
Devout  and  self-denying  men  go  straight  against  self  always,  and  are 
more  quickly  and  easily  transformed — are  regenerated  in  a  blessed 
manner.  They  strip  off  and  cast  away  all  that  nature  loves,  and  they 
stand  before  God  truly  poor  in  spirit,  truly  submissive,  blindly  led  by 
Ciod  in  all  His  own  chosen  ways.  Ah,  child,  when  thou  allowest  thyself 
thus  to  be  sought  after  by  God,  and  thy  house  turned  upside  down, 
then  art  thou  indeed  found  by  Him,  as  the  piece  of  money  was  found 
by  the  woman  in  the  Gospel.  And  thou  shalt  be  led  far  beyond  thy 
own  good  works  and  self-chosen  devotions,  beyond  all  this  world  can 
do  for  thee,  whether  inwardly  or  outwardly.  And  this  was  what  our 
Lord  guaranteed  when  He  said:  "If  any  man  will  come  after  Me, 
let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  daily  and  follow  Me" 
(Luke  ix :  23).  So  must  a  man  renounce  all  that  hinders  true  spiritual 
progress. 

But  when  an  unmortified  man  encounters  severe  trials  and  tempta- 
tions, and  when  the  sharp  harrow  cuts  him  deep,  then  he  thinks  all 
is  lost.  He  is  tormented  with  doubts,  he  is  haunted  with  terrors.  He 
says:  Alas,  O  Lord,  all  light  is  gone,  all  grace  is  withdrawn,  and  all 
is  lost.  And  yet  I  say  to  thee  that  if  thou  wert  but  a  well-practiced 
and  really  self-denying  man,  thou  wouldst  know  that  thou  never  hadst 
been  in  so  good  a  state  as  now.  When  the  Lord  is  searching  for  thee 
in  thy  soul,  then  thou  shouldst  be  well  contented.  Does  He  demand 
of  thee  to  be  dark,  cold,  destitute?  Yield  lovingly  to  Him.  Ah,  dear 
children,  how  do  you  suppose  God  is  going  to  deal  with  a  soul  He 
leads  in  this  way?  He  will  elevate  it  above  all  creatures.  Beloved 
soul,  fortunate  soul,  fear  nothing.  As  to  those  who  do  not  aspire  to 
this  high  state,  I  bid  them  not  to  lose  courage,  for  there  are  many 
men  who  support  life  well  enough,  and  who  yet  have  no  better  food 
thau  bread  and  water. 

But  the  woman's  piece  of  money  must  have  its  proper  weight,  and 
also  be  rightly  coined  and  stamped.  The  weight  means  the  sinking 
of  the  soul  down  into  the  abyss  of  God's  being,  out  of  which  it  first 
came  forth.  This  includes  its  stainless  purity  when  it  has  become 
entirely  detached  from  creatures,  all  emancipated  and  uncontaminated, 
having  in  itself  but  one  image — not  only  that  by  which  it  is  made 
like  God  in  its  nature,  but  also  an  image  which  is  a  gift  of  grace, 
even  the  uncreated  God  Himself  in  His  very  essence,  in  which  God 
loves  it,  knows  it,  enjoys  it  and  is  active  within  it.    Here  it  is,  then, 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor ^1 

that  the  soul  is  as  it  were  colored  with  the  divine  color,  being  in  a 
manner  by  grace  what  God  is  by  nature.  And  if  it  could  see  itself 
in  this  state  of  union  and  absorption  in  God,  it  would  value  itself 
m  a  sort  of  a  way  as  it  values  God;  or,  better  said,  it  would  see  itself 
clothed  with  God,  shining  in  God's  colors,  and  living  in  God's  being. 
All  this  is,  of  course,  not  by  nature,  but  by  grace.  God  and  the  soul 
are  one  in  this  union  of  grace — not  simply  the  union  of  nature. 

If,  on  the  contrary,  one  could  behold  a  soul  in  its  real  essence,  a 
soul  that  had  wilfully  given  up  its  entire  love  to  the  service  and 
enjoyment  of  created  things,  and  in  them  was  clothed,  by  them  colored, 
it  would  certainly  behold  something  no  less  insufferably  horrible  than 
the  demon  himself.  It  would  be  a  sight  to  wither  one  up  with  terror. 
Yet  this  is  what  a  lost  soul  will  behold  in  itself  for  all  eternity.  But 
the  souls  in  Heaven  will  be  seen  by  God  as  if  He  beheld  Himself,  so 
close  will  be  their  union  with  Him,  drawing  all  their  blessedness 
from  Him,  and  beholding  their  glory  as  if  it  were  His.  O  how  happy 
are  they  who  permit  themselves  to  be  sought  and  found  by  God,  to 
be  led  into  Him,  to  be  made  one  with  Him— happy  beyond  words  to 
tell  or  mind  to  conceive.  Whosoever  will  come  to  this  glorious  end 
must  carefully  follow  the  way  we  have  pointed  out;  therein  he  cannot 
go  astray.  If  he  will  not  undertake  it,  if  he  will  rest  absorbed  in  the 
joys  of  his  senses  and  in  creatures,  then  he  must  eternally  be  excluded 
from  this  blessed  lot.  May  God  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  grant  us  thus  to  be  sought  after  and  thus  to  be  found. 
Amen. 


422  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Ifiatitntt  m\t\}  Mtxi  mtli  PatUnre  tottI|  (Boh 

Synopsis — A  merciful  man  is  a  favorite  with  God — The  cure  of  harshly 
judging  our  neighbor  is  just  judgment  of  ourselves — The  relation 
of  thinking  and  speaking  in  dealing  vnth  others — Why  God  seems 
over-severe  in  His  interior  visitations — Rules  for  the  use  of  bodily 
mortifications  during  interior  trials — Joy  and  sadness,  how  they 
alternate  in  the  soul  favored  by  God — The  worst  desolation  of 
spirit  must  be  met  by  patience,  and  that  alone. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  THE  FOURTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

Be  ye  therefore  merciful,  as  your  Father  also  is  merciful.  Judge  not,  and 
you  shall  not  be  judged.  Condemn  not,  and  you  shall  not  be  condemned.  For- 
give, and  you  shall  be  forgiven.  Give,  and  it  shall  be  given  to  you ;  good 
measure  and  pres&ed  down  and  shaken  together  and  running  over  shall  they 
give  into  your  bosom.  For  with  the  same  measure  that  you  shaU  mete  withal, 
it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again. — Luke  vi,  36-38. 

In  this  Gospel  two  things  are  taught  us  by  our  Lord — one  to  be 
done,  the  other  to  be  omitted,  namely,  to  be  merciful  and  not  to  judge 
others.  Children,  yesterday  I  instructed  you  how  dangerous  a  thing 
it  is  and  how  distressing  to  sit  in  judgment  on  our  neighbor,  a  sin 
to  be  most  carefully  guarded  against,  for  the  lips  of  truth  itself  tell 
us:  "With  the  same  measure  you  shall  mete  withal,  it  shall  be 
measured  to  you  again."  Art  thou  very  merciful?  Thou  shalt  be 
very  mercifully  dealt  with.  Little  merciful?  Little  mercy  shalt  thou 
receive.  Not  merciful  at  all?  Thou  shalt  receive  no  mercy  at  all. 
This  mercy  one  must  cultivate  in  his  interior  soul,  cherishing  a  deep- 
seated  pity  for  his  neighbor  in  his  time  of  suffering,  whether  his  pain 
be  inner  or  outer,  heartily  praying  God  to  grant  him  comfort.  Canst 
thou  give  him  bodily  assistance?  Do  so  generously,  helping  him  with 
good  advice  and  with  material  aid,  as  well  with  words  as  with  works, 
as  far  as  lies  in  thy  power.  Canst  thou  do  little?  Do  that  at  least 
with  a  pitiful  heart  and  with  kindly  words,  and  herein  thou  shalt 
have  done  thy  part,  and  mayst  expect  to  meet  a  merciful  God. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  423 

Now  as  to  the  other  lesson:  "Judge  not,  and  you  shall  not  be 
judged."  Children,  the  amount  of  harm  done  by  this  vice  is  amazing — 
it  is  simply  lamentable.  Do  all  the  good  works  of  outward  religion 
thou  pleasest,  the  devil  laughs  at  them  all  if  thou  art  addicted  to  this 
judging  of  others.  No  man  should  set  himself  up  as  his  neighbor's 
judge  without  first  sitting  in  judgment  on  himself.  It  is  a  miserable 
case  of  blindness  of  heart,  that  a  man  should  insist  upon  another 
being  subject  to  his  will  and  pleasure,  and  meantime  with  all  his 
endeavors  he  is  unable  to  behave  himself  as  he  ought  to,  or  even  as 
he  would  wish  to.  One  should  not  rate  his  neighbor's  fault  greviously, 
if  he  would  have  God  rate  his  own  fault  mercifully;  or  in  case  he 
cannot  help  knowing  his  neighbor  is  bad,  let  him  not  be  eager  to 
judge  him. 

If  we  would  adopt  the  right  plan,  it  is  to  take  the  beam  out  of  our 
own  eye  before  noticing  the  mote  in  our  brother's  eye.    Look  at  home; 
study  thy  own  defects  and  no  one  else's.     If  it  happens  that  thou  art 
appointed  judge  over  another  by  thy  office,  then  administer  justice 
affectionately  and  mildly,  with  gentle  looks  and  kind  words,  as  St. 
Gregory  admonishes  us.    To  priests  especially,  set,  as  they  are,  to  be 
judges  in  Holy  Church,  it  is  strictly  forbidden  to  punish  with  severity, 
bearing  in  mind  their  own  accountability  to  God  and  to  men.     Beat 
in  mind  that  thy  own  life  and  works  are  one  day  to  pass  under  God's 
judgment;    and  take  heed  to  thy  sentence  on  thy  neighbor  lest  God 
shall  in  turn  pronounce  against  thee  an   awful  sentence.     Injurious 
gossiping  is  so  common  that  it  is  a  lamentable  evil,  men  thereby  losin- 
God's  grace  and  their  eternal  happiness.     Think    three    times^  before 
thou  openest  thy  mouth  to  speak  once,  so  that  thy  words  mav  be  for 
God's  honor  and  thy  neighbor's  good,  conducive  to  thy  own  "^interior 
and  exterior  peace.    Do  you  know  why  the  holy  founders  of  religious 
orders   have   prohibited   talking   so   strictly   everywhere   in    convents 
except  in  one  single  place,  and   allowing   it   there   only   after  special 
permission?    It  is  because  incalculable   injury   results   from   talking 
far  more  than  it  is  possible  to  reckon.  ' 

This  Gospel  speaks  also  of  giving  good  measure.  Now,  the  measure 
is  a  man's  own  soul.  God  is  measured  by  our  soul,  if  we  will  only 
have  It  so.  Ah,  dear  children,  that  is  indeed  a  noble  measure.  But  it 
IS  too  often  sadly  in  need  of  cleansing,  that  it  may  be  a  fit  receptacle 
for  Him,  for  the  foul  things  of  this  life  pollute  it.  Wilt  thou  turn  to 
God  in  holy  prayer?    Then  must  thou  give  thy  soul  to  Him  in  pawn 


424  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

and  with  such  sincerity  as  no  longer  to  have  control  over  thyself. 
How  can  God  enter  in  when  the  love  of  created  things  is  the  door- 
keeper and  holds  Him  back?  If  thou  prayest  without  sincerity  it  is 
all  tasteless  to  thee,  it  wearies  thee,  and  thy  soul  presently  runnest 
away  after  distractions.  Dear  child,  redeem  thy  soul  from  the  pawn 
shop  of  creatures,  by  love,  by  intention,  by  occupation;  then  God 
shall  enter  in  and  creatures  shall  go  out.  Hold  thyself  free  from  vain 
occupations.  Fire  does  not  burn  upwards  so  naturally,  nor  birds  fly 
into  the  air  so  lightly,  as  a  really  detached  soul  ascends  to  God.  If 
we  would  be  absorbed  in  the  depths  of  the  Godhead,  the  least  that  we 
can  do  is  to  go  down  into  our  own  depths  to  begin  with.  Sunk  down 
with  real  humility,  we  then  come  forth  bearing  all  our  sins  and  imper- 
fections, and  we  lay  them  sorrowfully  at  the  door  of  God's  mercy,  that 
He  may  melt  them  away  and  destroy  them.  As  to  what  virtues  and 
graces  we  may  happen  to  find  in  our  soul's  depths,  these  also  let  us 
offer  at  the  gates  of  His  loving  kindness,  so  that  He  may  melt  and 
absorb  them  into  His  gentle  love. 

And  when  thou  hast  with  all  thy  might  cut  off  the  love  of  creatures 
and  all  entanglement  with  them,  then  thou  must  do  more:  thou  must 
hinder  even  the  thoughts  and  images  of  creatures  from  lodging  in  thy 
soul.  If  thou  dost  not  at  first  succeed  well  in  this,  nevertheless  keep 
up  a  constant  endeavor,  abandon  thyself  to  God,  stay  at  home  with 
thyself,  plead  most  humbly  with  Him :  O  dear  Lord,  have  pity  on  me. 
Lord,  come  to  my  help.  Lord,  I  beg  Thee  to  force  Thyself  into  my  soul. 
And  stand  fast  to  that  practice,  begin  no  other,  for  I  have  no  manner 
of  doubt  but  that  thy  trouble  will  thereby  right  itself.  I  have  noticed 
how  silver  is  mined.  The  ore  is  pounded  fine  and  all  mixed  with  water, 
and  then  the  water  is  poured  through  it  and  finally  drawn  off  with 
rthe  dust  and  dirt,  leaving  the  precious  metal  behind,  which  pays  all 
the  expense  of  this  process  and  gives  great  profit  besides.  So  must 
At  be  with  the  dust  and  dirt  of  all  foul  images  in  thy  mind,  which  are 
ithere  against  thy  will.  The  waters  of  sorrow  and  suffering  will  finally 
cleanse  them  all  out  and  away  from  thee,  amply  repaying  thee  for 
thy  patience,  and  leaving  great  gain  to  thee.  Our  Lord  will  say  to 
thee:  O  well-beloved  man,  thou  art  an  honor  to  Me,  and  I  praise 
thee  for  having  been  mindful  of  My  passion  and  borne  the  weight  of 
My  heavy  cross  with  Me;  for  in  struggling  with  thy  imperfections 
thou  hast  taken  part  in  My  sufferings.  Behold,  I  shall  now  be  thy 
reward  exceeding  great. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  425 

But  if  thou  wouldst  become  an  interior  man,  thou  must  give  God 
an  overflowing  measure.  Whatever  outward  thing  hinders  thy  inward 
recollection  must  be  given  up.  Study  thyself.  Carefully  scrutinize 
thy  conduct,  affections,  intentions,  words,  works,  clothing,  adornments, 
friends,  property,  honors,  lodging,  pleasure,  manners.  Look  into  thy 
whole  life.  Find  out  every  single  thing  that  hinders  God's  dwelling 
within  thee;  relentlessly  cut  it  all  off.  For  this  is  an  absolute  con- 
dition of  thy  becoming  an  interior  man.  So  must  thou  also  study  over 
those  of  thy  external  religious  exercises  that  are  of  the  more  showy 
kind — stop  any  of  them  that  may  interfere  with  thy  interior  spirit. 
And  dost  thou  ask  why  I  do  not  recommend  thee  severe  fasts  and 
vigils?  I  answer  that  these  are  of  great  help  in  the  spiritual  life  it 
one  has  the  necessary  strength.  But  if  one  is  of  weak  bodily  consti- 
tution, or  if  he  has  a  weak  head  (in  this  country  men  have  very  weak 
heads),  and  finds  that  watching  and  fasting  injures  and  may  destroy 
his  health,  then  let  him  dispense  with  these  practices,  and  when  a  fast 
day  comes  obtain  dispensation  from  his  father  confessor,  or  if  he  is 
not  accessible,  let  him  presume  on  his  permission  and  tell  him  of  it 
as  soon  as  possible.  Holy  Church  does  not  mean  that  we  should 
destroy  our  health  by  obeying  her  law  of  fasting.  Dear  children,  my 
whole  teaching  is  very  simple:  whatsoever  hinders  thee  from  the 
shortest  road  to  perfection,  get  rid  of  it— whether  it  be  in  thy  soul  or 
in  thy  outward  life,  and  no  matter  what  name  it  may  go  by.  Follow 
this  rule  steadily,  and,  dear  children,  be  assured  that  you  will  become 
perfect  souls. 

Yet  further,  our  Lord  requires  a  measure  pressed  down  and  shaken 
together.  Dear  children,  mind  what  I  am  going  to  say.  When  one 
has  systematically  taken  up  this  way,  when  he  has  cut  off  all  hin- 
drances to  his  spiritual  life,  then  it  happens  that  many  wonderful 
sweetnesses  come  to  him,  pouring  through  both  his  soul  and  body  a 
joy  far  above  any  known  to  this  earth.  Then  what  follows?  After 
«ome  time  has  passed  all  this  joy  suddenly  vanishes  away.  It  seems 
to  a  man  that  he  has  gained  nothing  at  all  by  his  mortification  and 
his  love  of  God — the  measure — that  is  to  say,  his  soul — ^is  pressed 
down  so  hard  into  its  own  very  self,  that  all  pleasure  in  life  is  quite 
gone  out  of  it.  Now,  if  one  will  attain  to  true  peace,  he  must  yield 
himself  up  to  this  spiritual  destitution;  he  must  make  nothing  of  it; 
he  must  in  all  single-heartedness  resign  himself  to  the  holy  will  of  God, 
and  suffer  this  oppression  of  spirit  in  all  patience ;  yea,  even  if  it  were 
to  endure  to  the  end  of  the  world. 


426  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

But,  O  children,  how  unbearable  is  this  oppression.  The  whole  world 
is  too  narrow  for  that  poor  soul's  misery.  He  seems  to  be  withering 
up  with  this  pain,  the  pain  of  losing  a  heavenly  light  so  sweet  and  bo 
perfectly  happy.  Well,  there  are  some  who  fail,  who  will  not  be 
patient  under  this  trial ;  for  they  are  too  deeply  attached  to  their  own 
spiritual  joys.  This  lack  of  patience  comes  from  two  causes.  One  is 
that  the  soul  is  not  essentially  and  at  bottom  dead  to  self.  The  other 
cause  is  that  God  is  not  absolutely  trusted.  Dear  child,  stand  fast  in 
thy  confidence  in  God,  stand  fast  in  holy  fear  and  in  humility;  for 
God  will,  without  fail,  release  thee  from  thy  sorrow.  Lift  up  thy 
hands  to  God,  to  the  very  essence  of  God,  thinking  of  nothing  less 
than  the  infinite  God.  Do  not  act  like  one  who  receives  a  jewel  from 
a  friend,  and  forthwith  becomes  so  absorbed  in  its  beauty,  and  so  vain 
of  wearing  it  as  to  forget  the  giver.  Hold  thyself  towards  whatever 
may  minister  to  thy  joy  like  a  man  asleep — be  awake  only  to  God 
Himself.  Whether  thy  joy  be  natural  or  supernatural,  cleave  not  to 
it.  Press  thy  measure  down  in  all  humility  till  it  reaches  thy  own 
nothingness,  holding  fast  to  God's  blessed  will  in  all  detachment  of 
spirit.  You  know  that  our  Lord's  disciples  were  required  to  give  up 
His  blessed  bodily  presence  among  them,  that  presence  so  consoling 
and  so  divine.  They  were  required  to  make  that  sacrifice  in  order  to 
be  transformed  into  new  beings.  So  says  St.  Paul :  "Brethren,  I  do 
not  count  myself  to  have  apprehended.  But  one  thing  I  do :  forgetting 
the  things  that  are  behind,  and  stretching  forth  myself  to  those  that 
are  before,  I  press  towards  the  mark,  to  the  prize  of  the  supernal 
vocation  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus"  (Phil,  iii:  13-14). 

But  now  our  poor  man  seems  hemmed  in  by  high  walls,  denied 
relief  or  rest  anywhere.  Dear  child,  give  up  to  God,  try  not  to  escape, 
all  will  yet  be  well  with  thee.  Have  no  desire  except  that  God's  will 
be  done  in  thee — let  Him  aflSict  thee  as  long  as  He  pleases  and  in 
whatever  manner.  When  our  Lord  perceives  thy  fidelity  in  the  midst 
of  misery  and  suffering — for  on  that  everything  depends — then  will 
He  come  to  thee  with  His  overflowing  measure  of  relief,  namely,  the 
gift  of  Himself.  He  will  pour  Himself  into  thy  soul.  Himself  who  is 
essentially  all  joy  and  all  good,  immersing  thee  in  the  abyss  of  the 
deity.  He  pours  Himself  out  to  thee,  yet  He  remains  filled  with  gifts 
to  impart  them  continually  to  thee.  Thy  soul  will  be  filled  with  Him 
as  a  cup  is  filled  with  the  exhaustless  waters  of  the  ocean,  filled 
beyond  all  that  thou  has  ever  desired. 


of  John  Taulcr,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  427 

When  King  Assuerus  beheld  his  Queen  Esther  standing  pale  and 
frightened  before  him,  he  reached  her  his  golden  sceptre,  rose  up  from 
his  throne  and  embraced  and  kissed  her,  and  then  promised  her  to 
grant  her  wish,  were  it  for  half  of  his  kingdom.  So  will  God  the 
Father  treat  the  faithful  soul  bowed  down  before  Him,  blanched  with 
fear,  stricken  with  grief,  totally  desolate.  He  will,  as  it  were,  reach 
to  it  His  divine  sceptre  of  power  and  joy,  and  embracing  it  most 
lovingly,  He  will  make  room  for  it  on  His  throne,  instantly  relieving 
it  of  all  its  misery.  And  now  what  wonders  are  wrought  in  that  soul. 
The  gift  of  the  diviue  sceptre  is  the  only  begotten  Son,  and  the  kiss  of 
love  is  the  unspeakable  sweetness  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  making  the  soul 
queen  of  earth  and  heaven,  sharing  God's  own  royal  sway,  imparting  to 
it  by  grace  a  share  of  the  divinity  that  is  His  by  nature.  This  over- 
flowing measure  of  divine  favor  makes  such  souls  as  receive  it  the 
highest  glory  of  all  God's  creatures.  Without  the  presence  of  these 
elect  souls  amid  the  Christian  people,  the  world  would  not  survive  one 
hour,  for  their  deeds  are  much  greater  in  God's  sight  than  those  of  all 
the  rest  of  the  world  put  together,  because  it  is  in  God  Himself  that 
they  do  them.  As  far  as  God  is  above  creatures  so  far  are  His  works 
in  these  souls  above  the  works  of  all  other  men — ^yea,  they  are  above 
the  comprehension  of  men  and  angels.  Here,  then,  is  the  truest  peace 
and  joy,  that  of  which  St.  Paul  said  that  it  surpassed  all  under- 
standing. 

Dear  children,  to  take  lot  and  part  with  God  is  not  so  dreadful  a 
thing  as  you  have  fancied.  Whosoever  treads  this  road  steadfastly 
will  at  last  come  happily  to  the  end  of  all  his  troubles ;  and  whosoever 
goes  not  by  this  road  will  not  arrive  at  the  ever-living  truth.  He  may 
attain  to  the  knowledge  of  spiritual  things  that  is  gained  by  the 
strivings  of  human  reason,  but  this  is  as  far  different  from  the  divine 
reality  as  shining  brass  is  different  from  precious  gold.  Such  knowl- 
edge gives  forth  a  deceitful  appearance,  but  the  living  truth  must  be 
sought  and  found  only  as  I  have  explained  to  you.  The  man  that 
would  plant  his  vineyard  on  the  shady  side  of  a  high  mountain  where 
the  sun  never  shines  would  be  a  fool,  as  would  be  the  man  who  looked 
for  the  sun  with  his  back  turned  to  it.  And  among  a  hundred  men, 
men,  too,  who  would  be  thought  good,  you  will  find  hardly  one  who 
squarely  and  honestly  turns  his  face  to  the  light  of  the  living  truth 
That  God  is.  May  God  grant  us  the  grace  to  turn  ourselves  full  and 
direct  towards  the  truth,  so  that  we  may  be  given  good  measure,  full 
to  overflowing.     Amen. 


428  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


(6mn^  (gob  (go0iii  Mtnanxt 

Synopsis — This  l)egins  with  an  ordinary  good  Christian  life — Sincerely 
done,  it  is  all  that  Ood  requires  of  many  souls — Others  are  called 
to  many  additional  works  of  religion  'and  penance  and  a  higher  de- 
gree of  virtue — These  shall  te  judged  "by  their  inner  fidelity  rather 
than  hy  their  outward  conformity — Ifor  does  this  mean  a  barren 
intellectuality  of  religion,  hut  deeply-lying  simplicity  of  intention 
— Various  comparisons — the  supremacy  of  loving  Ood  in  a  career 
of  perfection. 


SECOND  SEEMON  FOE  THE  FOUETH  SUNDAY  AFTEE 

TEINITY. 

Be  ye  therefore  merciful,  as  your  Father  also  is  merciful.  Judge  not,  and 
you  shall  not  be  judged.  Condemn  not,  and  you  shall  not  condemned.  For- 
give, and  you  shall  be  forgiven.  Give,  and  it  shall  be  given  to  you;  good  meas- 
ure and  pressed  down  and  shaken  together  and  running  over  shall  they  give 
into  your  bosoms.  For  with  the  same  measure  that  you  shall  mete  withal,  It 
shall  be  measured  to  you  again. — Luke  vi,  36-38. 

Children,  it  is  a  pitiable  thing  how  alien  to  some  men's  hearts  is 
the  beautiful  virtue  of  mercy.  Every  man  is  bound  to  be  merciful  to 
his  neighbor  in  all  his  needs,  and  that  not  only  in  temporal  matters ; 
for  he  is  bound  to  have  a  pitiful  heart  for  his  moral  and  spiritual 
defects.  But,  alas,  everybody  strikes  at  his  neighbor  with  his  con- 
demnation. If  any  misfortune  happens  him  we  add  the  weight  of  our 
accusation,  attributing  the  basest  motives  we  can  think  of.  Blessed 
be  God  that  He  does  not  do  the  like.  What  untold  misery  comes  from 
an  evil  tongue,  which  hurries  in  with  its  condemnations  without  a 
moment's  consideration.  I  beg  thee,  my  dear  man,  for  the  sake  of  thy 
eternal  welfare,  to  pause  awhile,  and  come  to  an  understanding  with 
thyself,  carefully  weighing  both  thy  thoughts  and  thy  words  about 
thy  neighbor.  It  is  a  shameful  thing  and  almost  blasphemous,  thought- 
lessly to  sit  in  judgment  on  thy  neighbor,  and  to  launch  against  him 
injurious  words,  spiritually  murdering  him  in  the  minds  of  thy  hearers. 


of  John  .Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


429 


Hence  those  words  of  Christ :  "Judge  not,  that  you  may  not  be  judged. 
For  with  what  judgment  you  judge,  you  shall  be  judged;  and 
with  what  measure  you  mete,  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again'* 
(Matt.  vii:l-2). 

And  now,  children,  let  us  consider  the  Lord's  words:  "With  the 
same  measure  that  you  shall  mete,  it  shall  be  measui-ed  to  you  again." 
Devout  teachers  understand  four  kinds  of  measures  here — good,  full, 
pressed  down,  and  flowing  over.  The  first  means  a  pious  Christian 
life  with  God's  grace,  ending  in  eternal  life.  The  full  measure  means 
God's  gift  to  us  of  a  glorified  body  at  the  last  day.  The  measure 
pressed  down  means  the  blessed  companionship  granted  us  among 
God's  saints  and  angels  in  everlasting  bliss.  And  the  overflowing 
measure  is  our  possession  of  God  Himself  in  perfect  happiness  and 
in  the  fulness  of  every  desire. 

Such  are  God's  measures  to  us.  And  now  let  us  inquire  what  are 
our  measures  to  God,  given  by  that  power  of  loving  which  we  call 
the  will,  by  which  we  weigh  out  all  our  words  and  works  and  life — 
the  will,  to  whose  properties  we  cannot  add  nor  take  away.  And  let 
us  ever  bear  in  mind  that  with  what  measure  we  mete  here  in  this  life, 
it  shall  be  measured  to  us  again  in  life  eternal. 

First,  what  is  our  good  measure?  It  is  a  hearty  turning  to  God, 
with  a  sincere  purpose  to  observe  God's  commandments  and  those  of 
holy  Church;  that  we  hold  fast  to  the  true  faith;  that  we  devoutly 
receive  the  sacraments ;  that  we  interiorly  detest  our  sins  and  totally 
give  them  up;  that  we  live  a  life  of  penance,  trusting  securely  in 
God's  mercy  and  grace.  Alas!  It  seems  as  if  nobody  at  all  gives 
God  this  good  measure  nowadays,  nor  lives  in  His  holy  fear.  But 
whosoever  does  follow  this  true  Christian  life  will  without  doubt 
enter  into  eternal  joy.  And  it  is  the  indispensable  rule  of  our  religion 
for  all  and  every  one.  There  are  men  from  whom  God  requires  no 
more;  it  is  their  good  measure.  And  it  may,  therefore,  happen  that 
some  upright  souls  who  thus  conform  to  God  in  this  life,  shall  go 
straight  to  Heaven,  escaping  all  purgatory.  And  yet  it  is  the  very 
lowest  degree  of  the  divine  service. 

Other  men  God  invites  to  a  much  higher  degree;  and  these  may, 
nevertheless,  have  their  purgatory,  because  before  their  death  they 
have  not  perfectly  conformed  to  the  will  of  God  in  their  case — and 
their  pains  shall  be  great  beyond  expression.  But  that  being  done 
and  over,  they  will  be  raised  very  high  above  the  others  in  Heaven, 


430  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

for  they  originally  had  the  courage  to  undertake  a  far  more  spiritual 
career,  although  death  interrupted  their  progress  in  perfection. 

And  what  is  our  full  measure?  It  refers  to  those  whom  God  calls 
to  a  life  of  holy  observances,  many  prayers  and  kneelings,  and  much 
fasting,  and  other  such  devout  practices.  They  give  God  a  full  measure, 
if  they  will  but  cultivate  an  interior  spirit  of  real  fervor  together 
with  their  outward  piety,  seeking  God  within  their  soul  and  finding 
His  kingdom  there.  This  life  is  as  different  from  the  other  two 
kinds  as  running  is  different  from  sitting. 

Ah,  dear  children,  how  happy  is  the  man  whose  outward  piety  is 
no  obstacle  to  his  interior  progress  in  perfection — happy,  indeed,  and 
holy,  for  two  good  things  are  better  than  one.  If,  therefore,  thou 
perceivest  that  any  outward  observance  hinders  thy  inward  recollec- 
tion, give  up  the  outward  and  concentrate  thy  soul  upon  the  interior 
life  with  all  thy  might.  This  pleases  God  better.  Do  as  we  priests 
do  in  our  monasteries  at  Easter  and  Pentecost;  for  then  our  vocal 
prayers  are  greatly  shortened,  in  order  that  the  holy  interior  spirit 
of  these  festivals  may  be  the  better  enjoyed.  Thus  do  you,  when  God 
invites  you  to  the  high  festival  of  His  inner  visitation,  so  that  leaving 
off  some  of  your  external  devotions,  you  may  be  the  more  intently 
engaged  with  Him  in  your  soul's  inmost  depths — there  He  will  accom- 
plish His  dearest  will  with  you.  In  such  case  thou  mayest  confine 
thyself  to  those  outward  exercises  of  religion  that  are  required  of  thee, 
Jis,  for  example,  by  the  rule  of  thy  order,  and  boldly  cut  off  all  the 
rest — suposing  them  to  impede  thy  interior  recollection.  I  declare  to 
thee  that  this  interior  life  is  most  divine,  most  sweet,  most  fruitful  of 
virtue,  if  thou  wilt  but  hold  steadfastly  to  it.  To  this  end  turn  to 
account  the  best  aid  thou  canst  have.  And  that  is  to  contemplate  the 
blessed  life  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Study  His  bitter  death  and 
count  His  blessed  wounds  streaming  with  His  precious  blood.  Or 
meditate  even  on  the  eternal  Godhead  itself  and  the  holy  Trinity, 
God's  eternal  wisdom,  infinite  power,  and  His  merciful  goodness  to 
thyself  and  to  all  mankind  in  life  and  in  death. 

Whichever  of  these  divine  subjects  arouses  most  thy  pious  senti- 
ments, turn  inwards  and  ponder  it,  full  of  humility  and  gratitude, 
sinking  deep  into  the  divine  abyss,  and  there  awaiting  God's  coming. 
Now  this  method,  if  followed  faithfully,  produces  more  aptitude  for 
receiving  God  than  all  outward  devotions  whatsoever,  for  the  interior 
life  is  far  better  than  the  exterior.     All  exterior  virtues  draw  their 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  431 

worth  from  the  interior  life  of  the  soul.  A  drop  of  the  interior  spirit 
will  sanctify  a  whole  cask  of  external  exercises. 

But  it  sometimes  happens  that  men  can  think  deeply  of  our  Lora 
in  their  interior  soul,  but  yet  are  spiritually  superficial — like  a  wide 
stretch  of  water  of  scarcely  a  fingers  depth.  Now,  the  reason  is  that 
they  are  deficient  in  real  humility,  and  they  lack  a  universal  love 
for  their  fellowmen.  Says  St.  Augustine:  "The  blessedness  of  one's 
life  consists  not  in  the  length  of  time  given  to  pious  exercises,  nor  in 
doing  many  good  works;  but  it  consists  in  the  greatness  of  love." 
Take  an  example  from  poor  farm  laborers.  They  raise  the  best  ot 
wheat  and  of  wine,  but  not  for  their  own  benefit — they  eat  only  brown 
bread  and  drink  only  water.  Such  is  the  case  with  men  who  do  good 
works  without  deep  interior  dispositions. 

Let  us  now  consider  the  measure  that  is  pressed  down  and  over- 
fiowing.  This  means  superabundant  charity,  drawing  into  a  great 
heart  all  good  works,  all  painful  trials,  all  that  is  good  in  the  whole 
world,  whether  done  by  God's  servants  or  by  Hfs  enemies.  A  man  of 
this  degree  of  love  is  more  truly  the  proprietor  of  the  good  works  of 
others  than  they  are  themselves — as  long  as  those  persons  are  lacking 
in  such  high  charity — so  strong  is  the  attraction  of  love.  Consider  the 
many  recitations  of  the  divine  office,  the  many  masses  offered,  the 
many  sacrifices  made  for  God — the  good  of  all  this  is  more  theirs  who 
have  this  great  heart  of  love  than  the  ones  who  actually  did  all  these 
holy  things — supposing  them  not  to  have  this  same  fulness  of  divine 
love.  For  I  assure  you  that  God  will  not  acknowledge  any  good 
works  of  which  He  is  not  both  the  beginning  and  the  end;  according 
to  St.  Paul:  "And  if  I  should  distribute  all  my  goods  to  feed  the 
]»oor,  and  if  I  should  deliver  my  body  to  be  burned,  and  have  not 
charity,  it  profiteth  me  nothing"    (I  Cor.  xiii:  3). 

The  love  of  God  is  a  virtue  above  all  virtues,  drawing  into  the 
bosom  of  love  all  the  good  deeds  done  by  the  grace  of  God  in  heaven 
and  earth.  The  evil  that  is  in  a  man  is  his  own ;  all  the  good  he  has 
is  to  be  attributed  to  divine  love.  As  the  grain  that  is  poured  into 
a  measure  is  all  pressed  together  and  held  into  one  mass  by  the  sides 
of  the  measure,  so  does  love  press  together  into  unity  all  the  saints 
and  angels  in  Heaven  and  all  their  merits,  as  well  as  all  the  pains 
suffered  on  earth  for  God, — which  but  for  love  we  should  have 
neglected  and  lost.  Hence  the  teaching  of  certain  holy  commentators 
of  Scripture:    "In  everlasting  life  so  deep  a  love  shall  the  elect  have 


432  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

for  one  another,  that  if  one  sees  another  gifted  with  greater  joy  and 
higher  contemplation  than  himself,  this  will  be  to  him  as  mnch  hap- 
piness as  if  he  himself  had  merited  it  and  were  now  enjoying  it." 

In  proportion  to  one's  share  of  this  overflowing  love  in  this  life,  so 
shall  be  his  enjoyment  of  it  in  the  life  to  come.  Hence  it  is  that  the 
evil  one  hates  these  men.  And  he  tempts  such  a  one  by  insinuating 
a  sense  of  self -righteousness,  and  by  inducing  dislike  for  his  neighbor. 
The  devil  leads  him  to  sit  in  judgment  on  his  neighbor's  conduct,  to 
rate  his  good  works  and  his  devotions  as  hypocritical.  If  he  consents 
to  this  uncharity,  he  has  fallen  from  his  holy  state  of  love.  He  con- 
demns otherB  right  and  left,  and  his  tengue  shoots  out  poisoned  arrows 
that  wound  the  souls  of  men  un*o  eternal  death.  And  by  the  same 
stroke  of  false  and  rash  judgment,  thou  hast  stripped  thyself  of  all 
the  merits  and  virtues  thou  hadst  gathered  by  thy  overflowing  measure 
of  love.  Thou  art  now  distracted  and  distressed,  peace  has  fled  away 
from  thy  soul,  and  thou  art  come  into  a  very  dangerous  state.  O,  I 
counsel  thee  in  all  fidelity,  that  thou  guard  thy  tongue  most  vigilantly, 
if  thou  wouldst  continue  to  be  called  and  to  be  a  friend  of  God. 

It  often  happens  that  the  evil  spirit  will  cause  thee  to  dislike  a  good 
pious  Christian,  and  if  thou  yieldest  to  this  and  speakest  it  out,  then 
God  withdraws  from  thee  thy  share  of  that  man's  graces  in  the  prac- 
tice of  virtue,  as  well  as  thy  part  in  the  enjoyment  of  His  own  holy 
love.  As  the  prophet  spoke  of  the  oil  of  consecration  flowing  down 
from  the  head  of  Aaron  even  upon  his  beard,  so  does  God's  love  in  a 
holy  man's  soul  flow  out  upon  all  who  love  Him — it  is  the  overflowing 
of  God's  love  and  all  the  virtues  that  belong  to  it.  Whosoever  shuts 
out  any  one  from  the  spirit  of  universal  love,  is  himself  deprived  of 
his  own  share  of  God's  love.  See  to  it  carefully,  dear  children,  that 
you  cling  fast  to  this  divine  virtue;  hold  all  mankind  in  good  favor; 
be  sure  to  avoid  contention ;  profane  not  that  temple  of  God  that  every 
man  is,  a  temple  consecrated  by  the  Supreme  Pope  and  Father  of 
Christendom,  namely,  God;  take  care  lest  you  fall  under  the  ban  of 
the  eternal  God. 

Alas,  that  our  poor  human  nature  should  be  so  turned  against  true 
brotherly  love.  If  one  happens  to  see  his  neighbor  fall  into  mortal 
sin,  he  lets  him  lie  there  and  perhaps  says  the  worst  things  about  him. 
Look  carefully  to  your  own  faults.  How  do  you  stand  before  God  in 
reference  to  love?    And  learn  diligently  the  fear  of  God  while  you 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  433 

are  in  this  life;  for  beyond  this  life  all  is  over  with  you,  and  you  can 
neither  gain  nor  lose  any  degree  of  virtue — tears  of  blood  shed  for 
you  (were  it  possible)  by  our  Blessed  Lady  and  all  the  saints  will 
then  be  of  no  avail.  But  now  God  is  steadfastly  patient;  He  is  ever 
ready  to  grant  us  more  than  we  are  ready  to  ask  Him.  Meanwhile 
the  love  of  God  is  never  idle:  labor  and  suffer  cheerfully  for  His  sake, 
and  the  superabundant  fulness  of  the  measure  will  be  given  thee,  so 
full  and  rich  and  abundant  and  sweet,  that  it  will  spread  everywhere 
over  thy  life  and  fill  every  corner  of  thy  soul. 

And  now  God  comes  and  touches  with  His  finger  the  well  filled 
vessel  of  his  graces,  and  immediately  it  overflows  and  is  poured  back 
again  into  the  divine  being  out  of  which  all  its  treasures  originally 
came.  The  soul  now  is  united  to  God  without  intermediary  and 
loses  itself  in  Him — will,  knowledge,  love  all  overflow  into  God  and 
are  lost  in  Him  and  made  one  with  him.  The  eternal  God  loves  Him — 
self  in  this  soul,  all  of  whose  works  are  done  by  Him.  But  this  flow 
and  overflow  of  God  into  the  soul  cannot  be  limited  to  itself  alone, 
which  most  longingly  petitions  our  Lord,  and  says:  Ah,  dear  Lord, 
have  mercy  on  all  mankind,  and  forgive  them  their  sins;  and 
especially  have  pity  on  all  those  who  once  did  good  deeds  and 
then  fell  away  from  Thy  grace;  give  them,  beloved  Lord,  the  crumbs 
that  fall  from  Thy  table;  convert  them  from  their  sinful  ways  and 
save  them  through  the  fires  of  purgatory;  give  them  the  well-filled 
measure  of  thy  grace,  that  by  Thy  merits  they  may  be  saved. 

These  elect  souls  thus  turn  back  again  into  God's  bosom  all  their 
gifts  whatsoever,  their  own  selves  included,  and  all  created  things. 
They  embrace  within  their  souls  all  that  happens  in  holy  Chruch 
everywhere  in  the  world,  offering  all  up  in  a  happy,  humble  and  self- 
denying  spirit  to  the  eternal  heavenly  Father,  for  themselves  and  for 
all  men  whether  bad  or  good.  Their  love  bars  out  nobody  still  Hving 
in  this  time  of  grace,  for  they  constantly  join  themselves  in  spirit 
to  the  whole  human  race.  And  if  we  in  our  days  did  not  have  among 
us  men  of  this  godlike  character,  our  lot  would  be  an  evil  one  indeed. 
Therefore  let  us  pray  the  merciful  God  that  we  may  be  granted  this 
overflowing  measure  of  His  love.     Amen. 


434  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Pragrr,  Voral  attb  mental 

Synopsis — Elevation  of  the  thoughts  and  affections  to  Ood  is  the  es- 
sence of  prayer — This  involves  thoroughgoing  detachment  from 
created  things — Hoto  even  good  works  may  hinder  prayer  if  done 
out  of  order  or  from  defective  motives — True  prayer  makes  the 

i     ^ctive  and  passive  life  one — Examples  drawn  from  our  Lord's  life. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  THE  FIFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

Dearly  beloved :    be  ye  all  of  one  mind. — I  Peter  ill,  8. 

In  this  Sunday's  epistle  St.  Peter  bids  us  be  all  ol  one  mind,  and 
that  is  chiefly  fulfilled  in  prayer,  which  is  the  most  necessary,  and 
delightful,  and  fruitful,  and  honorable  .work  that  we  can  perform 
in  this  life.  Now  I  would  have  you  clearly  to  know  what  prayer  is, 
and  what  its  essence  is,  what  its  method  is,  and  in  what  place  we 
ought  to  pray. 

What  is  prayer  and  what  is  its  essence?  The  essence  of  prayer 
is  the  going  up  of  the  soul  into  God,  as  spiritual  writers  define  it. 
And  what  is  the  place  in  which  one  should  pray?  It  is  in  the  spirit 
itself,  as  our  Lord  taught  us.  As  to  how  we  should  pray,  I  will  briefly 
explain.  When  any  good  man  starts  to  pray,  he  should  gather  back 
into  himself  the  life  of  his  senses,  and  he  should  inspect  his  soul  to 
find  whether  or  not  it  be  really  turned  to  God.  This  method  of  pray- 
ing a  man  can  practice  in  the  highest  degree  of  recollection,  or  the 
lowest,  or  midway  between  these  two.  Let  a  man  carefully  note  what 
form  of  praying  arouses  his  soul  most  effectually  to  a  devout  feeling — 
and  that  let  him  use.  But  whosoever  would  acquire  a  prayer  that 
is  genuine  and  that  God  will  surely  attend  to,  must  turn  away  from 
transitory  things,  and  from  outward  things,  and  from  all  that  is  not 
of  the  things  of  God.  He  must  relentlessly  cut  off  everything  that 
does  not  mean  God  to  him  truly  and  in  its  very  cause,  whether 
friends  or  joys  or  the  vanities  and  ornaments  and  apparel  of  this 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  435 

life.  He  must  sever  the  bonds  of  disorderly  aflfection  that  hold  him 
outwardly  or  inwardly,  in  words  or  behavior,  to  any  created  thing. 
Such  is  the  preparation  for  the  true  practice  of  prayer.  The  soul 
must  cleave  to  God  alone;  a  man  must  turn  his  face  towards  God 
ever  present  in  his  inmost  soul;  he  must  meekly  and  affectionately 
cleave  to  God. 

Children,  everything  we  have  little  and  great  comes  from  God,  and 
back  again  to  God  must  it  go,  to  be  given  with  an  undivided  heart. 
So,  too,  we  must  collect  together  and  offer  to  God  all  the  powers  of 
our  soul  and  body.  Such  is  the  right  meithod  of  prayer.  Never 
imagine  that  noisy  mouth-praying,  hurried  recitations  of  the  Psalms, 
the  heart  meanwhile  inattentive  and  straying  off,  is  true  prayer. 
So-called  prayers  and  socalled  good  works  may  sometimes  even  hinder 
the  soul  from  real  praying;  do  not  hesitate  to  give  them  up  no  matter 
how  good  they  seem,  or  what  people  may  say,  if  they  distract  thee 
from  God— excepting,  of  course,  the  divine  office  and  the  devout  exer- 
cises prescribed  by  holy  Church. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  a  community  is  obligated  to  certain  long 
vocal  prayers,  and  that  a  member  feels  that  hereby  he  is  hindered 
from  inward  recollection :  what  should  he  do?    He  should  both  observe 
the  outward  obligation  and  take  proper  means  to  preserve  interior 
recollection.     While  joining  outwardly  with  his  brethren,  he  should 
bridle  all  his  faculties  and  senses,  and  he  should  turn  his  mind  inward 
to  God's  blessed  presence,  making  interior  acts  of  conformity  to  the 
divine  will,  into  which  he  should  sink  himself  and  all  created  things 
ever  deeper  and  deeper.     Thus  does  he  faithfully  perform  every  task 
imposed  on  him,  begging  God  to  show  forth  His  honor  and  praise 
in  those  persons  who  have  been  commended  to  his  prayers  .-—this  is  a 
better  prayer  than  if  he  had  a  thousand  mouths  to  pray  with.    Prayer 
m  the  spirit  immeasurably  exceeds  in  value  prayer  that  is  outward 
All  other  prayer  pays  tribute  to  this.     Thus  the  Father  would  have 
men  pray;   and  when  any  prayer  serves  not  this  kind,  then  delay  not 
to  let  it  go.    It  is  like  the  building  of  a  church  with  which  a  hundred 
men  are  occupied  in  many  different  sorts  of  work,  some  makmg  mortar, 
others  laying  stone;   but  it  is  all  for  one  single  purpose— to  build  a 
house  of  prayer.    So  let  everything  be  made  to  help  you  in  acquiring 
a  true  interior  method  of  prayer.    When  this  true  prayer  of  the  spirit 
IS  established,  then  all  that  helped  to  this  happy  result  is  perfected, 


436  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

extending  far  beyond  the  results  of  external  methods,  which,  besides, 
are  now  blended  with  the  interior  spirit,  one  kind  of  prayer  being  no 
manner  of  hindrance  to  the  other. 

It  behooves  a  thoroughly  converted  and  enlightened  man  that  his 
life  of  act  and  his  life  of  joy  should  be  made  one,  as  they  are  one  in 
God  in  their  uttermost  development,  interfering  with  each  other  not 
in  the  least  degree.  God's  act  is  in  the  divine  persons  and  His  joy 
we  attribute  to  His  most  simple  essence.  The  heavenly  Father,  as  He 
is  distinctly  Father,  is  pure  act,  by  which  He  begets  in  divine  self- 
knowledge  His  beloved  Son,  and  from  the  inefifable  embrace  of  Father 
and  Son  the  Holy  Ghost  proceeds, — He  is  their  mutual  joy  and  love. 
And  this  is  the  essential  act  of  the  divine  persons.  To  the  most  simple 
essence  of  God  is  attributed  the  divine  joy,  and  thus  in  act  and  in 
joy  God  is  one,  as  in  persons  and  in  essence  God  is  three  in  one. 
And  all  creatures,  being  made  like  unto  God,  are  created  to  act;  even 
the  sun  and  stars  and  all  other  lifeless  creatures.  But  far  above  these 
are  angels  and  men,  each  active  according  to  its  laws  of  being.  Not 
a  little  dower  or  leaf  but  is  acted  on  by  the  heavenly  bodies,  and  by 
God  Himself.  And  shall  not  noble  man,  made  in  God's  likeness, 
resemble  Him  in  activity?  As  man  is  formed  after  God's  image  in 
his  soul's  powers  and  in  his  soul's  essence,  must  he  not  have  a  much 
higher  activity  than  reasonless  creatures  like  stars  and  planets? 
There  must  be  a  close  resemblance  to  God  both  in  man's  activity  and 
in  his  contemplation;  and  this  resemblance  must  be  seen  both  in  his 
higher  and  lower  powers.  And  man's  activity  is  characterized  by  its 
object,  whether  that  be  God  or  creatures.  And  whatsoever  man  makeft 
all  the  objects  of  his  activity  heavenly  and  divine,  turning  his  back 
resolutely  on  all  transitory  things,  that  man  makes  the  life  and  activity 
of  his  soul  wholly  divine. 

The  glorious  soul  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  ever  turned  towards 
the  Godhead,  as  far  as  His  higher  faculties  were  concerned.  This  was 
always  so  from  the  first  moment  of  His  incarnation,  just  as  much  as 
it  is  now  in  the  bliss  of  Heaven.  But  as  to  His  lower  powers,  these 
were  constantly  moving  in  His  life  of  work  and  suflfering,  at  the  same 
time  that  the  higher  ones  were  rapt  into  union  with  the  divine  nature. 
Even  when  He  hung  dying  on  the  cross,  His  soul  was  with  God  in  its 
more  spiritual  powers,  essentially  the  same  as  it  is  with  Him  now. 
So  must  we  be,  if  we  will  imitate  Him :  we  must  keep  God  deep  and 
peaceful  in  our  heart,   while  in   our  ordinary   occupations   we   are 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  437 

engaged  with  many  different  things.  O,  children,  the  man  who  neglects 
this  interior  privilege,  and  allows  his  nobler  spiritual  powers  to  lie 
idle,  lives  in  constant  danger.  He  wastes  precious  years  of  life,  he 
merits  an  intolerable  purgatory,  and  his  eternal  reward  will  be  the 
least  possible.  He  will  feel  in  Heaven  like  a  coarse  rustic  creature, 
who  finds  himself  suddenly  thrust  into  the  presence  of  the  King  sur- 
rounded by  his  court.  As  to  a  self-conceited  man  whose  life  is  all 
external,  he  will  be  unfit  even  to  behold  the  happy  place  in  which 
God's  friends  will  eternally  dwell.  And  what  of  those  sluggards  who 
are  far  worse,  who  live  without  God  both  inwardly  and  outwardly? 
The  evil  spirits  eagerly  assail  them  with  temptations  and  lay  snares 
in  their  path. 

I^t  us  return  to  our  former  statement,  that  man's  likeness  to  God 
is  in  his  power  of  combining  interior  restful  joy  with  exterior  activity; 
and  that  means  the  interior  man's  unalterable  adherence  to  God  in  his 
deepest  consciousness,  pure  and  perfect.  This  is  a  state  quite  different 
from  the  outward  methods  of  serving  God,  as  different  as  running  and 
sitting  down.  The  interior  state  is  a  perception  of  God's  presence, 
joined  to  the  happiness  of  His  possession.  And  it  is  from  this  that 
an  interior  man  goes  forth  to  his  outward  activity  as  necessity  or  as 
the  good  of  himself  or  others  may  require — and  again  returns  into  the 
same  divine  centre  and  source.  Thus  does  the  interior  life  supervise 
the  exterior  life.  A  master  workman,  for  example,  has  many  servants 
under  him,  all  of  whom  do  the  work  that  he  lays  out  for  them  and  in 
the  way  he  points  out,  while  he  himself  does  no  work,  and  does  not 
often  go  into  the  workshop,  though  he  gives  his  men  the  rule  and 
form  of  their  work;  they  call  him  the  master  workman,  as  if  he 
alone  did  all  that  they  do,  on  account  of  his  showing  them  how  to 
work  and  what  to  work.  It  is  all  his  from  his  command  over 
them  and  his  planning,  for  it  is  in  carrying  out  his  plans  that  their 
work  consists.  So  in  the  interior  life  the  master  workman  set  over  the 
exterior  life;  it  is  from  his  interior  that  a  man  enlightened  by  God 
constantly  guides  his  external  faculties  in  their  activity.  In  the  depths 
of  his  soul  he  is  immersed  in  God,  in  whom  he  is  absorbed  in  joy; 
there  he  remains  free  and  unhindered  by  his  external  activity.  And 
every  external  work  down  to  the  least  and  smallest,  is  in  the  service 
of  the  interior.  It  is  precisely  so  in  the  ordering  of  the  spiritual 
body  of  Christ,  namely,  holy  Church,  of  which  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  head.    Or,  again,  in  a  man's  body  and  its  many  members — the 


438  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

eye  sees  all  the  other  members  and  yet  sees  not  itself.  Mouth,  hands 
and  feet,  and  the  other  members,  all  have  their  peculiar  offices,  but 
are  not  for  themselves,  but  for  the  whole  body,  under  direction  of  the 
head.  And  so,  too,  in  our  Christian  religious  life,  every  act,  even 
down  to  carrying  a  candle  and  ringing  a  bell,  is  done  to  serve  the 
interior  work  of  God  in  the  soul. 

And  the  unity  between  the  different  members  of  holy  Church  should 
be  so  close,  that  one  should  no  more  harm  the  others  than  he  harms 
himself.  If  I  find  any  member  of  this  body  of  Christ  worthier  than 
I  am,  I  must  hold  him  dearer  to  me  than  I  hold  myself,  just  as  a 
man's  hand  and  arm  protect  the  head  and  heart  more  carefully  than 
they  do  tbemselves.  So  should  be  the  instinctive  love  of  God's  mem- 
bers one  for  another,  esteeming  them  according  as  their  devout  life 
and  their  virtue  make  them  more  precious  to  our  divine  Head.  And 
whatever  my  neighbor  would  wish  to  have,  or  not  have,  should  concern 
me  just  as  if  it  were  my  own  desire.  If  I  love  the  good  that  is  in  him 
more  than  he  loves  it  himself,  then  that  good  is  more  mine  than  his. 
If  he  has  any  evil  thing,  that  remains  wholly  his  own,  whereas  the 
good  that  I  love  in  him  is  rightly  mine  as  well  as  his.  That  St.  Paul 
was  rapt  in  ecstacy  was  granted  by  God  to  him  and  not  to  me.  But 
if  in  this  rapture  of  St.  Paul  I  adore  the  will  of  God,  then  I  had 
rather  that  the  rapture  was  his  than  mine — and  yet  in  loving  it  in 
him  it  all  becomes  truly  mine.  That  and  every  other  holy  thing  that 
God  did  in  him  is  made  mine,  just  as  if  it  happened  to  me,  supposing 
that  I  truly  love  it  in  him.  And  this  would  be  true  of  me  in  relation 
to  any  man,  even  if  he  were  beyond  the  sea,  nay,  even  if  he  were  my 
enemy.  Thus  strict  is  this  coworking  of  God's  spiritual  body;  and 
thus  I  am  made  rich  with  all  the  spiritual  goods  of  God's  friends  on 
earth  and  in  Heaven  in  God  who  is  the  head  of  all,  all  flowing  from 
Head  and  members,  from  God  and  angels  and  saints,  into  me.  This 
is  because  I  am  joined  to  this  divine  Head  and  to  all  His  members 
by  love,  being  made  and  formed  like  unto  Him  and  them,  and  yet  in 
them  separated  from  myself  and  made  unlike  unto  myself.  But,  alas, 
we  sometimes  seem  to  love  God  and  His  holy  will,  whereas  as  a 
matter  of  fact  it  is  our  own  selves  that  we  love  or  some  of  our 
possessions:  sometimes  what  looks  like  gold  is  not  worth  as  much 
as  copper.  But  when  a  man  has  sincerely  gone  out  of  self  and  is 
detached  from  all  his  own  belongings,  has  become  truly  poor  in  spirit, 
then  to  him  all  earthly  things  whatsoever  are  equal — he  stands  indif- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


439 


ferent  to  them.     Oh,  children,  an  equal  love  for  joy  or  sorrow  is  a 
rare  thing  to  find  among  the  generality  of  people. 

It  remains  to  describe  the  three  degrees  of  perfection  accessible  to 
men.  The  first  degree  of  an  interior  life,  leading  to  God's  high  truth, 
is  when  a  man  turns  inward  in  search  of  the  marvellous  evidences 
and  the  ineffable  gifts  of  the  hidden  deity,  and  this  results  in  a 
state  of  soul  called  jubilation.  The  second  degree  is  destitution  of 
spirit,  in  which  the  soul  experiences  a  special  drawing  of  God  amid 
a  terrible  process  of  stripping  and  deprivation.  The  third  is  a  tran- 
scending movement  of  the  creature  into  a  God-like  form,  uniting  the 
created  spirit  with  the  uncreated  deity;  this  may  be  named  essential 
transformation.  Of  those  who  attain  to  this  last  degree,  we  can  hardly 
believe  that  they  will  ever  fall  away  from  God. 

To  the  first  degree  we  attain  by  meditating  on  the  evidences  of 
dmne  love  everywhere  found  in  earth  and  Heaven.    O  how  much  has 
God  favored  us  among  all  His  creatures.     The   whole   world   blooms 
with  the  beauty  of  God,  Who  overwhelms  all  creation  with  His  gifts 
for  our  sakes.     How  tenderly  has  He  not  sought  us  out,  invited  us 
and  admonished  us  and  waited  long  and  patiently  for  us.    For  us  He 
became  man,  suffered  and  died,  offering  His  blessed  soul  and  body  to 
His  Father  for  our  sakes;  and  to  how  indescribably  close  a  friendship 
has  He  not  invited  us.    How  long  has  the  Holy  Trinity  waited  for  us, 
that  we  might  share  the  divine  joy  eternally.     Let  a  man  but*  deeply 
ponder  all  this,  and  the  interior  rush  of  heavenly  joy  will  overpower 
him,  and  his  poor  body  will  be  too  weak  to  endure  the  strain.     It 
often  happens  that  during  the  stress  of  this  feeling,  the  blood  will 
burst  its  veins  and  pour  from  the  mouth;    in    other    cases    one    is 
affected  with  serious  illness. 

Thus  is  this  man  granted  a  powerful  influx  of  sweetness  from  oui 
Lord,  as  he  is  embraced  in  entire  and  sensible  union  with  Him.  Thus 
does  God  forcibly  draw  a  man  out  of  himself  and  correct  all  dissimi- 
larity. Let  no  man  meddle  with  these  gentle  souls,  nor  impose  on 
them  their  commonplace  outward  observances— be  not  guilty  of  such 
a  thing.  Nor  need  the  Prior  be  disturbed  if  such  a  brother  leaves 
the  choir  during  recitation  of  office,  for  he  cannot  do  otherwise,  and 
he  IS  not  a  vain  creature  who  must  be  watched  and  corrected.  Once 
our  Lord  offered  a  special  friend  of  His  to  give  him  this  kiss  of 
jubilation.  But  he  answered  and  said :  "Beloved  Lord,  I  do  not  desire 
it;  for  it  would  make  me  beside  myself  with  joy,  so  that  I  should  be 


440  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

a  useless  creature:  how  could  I  pray  for  the  poor  souls  in  purgatory 
and  help  them  to  Heaven,  or  for  poor  sinners  who  are  but  just  now 
departed  this  life?  And  how  could  I  pray  for  poor  sinners  yet  in 
this  life  and  who  will  not  pray  for  themselves?  For  God  haa  willed 
to  help  them  only  through  our  prayers  in  this  time  of  His  grace."  Ah, 
children,  how  great  love  was  this,  that  a  soul  would  deny  itself  these 
heavenly  joys  for  the  sake  of  helping  others. 

The  second  degree  is  when  God  has  drawn  a  man  far  away  from 
created  things.  He  is  no  longer  a  child  to  be  fed  with  the  dainties 
of  spiritual  sweetness,  but  he  must  be  content  to  eat  the  hard  rye 
bread  of  tribulation,  as  becomes  a  man;  for  a  man  he  is  now  grown 
to  be.  Hard  and  strong  food  it  is  that  this  man  needs — not  the 
baby's  bread  and  milk.  Before  him  lies  a  desert  road,  dark  and  lonely, 
and  as  God  leads  him  through  it.  He  deprives  him  of  all  the  solaces 
and  joys  that  He  ever  gave  him.  The  poor  man  is  so  confused  that 
he  knows  nothing  of  God — he  does  not  know  whether  there  is  a  God 
above  him  or  not.  Woe  is  upon  him  deep  and  heavy,  and  the  wide 
world  is  too  narrow  for  him.  And  while  he  feels  not  and  rightly 
knows  not  God,  neither  does  he  feel  at  home  with  created  things.  He 
seems  to  himself  penned  in  between  two  steep  walls,  a  sword  before 
him,  a  spear  behind  him.  What  shall  he  do?  He  dare  not  go  forward, 
he  dare  not  go  backward.  He  can  but  sit  down  disconsolate  and 
exclaim :  All  hail  to  Thee,  O  pure  and  bitter  pain,  may  God  bless  thee, 
for  thou  art  full  of  all  graces.  If  hell  could  be  added  to  this  purgatory 
of  his,  it  would  be — so  it  seems  to  him — a  softening  of  his  pain.  To 
love  so  deeply  and  yet  to  be  deprived  of  the  supreme  Good  that  one 
loves — such  is  his  torment.  Talk  to  him  as  thou  pleasest  of  the  com- 
forting things  of  religion;  it  is  as  if  thou  offerest  a  hvmgry  man  a 
stone  to  eat : — and  how  mcuh  less  comfort  shall  he  have  in  all  creatures. 
The  greater  his  spiritual  sweetness  was  before,  the  greater  is  now  the 
misery  of  his  deprivation.  O  now  behave  thyself  well,  thou  favored 
soul,  for  the  Lord  is  surely  nigh  unto  thee,  holding  thee  fast  by  the 
link  of  living  faith ;  be  sure  that  all  will  yet  be  well  with  thee.  But, 
alas,  this  poor  soul  is  in  anguish  so  deep,  that  he  no  more  can  believe 
that  all  will  yet  be  well  with  him  than  he  can  believe  that  darkness 
shall  be  turned  into  light. 

This  trial  prepares  a  man  for  God's  higher  work  in  him  more  than 
all  the  devotions  and  pious  practices  that  can  be  thought  of.  And 
when  our  Lord  finds  him  well  enough  purified  by  hanging  upon  this 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  441 

cross  of  insufferable  agony,  He  then  comes  to  him  to  introduce  him 
to  the  third  degree.  Immediately  He  removes  the  bandage  from  his 
eyes  and  reveals  to  him  the  truth.  Forth  bursts  the  bright  sunshine, 
lifting  and  dispersing  every  cloud;  every  sorrow  vanishes  away — he 
seems  to  himself  to  be  a  man  risen  from  the  dead.  The  Lord  leads 
him  back  into  his  own  soul,  there  to  behold  every  anguish  gone,  every 
wound  healed.  For  now  out  of  a  human  he  is  led  into  a  divine  way 
of  living,  free  from  pain,  fast  fixed  in  security  of  spirit.  Whatsoever 
he  now  is  and  does,  that  is  God  in  him  and  that  does  God  in  him, 
being  made  by  grace  what  God  Himself  essentially  is  by  nature — as 
far  as  this  may  be.  He  feels  lost  to  himself  in  God;  he  can  find  self 
nowhere;  he  knows  nought  but  the  simple  essence  of  God. 

Children,  to  be  truly  placed  in  this  state,  is  to  begin  by  being  rooted 
in  the  deepest  depths  of  humility  and  self-abnegation,  a  depth  beyond 
our  power  to  comprehend,  for  it  involves  a  most  perfect  knowledge  of 
one's  own  nothingness.  It  is  the  deepest  immersion  of  the  soul  in 
humility;  and  the  deeper  the  sinking  the  higher  the  rising,  for  deep 
and  high  are  all  in  God.  But  if  a  man  in  this  state  should  waver 
from  the  straight  path,  if  he  should  resist  God  and  strike  about  him, 
if  he  should  return  to  self  as  a  foundation,  if  he  should  depart  out  of 
this  high  festival  and  return  into  self-complacency,  that  would  be  like 
the  fall  of  Lucifer.  Herein  consists  the  good  of  the  single-minded 
prayer  of  which  we  began  by  treating,  and  which  brings  us  into  union 
with  God.  May  the  blessed  Trinity  grant  us  entrance  into  that  single- 
minded  prayer.    Amen. 


442  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


3Ft0ljtti3  in  Bttp  WntttB 

Synopsis — Christ's  net  is  a  man's  thoughts — TTie  fish  He  catches  are 
holy  desires  and  deeds  and  doctrines — To  these  are  added  useful 
joys  and  sorrows — How  ordinary  good  Christians  are  also  helped 
— A  true  test:  What  gives  us  pleasure  or  pain — When  Christ 
has  a  good  catch  our  net  breaks — This  is  the  destruction  of  self- 
hood. 


SECOND   SERMON  FOR  THE  FIFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER 

TRINITY. 

And  going  into  one  of  the  ships  that  was  Simon's,  He  desired  him  to  draw 
back  a  little  from  the  land.  And  sitting,  He  taught  the  multitudes  out  of  the 
ship.  Now  when  He  had  ceased  to  speak,  he  said  to  Simon:  Launch  out  into 
the  deep,  and  let  down  your  nets  for  a  draught.  And  Simon,  answering,  said 
to  Him :  Master,  we  have  labored  all  the  night,  and  have  taken  nothing ;  but 
at  Thy  word  I  will  let  down  the  net.  And  when  they  had  done  this,  they 
enclosed  a  very  great  multitude  of  fishes,  and  their  net  broke.  And  they 
beckoned  to  their  partners  that  were  in  the  other  ship,  that  they  should  come 
and  help  them.  And  they  came  and  filled  both  the  ships,  sa  that  they  were 
almost  sinking:  which,  when  Simon  Peter  saw,  he  fell  down  at  Jesus'  knees, 
saying:     Depart  from  me  because  I  am  a  sinful  man,  O  Lord.— Luke  v,  3-10. 

The  ship  that  our  Lord  commanded  to  be  launched  out  into  the 
deep  may  be  taken  to  mean  the  interior  life  of  our  soul.  It  journeys 
over  the  dangerous  sea  of  this  sorrowful  world,  which  is  so  subject  to 
changes  from  storm  to  calm,  from  joy  to  sorrow.  It  makes  one's  heart 
wither  away  with  fear,  when  one  realizes  the  dangers  that  beset  those 
whose  hearts  are  entrusted  to  the  custody  of  the  world's  stormy  ocean. 
How  it  will  be  with  you  in  eternity,  that  you  think  little  about,  but 
you  voyage  along  blindly,  concerned  wholly  with  your  bodily  apparel 
and  adornment  and  nourishment,  totally  forgetful  of  the  awful  judg- 
ment that  awaits  you — when?  You  know  not;  it  may  be  even  today 
or  tomorrow.  O  if  you  but  realized  the  danger  of  clinging  to  the 
world,  the  danger  that  besets  all  who  do  not  with  deepest  sincerity 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


adhere  to  God,  or  at  least  remain  among  the   lowest   grade  • 
friends.    Not  long  since  it  was  revealed  to  one  of  God's  frienr 
dreadful  shall  be  the  fate  of  such  worldlings.     Ah,  whosoevei 
knew  this  could  scarcely  bear  the  shock  of  it — it  would  seem  impc 
of  belief.    Let  all  those  to  whom  this  applies  remember  the  w. 
now  given  them. 

Let  us  come  to  our  subject.    "Launch  out  into  the  deep,"  our 
said.    This  may  mean  to  us  that  the  supreme  need  of  a  spiritual 
is  that  his  soul,  with  all  its  thought  and  love,  shall  and  must  be  dr 
away  from  everything  that  is  not  God.     Whosoever    would    not 
wrecked  and  drowned  in  the  stormy  sea  of  this  life  must  be  eleva 
above  all  creatures.    St.  Peter  said:    ''Master,  we  have  labored  all  . 
night,  and  have  taken  nothing."    This  was  well  and  truly  said;   t 
all  who  are  preoccupied  with  outward  things  labor  in  the  night  ac 
take  nothing.     Then   said  our  Lord:     "Let  down   your  nets  for 
draught,"  and  forthwith  they  caught  so  many  fish  that  the  nets  we. 
breaking.    This  all  happened  before  our  Lord's  resurrection  ;  for  aftt 
that,  the  Gospel  tells  us  (John  xxi:6),  that  when  He  bade  them  k 
down  their  nets,  they  did  not  break,  though  they  caught  a  grea 
multitude  of  fish. 

Children,  what  may  here  be  meant  by  the  net?  It  may  mean  a 
man's  thoughts, — the  net  that  he  casts  out  to  gather  into  his  mind 
what  will  inflame  it  with  holy  desires,  holy  deeds  and  teachings, 
especially  the  divine  life  and  passion  of  Jesus.  Holy  meditation  fills 
the  soul  with  Christ,  all  our  mental  powers  and  our  senses  being 
transformed  by  love  and  joy  in  Him,  so  that  sometimes  one  cannot 
hide  it,  but  must  break  forth  into  loud  songs  of  jubilation. 

This  launching  out  into  the  deep  is,  however,  but  the  first  degree; 
and  to  be  made  a  truly  mortified  man,  or  as  Dionysius  says,  a  God-like 
man,  one  must  be  guided  to  a  yet  profounder  depth  of  divine  influence. 
This  means  that  all  those  things  wherewith  the  lower  faculties  of  the 
soul  are  occupied,  must  fall  away  and  be  lost  to  it — even  holy  thoughts 
and  imaginations,  joy  and  jubilation,  all,  in  fact,  that  God  had  granted, 
now  must  seem  out  of  place  and  something  to  be  excluded  from  the 
soul.  Such  things  have  lost  their  savor  and  the  soul  can  no  longer 
be  content  with  them.  But  here  is  the  dreadful  misery;  for  they  are 
gone  and  there  is  nothing  to  take  their  place.  The  poor  man  craves 
something  in  their  stead  and  is  wholly  unable  to  possess  it — he  is 
imprisoned  within   the  walls  of  a  narrow  cell,  and    is    overpower**^ 


The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


;nguish.    Now  indeed  is  the  ship  of  his  soul  tossed  upon  the 

3a  of  spiritual  want,  and  he  seems  entirely  abandoned  by  God. 

trial  and  opposition  that  man  ever  suffered  is  become  his  lot. 

raves  of  a  tempest  of  anguish  break  mercilessly  over  his  little 

ar  child,  I  say  to  thee:    Be  not  affrighted,  for  thy  ship  is  too 
anchored  to  be  wrecked  by  any  storm.    That  just  man  Job  says: 
er  darkness  I  hope  for  light  again"    (Job  xvii:  12).    Rest  tran- 
ly  in  thy  own  soul,  depart  not  from  thyself,  be  patient  to  the  end. 
ae  men,  finding  themselves,  in  this  painful  destitution,  run  away 
m  it ;  but  it  is  a  hurtful  thing  to  try  to  escape  this  suffering.    Nor 
3s  this  attempt  to  fly  give  them  relief— the  teachers  to  whom  they 
rry  their  complaints  help  them  not  at  all,  and  they  but  wander 
irther  away  from  joy.    Stand  thy  ground.    Be  sure  that  after  dark- 
•ss  comes  light — await  patiently  the  sunlight  of  the  dawn.    If  thou 
ilt  but  wait,  thy  birth  into  God  is  nigh  at  hand.    He  says  to  thee : 
iave  confidence  in  Me,  for  no  trial  is  ever  imposed  upon  a  soul,  but 
hat  he  shall  be  granted  a  new  spiritual  birth  if  he  bears  himself 
•ravely.     It  is  for  the  sake  of  this  that  every  tribulation  from  Me  or 
from  My  creatures  is  sent  to  thee.    But  if  thou  permittest  any  creature 
whatsoever  to  interfere  with  this  trial,  be  sure  that  it  will  prevent 
the  divine  regeneration  within  thee — and  how  great  an  injury  is  this. 
If  thy  soul  be  anchored  fast  to  the  rock  of  Christ,  then  what  St  Paul 
said  becomes  true  of  thee:     "For  I  am  sure  that  neither  death,  nor 
life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor 
things  to  come,  nor  might,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature, 
shall  be  ever  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord"    (Rom.  viii:  38-39).    The  more  all  devils  and 
men  conspire  against  thee  or  assail  thee,  the  higher  do  they  lift  thy 
soul  unto  God. 

Children,  the  man  who  yields  his  soul  patiently  to  this  oppressive 
sorrow,  gives  up  more  of  self  and  takes  on  more  of  God  than  would 
be  possible  by  a  whole  world  of  external  devout  exercises.  Therefore, 
look  nowhere  for  any  help,  neither  from  within  nor  from  without. 
Let  thy  wounds  bleed,  seek  no  solace  for  them — God  will  Burely  relieve 
thee  in  His  own  time  if  thou  wilt  but  commit  thyself  to  Him  absolutely. 
Children,  this  is  the  nearest  way  to  the  divine  birth  within  the  soul, 
which  illumines  it  with  God's  unhindered  light.  It  sometimes  happens 
'^^'^*-  qn  outward  living  man  suffers  an  outward  misfortune,  such  as  a 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  445 

case  of  backbiting  or  other  injustice,  and  now  he  clamors  and  protests 
incessantly,  and  he  feels  such  an  agony  that  he  is  tired  of  life.  How 
different  the  case  of  our  truly  interior  man.  He  never  complains  of 
his  afflictions,  whose  sorrow  yields  him  finally  a  harvest  of  joy.  What 
is  so  sweet  to  him  as  entire  surrender  to  God?  Every  pain  that  comes 
is  to  him  nothing  less  than  a  visit  from  God  Himself. 

Children,  would  you  have  a  true  sign  of  what  you  really  are  in 
God's  sight?  Ask  yourself  what  it  is  that  gives  you  pleasure  or  pain? 
Art  thou  filled  with  God?  Then  the  ship  of  thy  soul  cannot  be 
endangered  by  the  storms  of  created  things.  On  such  a  man  God  be- 
stows the  priceless  jewel  of  inward  joy,  which  no  other  man  can 
comprehend — the  firm  possession  of  divine  peace.  Many  a  time  the 
storm  of  temptation  beats  fiercely  on  the  little  baniue,  threatening  to 
sink  it  to  the  bottom — it  can  never  disturb  the  interior  tranquility, 
however  much  the  outward  man  is  moved. 

As  to  those  good  souls  who  have  never  experienced  this  degree  of 
perfection,  I  say  to  you,  be  not  disturbed.  There  are  fishermen  who 
are  rich  and  those  who  are  poor,  far  more  of  the  latter.  And  no 
matter  how  simple  or  lowly  may  be  thy  devotional  life,  if  thou  dost 
follow  it  with  deep  sincerity  of  heart,  and  if  thou  longest  to  be  made 
a  higher  lover  of  God,  rest  in  that  with  all  confidence;  allow  nothing 
to  interfere,  keep  God  before  thy  eyes  in  all  thy  conduct — thou  mayst 
be  quite  sure  that  the  deep  quiet  of  soul  we  have  been  considering 
shall  yet  be  thine,  if  it  should  even  be  postponed  to  the  hour  of  thy 
death. 

And  yet  after  all,  this  true  friend  of  God  has  with  his  great  peace 
of  soul  a  mixture  of  unrest — a  breaking  of  the  net.  For  he  is  distressed 
that  he  cannot  be  so  much  to  God  as  he  would  wish;  and  also  that 
God  is  not  yet  quite  perfectly  enjoyed  by  him.  We  read  of  a  holy 
man  who  lived  in  a  forest  for  forty  years,  and  he  always  went  on  hands 
and  feet  for  God's  sake,  never  feeling  a  moment  of  divine  consolation. 
Now  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  he  really  had  more  comfort  from 
God  than  a  thousand  others;  but  not  enough  to  satisfy  him,  for  he 
could  only  enjoy  that  divine  consolation  which  was  of  the  very  highest 
degree.  In  that  degree  there  is  granted  an  essential  peace,  of  which 
it  is  written:  "Seek  after  peace  and  pursue  it  (Psalm  xxxi:  15) — the 
peace  that  passeth  all  understanding,  the  unnamed  and  unnamable 
turning  of  the  soul  to  God,  which  is  answered  by  the  unnamed  and 


^6  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

unnamable  turning  of  God  to  the  soul,  all  that  God  is  to  all  that  the 
soul  is.  Then  does  God  utter  His  divine  word  of  peace,  and  the  soul 
exclaims:  "I  will  hear  what  the  Lord  God  will  speak  in  me,  for  He 
will  speak  peace  unto  His  people,  and  unto  His  saints,  and  unto  them 
that  are  converted  unto  the  heart"  (Psalm  lxxxiv:9).  St,  Dionysius 
says  of  these  men  that  they  are  formed  in  God.  To  them  did  St.  Paul 
speak:  "That  being  rooted  and  founded  in  charity,  you  may  be  able 
to  comprehend,  with  all  the  saints,  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and 
height,  and  depth"  (Eph.  iii:  18).  Children,  the  height  and  the  depth 
revealed  to  these  men  neither  reason  nor  sense  can  understand: — it 
passes  beyond  them  into  the  abyss  of  the  deity.  But  only  to  those 
whose  external  life  is  wholly  purified,  whose  interior  souls  are  fully 
enlightened — only  to  men  whose  dwelling  place  is  within  does  God 
reveal  this  priceless  boon;  souls  to  whom  heaven  and  earth  and  all 
things  in  them  are  as  nothing  except  for  God,  for  they  themselves  are 
to  God  a  heavenly  rest  and  peace. 

Our  Lord  sat  in  the  ship  and  taught  the  people.  And  so  does  God 
sit  in  these  men's  souls  and  rests  there,  and  through  them  does  He 
teach  the  whole  world.  But  be  sure  of  this :  the  net  of  this  soul  must 
be  broken  when  it  is  drawn  into  this  deep  place.  Though  you  must 
not  imagine  that  I  myself  claim  to  have  arrived  at  this  degree.  True, 
no  man  should  teach  that  of  which  he  has  not  had  some  living  experi- 
ence, or  what  at  least  he  does  not  love,  and  meditate  on,  and  to  acquire 
which  he  places  no  hindrance. 

As  to  the  breaking  of  the  net,  it  cannot  do  otherwise  than  break, 
so  great  is  the  multitude  of  the  fishes: — that  is  to  say,  poor  human 
nature  is  too  weak  to  abide  the  strain  of  so  much  heavenly  joy.  Hence- 
forth this  man  shall  never  know  a  day  of  sound  health.  St.  Hilde- 
garde  teaches  this  very  well :  "God's  dwelling  place  is  not  in  a  strong 
and  healthy  body."  And  St.  Paul:  "For  power  is  made  perfect  in 
infirmity"  (II  Cor.  xii:9).  But  this  weakness  does  not  come  from 
the  Godhead  upon  and  into  the  soul,  which  is  more  than  the  feeble 
severe  external  mortifications  can  bear,  but  from  the  excessive  outpour- 
ings of  bodily  forces.  God  has  drawn  this  soul  so  deep  into  Himself 
that  it  is,  as  it  were,  brightened  with  the  divine  brilliancy.  It  is 
Buperessentially  new  formed  in  God,  who  now  works  this  man's  work 
Himself.  If  one  could  see  that  soul  thus  new  formed  in  God,  he 
would  imagine  that  he  behold  God  himself,  though  the  transforma- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  447 

tion  into  God  be  but  the  work  of  grace.  God  lives  in  him,  and  He  is 
the  principle  of  all  his  acts ;  God  rejoices  in  him  as  in  Himself.  God's 
glory  is  bound  up  in  such  souls:  with  them  He  haa  launched  the  ship 
into  the  deep,  cast  forth  the  net,  and  taken  a  great  multitude  of  fishes. 
But  what  is  the  breaking  of  the  net?  When  the  ship  is  at  the  deep 
place  of  God  and  the  net  is  cast  for  a  draught,  the  number  of  fishes 
caught  is  so  great  that  the  ship  is  about  to  sink  and  the  net  is  broken — 
that  is  to  say  all  self,  and  all  ownership  is  broken  and  torn  to  pieces. 
If  anything  is  to  become  what  it  is  not,  then  it  must  first  cease  to  be 
what  it  is.  Therefore  in  this  case  soul  and  body  are,  in  a  certain  sense, 
sunk  down  into  this  deep  sea  and  totally  immersed.  The  soul  loses 
its  natural  activity,  and  also  those  devout  practices  which  are  seated 
in  the  use  of  the  natural  faculties.  Sunk  in  this  divine  depths,  a  man 
has  no  longer  any  pious  exercises,  or  vocal  prayers.  Then  a  man  can 
but  do  as  St.  Peter  did,  when  falling  at  the  feet  of  Jesus  he  said  those 
foolish  words:  "Depart  from  me,  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  O  Lord." 
Pious  observances  and  prayers  are  gone  from  him,  and  perforce  he 
must  drop  down  into  his  original  nothingness,  and  be  a  very  little 
thing  before  God's  face.  Furthermore,  everything  that  he  ever  received 
from  God  seems  stripped  away  from  his  soul  and  restored  to  the  giver ; 
seeming  as  if  it  all  never  had  been  possessed  by  him,  becoming  to 
him  so  much  nothingness.  And  it  seems  to  him  that  by  this  process, 
created  nothingness  is  absorbed  in  a  way  wholly  incomprehensible; 
it  is  in  reality  the  abyss  of  man's  being  assumed  into  unity  with  the 
abyss  of  God's  being.  Thus  teaches  the  Psalmist:  "Deep  calleth  unto 
deep"  (Ps.  xli:8).  The  divine  being  takes  up  this  soul,  the  human 
spirit  is  lost  in  God's  spirit — sunk  in  the  fathomless  ocean  of  the 
Godhead.  Then  does  such  a  man  become  wholly  virtuous,  uniformly 
kind,  and  godly;  his  manners  are  sweet  and  cheerful  and  he  is  very 
companionable  with  everybody;  nor  shall  any  fault  ever  be  found  in 
him.  To  all  men  he  is  friendly  and  trusts  all,  is  very  pitiful  to  all, 
never  stern  or  exacting — we  find  it  hard  to  believe  that  such  a  man 
could  ever  fall  away  from  God's  lore.  God  grant  that  all  of  us  may 
obtain  this  grace.     Amen. 


448  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


3nUt\wc  (SbtiUntt  to  (6oh 

Synopsis — St.  Peter  a  type  of  obedient  souls — Inspirations — Apparent 
conflict  between  inner  and  outer  loyalty — Refinement  of  soul  re- 
sulting from  inner  conformity  to  Ood — Sorrows  of  this  state — TJie 
folly  of  resting  on  anything  but  a  loving  interior  obedience. 


THIRD  SERMON  FOR  THE  FIFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

(The  text  is  the  same  as  in  the  preceding  sermon.) 

The  ship  in  which  the  Lord  sat,  from  which  He  preached,  which 
He  ordered  launched  into  deep  water,  into  which  the  great  draught 
of  fishes  was  taken — this  ship  is  Peter's.  He  stands  for  a  man  always 
and  sincerely  obedient,  in  whose  soul  the  Lord  loves  to  sit  and  to  take 
His  rest,  a  soul  that  has  left  all  things  and  followed  Him  into  its  own 
inmost  depths.  No  man  can  do  this  easily,  and  therefore  does  the 
Lord  often  admonish  us  amid  our  outward  good  works  to  turn  inward 
to  Him.  Whosoever  disregards  this  warning  and  clings  to  his  own 
will  and  his  self-chosen  devotional  customs,  is  not  obedient  to  God 
Not  so  was  Simon ;  he  was  obedient  to  God  with  a  supreme  obedience. 
And  supposing  a  sister  in  choir  singing  God's  praises,  and  that  He 
should  warn  her  that  this  hindered  her  interior  advertence  to  Him, 
then  (if  this  could  lawfully  be  done)  she  should  give  up  the  singing 
and  obediently  turn  inwards  to  God.  If  the  singing  and  the  interior 
advertance  could  go  together,  that  were  indeed  better  still. 

Children,  do  you  know  how  hurtful  it  is  to  resist  the  inspirations 
of  God's  grace?  If  you  did,  your  heart  would  quake  with  terror. 
And  yet  it  is  only  from  God's  boundless  mercy  that  It  happens  that 
those  who,  having  failed  to  reach  the  high  perfection  God  called  them 
to,  are  yet  afterwards  permitted  to  attain  it  by  way  of  suffering. 
Again  falling  short  of  that,  they  will  feel  the  pain  of  it  at  the  hour 
of  death  more  than  less  favored  ones,  and  will  suffer  a  great  purgatory 
afterwards.  Yet,  after  all,  they  will  attain  a  higher  place  in  heaven 
than  those  who  were  called  to  a  lower  degree. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  449 

Thus  in  the  deep  soul  of  an  obedient  man  does  God  sit  and  teach 
the  good  doctrine  and  the  wondrous  grace  of  His  love.  Notice  that 
in  one  of  the  miraculous  draughts  of  fishes,  our  Lord  bade  Peter  "draw 
out  a  little  from  the  land."  This  betokens  that  in  the  lowest  degree 
of  perfection,  a  noble- hearted  man  must  draw  his  affections  away  from 
transitory  things,  and  give  up  all  pleasure  in  creatures.  Whosoever 
shall  possess  God  must  have  a  steadfast  endeavor  in  seeking  Him. 
Never  must  it  happen  that  a  good  work  undertaken  today  shall  be 
given  up  tomorrow.  No;  if  he  will  reach  his  best,  a  man  must  con- 
stantly persevere  in  his  devout  exercises— not  living  for  God  alone 
today  and  for  natural  ends  tomorrow.  And  this  it  is  that  frightens 
people— they  say  that  it  is  intolerable  and  dreadful,  and  that  they 
cannot  hold  out  so  long;  and  then  they  turn  awav  to  eniov  their 
natural  inclinations  as  they  did  before— to  take  up  with  all  that  is 
not  God.  The  net  is  broken,  the  fish  all  escape.  Children,  no  matter 
how  good  our  works  may  be  in  themselves,  if  we  do  not  keep  God  alone 
in  mind  while  doing  them,  then  there  is  a  certain  taint  of  simony  in 
them.  For  what  is  simony?  It  is  buying  spiritual  things  with  earthly 
things ;  and  it  is  one  of  the  greatest  of  sins.  So,  therefore,  when  one 
does  spiritual  things,  with  the  view  and  purpose  of  an  earthly  kind, 
that  is  a  sort  of  spiritual  simony. 

Now  we  read  in  the  gospel  that  the  apostles  mended  their  nets. 
And  so  must  we,  when  we  have  broken  them  by  sin;  and  this  we  do 
by  a  sincere  return  to  God.  Or  another  example:  when  we  would 
make  a  crooked  piece  of  wood  straight,  we  bend  it  back  and  fasten 
it  there.  So  must  an  external,  animal  kind  of  a  man  treat  his  natural 
tendencies,  bending  himself  back  forcibly  upright  to  God.  He  must 
be  rid  totally  of  all  things  in  mind  and  body  that  do  not  entirely  mean 
God,  bowing  down  his  will  absolutely  in  subjection  to  God.  0,  after 
that,  give  thyself  up  to  the  merciful  God.  In  deep  humility  say  to 
him :  Beloved  Lord,  I  have  labored  all  the  night  and  have  taken  noth- 
ing. And  is  it  not  true,  that  the  time  thou  spendest  working  without 
God  is  black  night?  Dullness  and  sleepiness  of  soul  is  the  fate  of 
those  who  work  in  that  spiritual  night,  their  nature  all  incapacitated 
for  good.  The  external  minded  man  shall  thus  be  overworked  m 
hands  and  feet  and  back.  But  from  this  sad  state  let  him  return 
again  to  God  in  his  inmost  soul. 

Children,  our  Savior  said  to  St.  Peter :  "Launch  out  into  the  deep." 
That  means:  Elevate  thy  soul,  and  consider  the  deep  things  of  God. 


450  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Pass  with  thy  mental  powers  over  all  things  of  time  and  earth,  for 
with  these  God  will  not  deal  in  thy  case,  they  are  too  puny  for  Him. 
The  lower  powers  of  man  cannot  grasp  God,  they  are  too  coarse  for 
his  infinitely  elevated  nature.  Therefore  place  thy  life  in  thy  highest 
powers,  far  above  the  things  of  time,  for  there  sits  God  and  from  them 
as  from  Simon's  boat  He  teaches  in  very  truth.  His  teaching  is  the 
Buperessential  divine  Word,  in  Whom  and  with  Whom  are  all  things 
made  that  are  made.  Keceive  this  teaching  in  all  gentle  meeknss, 
for  whosoever  does  so,  elevated  in  spirit  above  time  and  into  eternity, 
to  him  shall  the  divine  Word  be  uttered.  He  shall  be  enlightened  by 
Him  in  a  wisdom  beyond  all  that  man  can  comprehend.  The  kingdom 
of  God  thus  established  in  the  soul  is  ineffable  and  overwhelming  in 
its  glory. 

But  now  when  our  Lord  is  thus  born  into  the  soul  by  the  utterance 
of  the  divine  Word,  and  when  it  is  thus  faithfully  received,  it  sometimes 
happens  that  God  sends  a  hard  trial.  That  poor,  weak  human  soul 
is  broken  like  a  net,  and  the  ship  seems  on  the  point  of  sinking: — the 
soul  thinks  that  all  is  lost.  But  let  it  not  go  outward  for  help  of  any 
kind  whatsoever,  but  rather  imitate  St.  Peter,  who  beckoned  to  his 
partners,  and  especially  to  St.  John,  to  come  to  his  aid — that  is  to 
say  use  thy  own  discretion,  now  enlightened  by  heavenly  wisdom. 
Eemember  that  when  the  uncreated  light  that  is  God  rises  in  the  soul, 
then  the  created  light  must  give  place.  The  created  light  must  g^row 
dim  in  proportion  as  the  uncreated  light  increases  in  brightness — 
just  as  the  clear  light  of  the  sun  causes  the  light  of  candles  to  pale 
before  it.  Be  but  patient;  for  when  a  man  at  last  fully  enjoys  this 
divine  light,  even  for  a  few  moments,  his  peace  and  joy  are  far  above 
aught  that  this  world  can  ever  give.  And  yet  so  far  this  glorious 
spiritual  sweetness  is  but  in  the  lowest  powers  of  the  soul. 

At  the  other  miraculous  draught  of  fishes,  our  Lord  said :  "Cast  the 
net  on  the  right  side  of  the  ship,  and  you  shall  find.  They  cast  there- 
for; and  now  they  were  not  able  to  draw  it,  for  the  multitude  of 
fishes  ♦  ♦  ♦  •  Simon  Peter  went  up,  and  drew  the  net  to  land, 
full  of  great  fishes,  one  hundred  and  fifty-three.  And  although  there 
were  so  many,  the  net  was  not  broken"  (John  xxi:6-ll).  All  this 
happened  after  our  Lord's  death.  And  when  He  had  before  this  asked 
them  if  they  had  anything  to  eat,  they  answered  that  they  had  not. 
This  shows  that  when  a  man  will  be  highly  favored  by  God,  he  must 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 451 

be  entirely  destitute.    Then  it  is  that  he  can  say  as  Peter  did :  Lord, 
in  thy  name  I  will  cast  the  net.    It  is  in  the  Word  of  God  that  a  man 
is  granted  power  high  above  those  lowest  faculties  of  his  nature,  being 
changed  from  human  to  divine  ways  and  forms,  as  St.  Paul  teaches: 
"But  we  all  beholding  the  glory  of  the  Lord  with  open  face,  are  trans- 
formed into  the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory,  as  by  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord"   (II  Cor.  iii:18).    Ere  a  man  shall  be  granted  this,  our 
Lord  must  be  born  in  him,  must  die,  and  rise  again.    And  such  a  man 
always  says  to  the  Lord  what  the  disciples  said,  when  He  asked  them 
if  they   had   anything:   he   answers,  No.     Thus    are   placed   all   who 
stand  in  the  truest  poverty  of  soul,  and  in  total  self-denial :  they  have 
nothing:  they  desire  nothing.    Nothing  pleases  them  save  God  alone. 
They  seek  nothing  whatever  of  their  own.  Often  enough  do  they  labor 
throughout  the  night  and  take  nothing — in  the  night  of  abandonment 
of  all  things,  destitution  and  desolation  of  soul.     As  far  as  they  can 
perceive  it  or  feel  it,  there  is  neither  light  nor  joy  in  their  souls.    But 
they  rest  in  this  darkenss  in  true  resignation,  as  if   (should  such  a 
thing  be  possible)  God  had  required  of  them  to  sufifer  this  desolation 
and  inner  destitution  for  all  eternity.    They  freely  yield  to  God's  will 
in  this  in  their  interior  spirit,  and  never  think  of  receiving  any  reward 
for  doing  so.     Ah,  children,  that  is  indeed  a  poor  man,  and  yet  the 
whole  world  is  his.     He  has  nothing  but  God's  will  at  heart,  he  thinks 
of  nothing  but  how  to  make  God's  will  eflfectual  in  all  his  under- 
takings.    Nevertheless,  he  is  full  of  humility,  for  he  answers  to  our 
Lord's  admonition :     "When  you  shall  have  done  all  things  that  are 
commanded  you,  say:     We  are  unprofitable  servants;  we  have  done 
that  which  we  ought  to  do"   (Luke  xvii:10).     Now  an  unprofitable 
servant  does  unprofitable  work,  and  that  is  how  God  would  have  us 
consider  our  work. 

Scarcely  anyone  wants  to  be  God's  unprofitable  servant.  Each  one 
wants  to  feel  that  what  he  has  done  is  worth  something,  and  on  that 
feeling  he  builds.  No,  my  child;  build  on  nothing  but  thy  own  utter 
nothingness.  And  in  that  spirit  sink  in  deep  humility  down  into  the 
abyss  of  the  divine  will,  giving  thyself  up  to  Him  to  do  with  thee 
whatsoever  He  may  wish.  Say  with  St.  Peter:  "Depart  from  me, 
for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  O  Lord."  Fall  back  constantly  on  thy  own 
littleness,  powerlessness,  and  ignorance,  thereby  passing  over  into 
the  high  nobility  of  God's  will.  Allow  no  other  thought  to  influence 
thee;  hold  thyself  poor  and  miserable  in  the  divine  will. 


452  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

With  such  men  as  these,  if  they  but  turn  their  thoughts  inward  as 
long  a  time  as  it  takes  to  hear  one  mass,  all  their  affairs  are  rightly 
ordered,  all  their  labors  are  done  in  great  peace,  their  life  with  other 
men  is  very  kindly,  and  it  is  full  of  virtue;  and  they  are  entirely 
resigned  to  God.  They  have  cast  their  net  on  the  right  side,  they 
have  drawn  into  their  hearts  the  love  that  is  in  the  bleeding  wounds 
of  Jesus.     May  God  help  us  thus  to  strive  and  thus  to  succeed.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  453 


Synopsis— Remarks  on  the  worth  of  the  soul — The  heginmng  of  perfec- 
tion is  genuine  repentance— Plain  marks  of  this— Need  of  taking 
Ood  and  God  alone  into  account— Next  comes  confession,  which 
must  he  very  searching,  and  made  in  a  lively  spirit  of  faith  in  that 

Sacrament — Then  indifference  to  all  earthly  things  has  place To 

this  is  joined  liberty  of  spirit  in  the  use  of  devotional  exercises— 
The  finishing  touch  is  disinterested  love  of  God. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  SIXTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

And  the  pasch  of  the  Jews  was  at  hand,  and  Jesus  went  up  to  Jerusalem.  And 
He  found  in  the  temple  them  that  sold  oxen  and  sheep  and  doves  and  the 
changers  of  money  sitting.  And  when  He  had  made,  as  it  were,  a  scourge  of 
little  cords,  He  drove  them  all  out  of  the  temple,  the  sheep  also  and  the  oxen 
and  the  money  of  the  changers  he  poured  out,  and  the  tables  He  overthrew  And 
to  them  that  sold  doves  He  said:  Take  these  things  hence,  and  make  not  th^ 
house  of  My  Father  a  house  of  traffic— John  il,  13-16. 

Ah,  children,  mark  well  in  these  words  the  dignity  of  the  human 
soul,  which  is  in  all  truth  the  house  and  dwelling  place  of  God,  and 
God  had  rather  live  in  it  than  in  any  place  in  earth  or  heaven.  The 
soul  has  more  that  is  Godlike  in  it  than  the  heavens,  or  than  any 
temple  built  with  hands,  or  any  other  of  His  creations.  For  in  the 
soul  of  man  is  God's  heart  with  all  His  love  and  trust  and  joy.  And 
in  the  creation  of  all  His  other  creatures,  God  has  sought  nothing 
else  than  the  honor  and  dignity  and  happiness  of  our  soul. 

Since  God  dwells  in  our  soul  with  all  His  love,  so  is  He  more 
properly  present  there  than  in  the  heavens  or  in  any  material  temple. 
For  God  does  all  His  work  in  the  soul  and  for  the  soul— He  gives  it 
to  the  soul.  And  there  it  is  that  God  the  Father  generates  His  only 
begotten  Son,  precisely  as  He  does  in  the  bosom  of  eternity.  One 
might  ask  what  we  mean  by  this  saying:  God  is  born  in  the  soul. 
Does  it  mean  the  likeness  of  God,  or  something  divine?  No,  it  is 
neither  the  image  of  God  nor  anything  merely  like  Him:    it  is  the 


454  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

very  same  Father  generating  and  the  very  same  divine  Son  bom  of 
the  Father  before  all  ages.  It  is  the  blessed  divine  Word,  the  second 
person  of  the  Holy  Trinity.  Him  does  the  Father  beget  in  the  soul, 
and  for  the  soul  is  He  begotten  and  to  the  soul  given  by  the  Father; 
and  herein  consists  the  soul's  dignity. 

Thus  spoke  our  Lord:  "Take  these  things  hence" — not  this  or  that 
thing,  but  all  these  things — "and  make  not  the  house  of  My  Father 
a  house  of  traffic."  Mark  well,  that  whatsoever  is  born  in  thy  soul 
which  has  not  God  for  its  cause,  or  which  is  not  an  image  of  God, 
existing  entirely  for  His  praise  and  honor,  is  for  thee  an  object  of 
traffic  in  God's  house.  By  this  means  thou  dost  bargain  with  God 
about  the  blessed  birth  of  His  Son  within  thee.  This  applies  to 
everything  whatsoever  to  which  thou  givest  thy  heart  or  about  which 
thou  engagest  thy  mind.  This  is  the  reason  why  God  cannot  be  born 
within  thy  soul.  It  may  be  this  world's  goods,  it  may  be  relatives 
and  friends  or  other  created  things  that  intrude  their  images  into 
thy  soul :  they  are  born  within  thee  if  thou  acceptest  them  with 
pleasure.  Be  sure  that  this  means  barter  and  traffic  of  the  eternal 
Son  of  God,  whom  the  heavenly  Father  will  never  manifest  in  thee 
as  His  eternal  Word  until  all  these  things  of  barter  and  traffic  are 
taken  out. 

I  have  three  things  to  say,  about  how  a  man  shall  cleanse  the 
inmost  depths  of  his  soul,  tearing  out  all  hindrances  by  the  roots: 
or  otherwise  expressed,  how  to  banish  the  traffickers  from  the  temple 
of  the  soul,  leaving  it  in  peace,  never  to  return  again.  For  as  God 
lives  thou  must  make  sure  of  that. 

The  first  is  a  safe  and  free  conscience.  What  does  that  mean?  It 
means  a  conscience  untroubled  and  cleansed.  If  one's  soul  be  dis- 
turbed, or  if  it  be  misdirected  by  attachment  to  creatures,  if  it  be 
evil  on  account  of  sinful  practices,  then  it  must  be  cleansed  by  true 
repentance.  And  what  is  true  repentance?  Is  it  that  one  feels  bad 
and  moans  and  weeps?  No,  O  no.  For  many  a  time  it  happens  that 
convivial  and  dissipated  and  sinful  men  moan  and  weep,  and  yet 
have  no  true  repentance,  while  others  on  the  contrary  weep  not  at 
all,  and  yet  these  are  genuinely  penitent.  Every  creature,  if  but  true 
to  its  nature,  loves  God  more  than  self — ^but  not  the  sinner;  he  loves 
himself  more  than  God.  This  he  proves  by  seeking  his  pleasure  in 
creatures,  no  matter  how  much  pain  this  may  be  to  God.    When  a 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  •  455 

man  loves  himself  above  all  things,  then  is  he  ever  looking  for  what 
seems  pleasant  to  him,  ever  avoiding  what  seems  hurtful  to  him. 
Hence  when  it  happens  that  a  sinful  man  realizes  that  he  has  lost 
eternal  life  and  is  in  danger  of  being  caught  and  imprisoned  in  the 
eternal  pains  of  hell,  then  he  has  indeed  sorrow,  but  it  is  a  sorrow 
as  different  from  true  repentance  as  earth  from  heaven.  It  is  to  self 
that  this  sorrow  ministers  and  not  to  God.  Therefore  it  helps  not 
the  sinner,  and  it  may  even  remove  him  farther  yet  from  grace,  for 
he  is  seeking  for  grace  where  it  is  not. 

He  that  will  find  grace  must  look  for  it  where  it  is,  namely  in  God, 
in  God  alone,  not  in  creatures  nor  any  imagination  of  them.  Sorrow 
and  pain  for  thy  sins  on  account  of  the  harm  they  do  thyself  obtains 
no  grace,  for  herein  thou  restest  in  self  and  created  things.  However 
good  thy  work  may  be,  if  thy  intention  is  drawn  from  created  things 
and  not  from  God  alone  in  all  loyalty  of  spirit,  no  grace  can  result 
to  thee.  Grace  is  in  God  and  not  in  creatures.  But  when  in  any 
work  the  praise  and  honor  of  God  is  had  in  mind,  God  takes  that  work 
up  as  His  own.  Thus  it  is  said :  "Amen  I  say  to  you,  as  long  as  you 
did  it  to  one  of  these  My  least  brethren,  you  did  it  to  me'' 
(Matt.  XXV :  40). 

Dear  children,  think  how  sweet  a  life  is  that  in  which  a  man  prac- 
tices in  time  and  towards  creatures  a  virtue  that  God  will  assume  in 
eternity  as  if  it  had  been  actually  done  to  Himself.  Of  this  meaning 
are  the  words:  "He  that  toucheth  you,  toucheth  the  apple  of  My  eye"^ 
(Zach.  ii:8).  Therefore  think  not  only  on  the  poor  man  who  standi 
before  thee  but  on  the  person  of  God,  who  takes  to  Himself  all  that 
thou  dost  to  him,  whether  good  or  evil.  Hence  when  a  man  has  God 
in  mind,  so  shall  his  heart  be  drawn  into  God  and  made  one  with 
Him,  being  drawn  away  from  all  creatures — and  this  is  where  grace 
is  and  not  with  creatures;  with  whom  if  thy  heart  is  joined  in  false 
love  and  imaginations,  thou  shalt  find  no  grace. 

And  now,  dear  child,  note  another  good  thought.  Wouldst  thou 
know  whom  thou  servest,  and  who  is  going  to  reward  thee?  Mark 
well  for  whom  thy  work  is  done,  and  what  thou  hast  in  mind  as  the 
reason  of  thy  work.  That  will  show  thee  whom  thou  servest.  As  to 
this  all  the  teachers  in  the  world  can  tell  thee  nothing,  for  thyself 
alone  knowest  it.  Others  know  the  outside  of  thy  works  and  they  may 
think  them  good;    but  on  whose  account  they  are  done,  thou  alone 


456  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

canst  tell  for  thou  alone  dost  know.  Therefore  I  have  elsewhere 
written :  "The  man  who  gets  with  his  works  anywhere  else  than  in  God 
alone,  gets  where  no  grace  is,  for  grace  is  in  God."  Not  alone  with 
God  is  the  decision  as  to  whether  or  not  thou  shalt  have  grace,  but 
with  thyself  also;  for  just  as  thou  standest  true  and  loving  to  God 
shalt  thou  have  grace,  and  just  as  much  grace  as  thou  thyself  dost 
will.  If  thou  lovest  God,  then  thou  sufferest,  laborest,  avoidest  sin 
in  Him  and  through  Him  as  much  as  thou  wiliest.  Such  is  the  man 
who  finds  grace,  and  has  right  sorrow  for  his  sins — it  is  one  who  is 
sorry  for  them  out  of  love  and  fidelity,  sorry  that  he  has  angered  and 
dishonored  so  sweet  and  good  a  God.  If  there  were  neither  hell  nor 
heaven,  still  he  ought  to  be  none  the  less  grieved  that  he  had  ever 
rebelled  against  God.  This  is  true  sorrow,  even  though  one  may  shed 
no  tears  in  it. 

And  after  that  one  must  make  his  confession.  And  what  is  a  true 
confession?  When  a  man  tells  all  that  he  knows  himself  to  be  guilty 
of  nor  wilfully  keeps  back  anything:  then  he  has  rightly  confessed, 
and  he  should  trust  with  entire  security  that  all  his  sins  are  forgiven 
him.  It  is  more  to  God's  honor  that  He  should  forgive  sins  than  that 
He  should  punish  them.  One  must  also  believe  in  the  powers  of  the 
father  confessor,  according  to  our  Lord's  words :  "T\Tiose  sins  you 
shall  forgive,  they  are  forgiven  them;  and  whose  sins  you  shall  retain, 
they  are  retained"  (John  xx:23).  And  His  other  words:  "Amen  I 
say  to  you,  whatsoever  you  shall  bind  upon  earth,  shall  be  bound  also 
in  heaven ;  and  whatsoever  you  shall  loose  upon  earth,  shall  be  loosed 
also  in  heaven"  (Matt.  xviii:18).  I  tell  you  in  all  sincerity  that  if 
any  man  confesses  his  sins,  and  afterwards  feels  remorse  about  these 
same  sins,  it  were  far  better  than  he  trust  God,  believe  firmly  in  the 
power  of  his  father  confessor,  and  not  tell  the  sins  again — far  better 
that  than  tell  them  over  again  out  of  nervousness.  Understand  this 
besides:  thou  beholdest  our  blessed  Lord's  body  in  the  church,  thou 
knowest  full  well  it  is  He,  thou  art  ready  to  go  to  thy  death  rather 
than  to  doubt  it.  Now  who  hath  told  thee  this?  The  man  who  hath 
seen  it  with  his  eyes  does  not  live:  God  alone  has  said  it,  and  by  the 
power  of  His  word  has  enclosed  Himself  in  the  Sacrament  under  the 
appearance  of  bread.  And  out  of  the  same  mouth  of  God  has  come 
forth  the  word  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins  in  confession.  Therefore  do 
not  simply  believe  but  plainly  know  it — as  clearly  as  thou  knowest 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  457 

anything ;  for  nothing  is  so  true  as  the  word  of  God,  as  our  Lord  says : 
''Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  My  words  shall  not  pass 
away"  (Luke  xxi:33).  In  this  certainty  of  the  plain  truth  of  God 
does  a  man  after  confession  obtain  deep  peace  of  couscience.  Nor 
does  this  confidence  rest  upon  any  work  of  his  own,  as  such,  but 
entirely  upon  the  promise  of  God.  And  when  he  thus  trusts  God,  then 
does  God  on  His  part  stand  true  to  what  was  said  in  the  absolution 
of  the  priest,  namely  that  he  will  be  saved. 

Furthermore,  see  to  it  earnestly  that  thou  standest  indifferent  as 
to  all  earthly  things;  and  that  will  give  thee  continual  peace  of  soul. 
But  does  it  mean  that  I  must  be  literally  indifferent  about  everything? 
By  no  means,  dear  child,  for  therein  thou  mightest  go  astray.  For 
who  can  doubt  but  that,  considering  works  in  their  intrinsic  value, 
it  is  better  to  pray  than  cook,  to  think  of  God  than  spin,  to  be  in 
church  than  on  the  streets?  If  one  does  not  agree  to  this  he  is  a 
heretic.  But  thou  shalt  stand  indifferent  by  not  taking  things  out 
of  their  rightful  relation  to  other  things.  And  thus:  is  it  right  that 
thou  shouldest  now  be  in  church  at  thy  prayers?  Then  gather 
together  all  thy  thoughts  and  lift  thy  soul  upwards  to  God.  But  does 
it  behoove  thee  to  be  now  engaged  at  some  other  work,  such  as  cooking 
or  spinning — is  this  God's  will?  Even  as  thou  wert  recollected  in 
church  at  thy  prayers,  so  be  thou  now  absorbed  in  thy  present  work 
for  His  sake.  We  meet  with  those  who  are  full  of  God's  love — as 
they  think — when  they  do  honorable  work  in  all  peace  and  in  a  high 
station  of  life.  But  if  it  happens  that  they  must  quit  this  work  and 
drop  down  lower,  then  they  seem  to  dismiss  God  from  their  souls, 
until  they  can  return  to  their  self-chosen  occupation. 

Be  sure  that  as  long  as  thou  couplest  God  inseparably  with  thy 
particular  devotions  or  any  other  circumstances  of  life,  thou  shalt 
not  have  true  peace,  no,  nor  shalt  thou  have  God  himself.  Thou 
mayst  think  otherwise,  but  in  very  truth  thou  hast  not  sought  nor 
found  God  but  thyself  and  thy  own  ways.  Such  persons  hurry  oflP 
to  church  in  the  early  morning,  as  if  God  were  not  to  be  found  in 
their  homes  nor  upon  the  streets  in  the  duties  of  their  state  of  life. 
Such  a  hurrying  to  church  to  the  neglect  of  home  duties,  is  an  injury 
to  thyself,  nor  wilt  thou  therein  find  God.  This  is  why  some  do  not 
find  peace  of  heart,  do  not  really  find  God,  now  in  doing  a  good  work, 
now  in  saying  a  prayer  to  God  or  to  a  saint — hurrying  and  hurrying 
in  a  rush  of  devotions,  one  of  as  little  profit  to  them  as  the  other. 


458  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

One  should  in  all  his  good  works,  keep  his  mind  directed  so  straight 
to  God,  that  the  figure  of  the  work  almost  slips  out  of  his  mind,  and 
the  thought  of  God  remains  there  alone.  This  is  the  way  to  seek  and 
find  grace  in  every  work.  Though  thou  be  a  woman  at  home  engaged 
in  thy  humble  household  duties,  thou  shalt  find  God  there  if  thou 
give  thy  mind  to  Him.  Day  and  night  God  in  His  holy  wisdom  stead- 
fastly waits  upon  thee,  to  draw  thee  to  Himself  when  He  finds  thee 
ready,  no  matter  what  thy  situation,  regardless  of  thy  ways  of  devo- 
tion. Thou  little  knowest  when  and  where  God  will  meet  thee.  Stand 
in  God's  sight  indifferent  to  all  things;  whatsoever  happens  to  thee, 
look  for  God  in  it,  and  know  that  this  is  all  the  best  for  thee.  Fear 
not  that  thou  art  guilty  of  any  remissness  in  this;  for  that  cannot  be 
if  thou  art  doing  God's  will, — ^in  all  things  and  ways  and  states  make 
sure  of  belonging  to  God,  at  least  in  thy  intention  and  purpose. 
Herein  alone  is  peace  and  content;  apart  from  this,  never.  And  unless 
a  man  seeks  God  in  all  things,  he  will  not  find  him  in  any  single 
thing.     Make  this  a  test  and  apply  it  to  thyself. 

Nor  should  one  too  anxiously  inquire  just  by  what  means  he  has 
arrived  at  God.  If  one  is  journeying  to  Kome,  he  should  not  tarry 
to  study  about  the  smoothness  of  the  road  here  and  its  crookedness 
there,  now  over  plains  and  again  over  hills ;  if  he  acts  thus  he  will  be 
forever  on  the  journey.  So  must  a  man  go  straight  forward  to  God 
in  all  his  devotional  exercises,  little  worrying  about  this  method  or 
that  as  long  as  they  lead  him  onward.  And  in  this  spirit  of  indifference 
there  is  joy  upon  joy.  Thou  mayst  ask  how  one  may  attain  to  it.  I 
answer :  By  denying  thyself.  Seek  thyself  in  nothing.  Seek  God  and 
His  honor,  that  alone,  that  in  all  things.  Scrutinize  thyself  strictly 
on  this  point,  and  then  this  virtue  will  be  thine — otherwise  not.  It 
rests  with  thyself;  for  who  but  thy  own  self  can  tell  whether  thou  ha«t 
God  in  view  or  thyself  in  thy  conduct  and  thy  thoughts?  That  man 
has  peace  of  soul  who  stands  indifferent;  and  he  stands  indifferent 
who  seeks  not  his  own. 

Besides  this,  a  man  must,  in  a  certain  way,  stand  indifferent 
between  God's  justice  and  His  mercy.  Now  there  are  people  who 
greatly  long  for  God's  mercy  and  love  it,  but  have  great  fear  of  His 
justice.  But  tell  me,  dear  child,  what  has  His  justice  done  to  thee?^ 
Dost  thou  not  know  that  what  God  does  out  of  mercy  He  also  does  out 
of  justice? — and  what  is  done  from  justice  is  done  from  mercy ?^ 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  459 

Justice  constrains  God  to  be  merciful  to  us,  because  He  is  our  Father 
and  we  are  His  children.  He  needs  must  love  us  out  of  justice  and 
show  us  favor — and  indeed  He  ever  does.  And  this  is  how  one  should 
love  and  long  for  God's  mercy,  so  that  He  may  exercise  justice  towards 
us,  according  to  His  adorable  will,  to  His  honor  and  glory. 

But  to  be  able  thus  to  think  and  love,  one  must  be  stripped  and 
emptied  of  all  self-will.  We  must  seek  the  all  lovely  will  of  God  and 
that  alone,  accepting  lovingly  whatever  it  pleases  Him  to  do  with  us 
and  with  all  creatures.  When  the  will  of  God  thus  tastes  good  to  us, 
then  whatsoever  His  justice  does  is,  we  might  almost  say,  as  pleasing 
to  our  souls  as  whatsoever  His  mercy  does,  whether  it  be  to  ourselves  or 
to  others.  To  a  man  who  rightly  loves  God,  everything  is  welcome,  be 
it  pain  or  pleasure,  be  it  to  himself  or  others,  for  it  all  comes  from 
God's  will.  Ask  thyself  always:  Is  this  God's  will?  Then  do  I  set 
aside  my  own  will  in  its  favor.  For  thus  do  we  daily  pray  to  God: 
"Thy  will  be  done !"  Which  means  that  it  is  our  will  that  God's  will 
may  be  done  in  all  things.  Let  us  be  glad  of  His  will  working  in  our 
will  and  in  all  the  works  He  does  in  us,  whether  they  are  the  fruit  of 
His  mercy  or  of  His  justice.  If  this  feeling  were  deep-seated  in  us  and 
made  truly  our  own,  happy  should  we  be.  That  this  may  be  granted 
us,  we  pray  God's  merciful  justice  and  His  just  mercy.    Amen. 


460  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Sll|0  Mu^  050  (&fttn  t0  CommmtUitt 

Synopsis — Some  should  communicate  often  who  dread  to  do  so  because 
they  feel  no  longing — Only  dad  living  men  should  remain  aivay — 
Bitter  sorrow  for  sin  is  God's  call  to  communion — Meditation  on 
Christ's  passion  is  a  stimulant  to  frequent  communion — All  must 
he  on  their  guard  against  the  admixture  of  natural  motives. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  SEVENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

But  let  a  man  prove  himself:  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink  of 
the  chalice.  For  he  that  eateth  and  drinlveth  unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketh 
Judgment  to  himself,  not  discerning  the  body  of  the  Lord. — I  Cor.  xi,  28-29. 

The  meaning  of  this  teaching  of  St.  Paul  is  that  one  should  study 
himself  well,  with  a  view  to  choosing  the  right  devotional  practice 
to  prepare  his  heart  for  partaking  of  this  adorable  food.  For  it  is 
good  for  some,  who  have  no  great  interior  longing  for  the  Sacrament, 
nevertheless  often  to  receive  it,  so  that  they  may  thereby  keep  their 
daily  lives  well  ordered  and  have  grace  to  maintain  their  good 
resolutions  against  sinning.  Even  more  than  this:  one  should  not 
omit  Communion  even  if  sometimes  he  feels  unprepared,  and  is  wholly 
without  conscious  longing  for  it. 

Only  those  should  abstain  who  live  according  to  their  own  will  and 
do  not  stop  sinning,  being  overbearing  and  self-willed,  full  of  back- 
biting and  rash  judgments,  restless  and  impatient  and  abusive, 
addicted  to  fleshy  pleasures,  and  fettered  with  other  such  defects.  As 
to  whether  or  not  such  persons  should  never  receive  Communion  at  all, 
I  leave  to  their  own  decision,  though  I  would  advise  them  against  it, 
being  of  opinion  that  they  do  themselves  more  harm  than  good  thereby. 
The  oftener  they  communicate  the  worse  they  grow  interiorly  and  the 
farther  they  stray  from  virtue ;  for  they  have  no  notion  of  true  detach- 
ment of  spirit;  they  have  never  so  much  as  begun  to  live  after  the  life 
and  example  of  Christ,  though  they  have  doubtless  sometimes  thought 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  461 

of  doing  so,  especially  when  the  passion  of  our  Lord  is  offered  for 
their  meditation.  If  it  happens  that  the  passion  moves  their  hearts 
to  devotional  feelings,  they  consider  that  they  have  gained  something 
great.  Ah,  no.  This  is  only  the  lowest  step ;  and,  in  fact,  the  feeling 
soon  passes  away.  This  feeling  about  the  blessed  life  and  sufferings 
of  Christ  must  settle  into  real  imitation,  before  any  actual  good  shall 
come  to  them, — ^into  real  self-denial,  dying  to  all  wickedness,  whether 
of  soul  or  body.  Until  that  happens  all  resolutions  and  all  outward 
devotional  practices  are  vain ;  they  will  all  be  swept  away  by  the  first 
temptations. 

Mark  well  how  you  may  receive  this  Sacrament  with  fruit.  Thou 
shouldst  eat  this  heavenly  bread  with  eagerness;  that  is  to  say,  with 
great  desire  and  savor  in  thy  inmost  soul.  What  if  outwardly  thou 
dost  feel  dull  and  all  unfit  to  receive:  that  amounts  to  nothing,  as 
long  as  thy  will  is  upright  to  avoid  all  that  is  sinful,  as  far  as  thou 
knowest,  against  God's  honor  and  virtuous  living,  whether  thy  feelings 
respond  to  this  resolve  or  not.  When  one  avoids  all  occasions  of  sin, 
and  meanwhile  practices  the  ordinary  virtues  of  a  Christian  life,  let 
him  approach  the  Sacrament  with  all  joy.  His  inner  soul  is  not 
devoid  of  great  sincerity,  though  the  outward  man  is  heavy  and 
imdevotional — for  this  inconvenience  lies  only  in  our  poor  human 
nature.  Any  amount  of  sensible  devotion  is  of  little  worth,  if  the 
interior  will  is  not  upright. 

Draw  a  lesson  from  the  paschal  supper  of  the  Israelites,  who  ate 
the  lamb  with  bitter  lettuce.  This  means  that  thy  soul  should  taste 
the  bitterness  of  sorrow  for  thy  sins  when  approaching  the  holy  table. 
Thou  shalt  obtain  this  by  arousing  thy  sympathy  for  Christ  in  His 
passion  by  means  of  meditation ;  also  by  making  atonement  to  God's 
injured  honor  by  leading  a  life  of  strenuous  penance.  This  begins  by 
abstemiousness  in  eating  and  drinking,  wearing  coarse  clothes,  sleeping 
on  a  hard  bed,  keeping  holy  vigils,  and  the  like.  When  thou  hast  thus 
followed  Christ  in  His  outward  life,  thou  shalt  be  ready  to  imitate 
Him  in  His  interior  suffering.  He  said:  "My  soul  is  sorrowful  even 
unto  death"  (Matt,  xxvi:  38).  So  shalt  thou  feel  the  interior  woe  of 
God's  Son,  in  cutting  off  entirely  all  tendency  to  sensual  pleasure,  in 
total  suppression  of  concupiscence,  in  treading  self-will  absolutely 
under  foot,  in  entirely  giving  up  self-conceit.  Child,  this  is  what  it 
means  rightly  to  meditate  on  Christ's  passion  and  to  bewail  His  death. 
Without  this,  other  devotional  exercises  are  worthless. 


462  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Many  seemingly  good  men  have  fine  appearing  and  ostentations 
virtues,  which,  however,  rest  not  in  essential  excellence,  but  in  their 
own  feelings.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  they  never  get  down  into  their 
interior  life — their  whole  trust  is  in  outward  virtuous  acts.  Some 
have  a  very  strong  sensible  devotion;  they  are  much  moved  by  oup 
Lord's  passion,  which  they  meditate  from  beginning  to  end  day  by 
day  with  a  great  feeling  of  sweetness,  the  like  of  which  other  people 
do  not  have.  But  this  is  by  no  means  the  inner  mortification,  the 
humble  self-renouncement  or  the  universal  love  that  they  should  have. 
They  are  not  at  all  given  up  to  meekness,  or  to  purity  of  heart.  ^Tien 
the  test  of  self-abnegation  is  applied  to  them,  their  shortcomings  are 
discovered,  however  honestly  they  may  have  imagined  themielvee 
humble  and  single-hearted  during  their  meditations.  Ah,  no.  The 
purity  of  virtue  comes  from  other  kinds  of  devotional  exercises,  namely, 
the  examination  and  cleansing  of  all  one's  thoughts,  and  the  steadfast 
resistance  to  whatever  is  not  conducive  to  spiritual  progress. 

Along  with  this  let  a  man  meditate  on  Christ's  passion,  and  study 
His  words  and  works  with  the  Holy  Scriptures  before  him;  then  let 
him  follow  a  good  order  of  devout  living;  and  finally  let  him  free 
himself  from  useless  and  disturbing  cares.  This  is  the  method  of 
acquiring  purity  of  heart  and  of  thought.  Towards  that  should  one 
earnestly  strive — against  every  evil  intention,  every  sinful  desire. 
Ijet  him  be  grieved  intensely  at  the  danger  or  the  very  thought  ol 
sin,  and  steadfastly  set  himself  against  it. 

When  one  has  attained  this  cleanness  of  spirit,  whatever  bad  thing 
he  sees  or  hears  he  takes  no  evil  out  of  it,  he  forms  no  judgment 
about  it,  for  to  the  pure  all  things  are  pure.  It  is  not  easy  to  provoke 
such  a  man  to  anger,  and  he  spreads  an  air  of  peacefulness  around 
him,  even  in  the  company  of  the  quarrelsome.  He  is  of  use  to  all, 
of  hurt  to  none,  whether  in  things  great  or  things  little.  In  such  a 
purified  soul  the  Blessed  Sacrament  works  wonders,  for  in  such  an 
interior  condition  the  foundations  of  virtues  are  solidly  laid;  not  in 
showy  pious  observances,  or  susceptibility  to  pious  feelings  when 
receiving  Communion  —  in  which  and  in  other  such  things  many 
people  put  their  trust. 

These  go  often  to  Confession  and  Communion,  thinking  themselves 
entirely  worthy  to  do  so,  saying  they  cannot  do  without  it.  Yet  they 
rest  upon  merely  natural  motives.     They  are  even  deluded  with  the 


of  John  Taulcr,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  463 

notion  that  they  cannot  lose  God's  friendship;  and  this  arises  from 
their  feelings  of  devotion.  But  meanwhile  they  are  greatly  enraged 
against  those  who  would  admonish  them  to  go  to  Communion  less 
often,  or  who  find  fault  with  their  peculiar  devotions.  They  despiae 
others,  they  sit  in  judgment  on  their  neighbors  and  make  little  ol 
them,  and  they  slander  them.  As  to  those  to  whom  they  lawfully  owe 
obedience,  they  will  scarcely  look  at  them  or  listen  to  a  word  from 
them  if  they  interfere  with  the  practices  which  they  deem  so  holy. 
Let  it  be  quite  different  with  us.  May  God  grant  us  to  receive  Com- 
munion in  a  holy  and  happy  state  of  true  penance,  inner  and  outer, 
and  with  great  purity  of  heart  and  mind.    Amen. 


464  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


®l|f  3ttfiptratuitt0  of  ®rarf 

Synopsis — This  discourse  treats  of  souls  who  have  gone  beyond  ordi- 
nary Christian  virtue — God's  guidance  is  always  both  inward  and 
outward — Different  kinds  of  imperfect  souls — Self-will  the  princi- 
pal hindrance  to  divine  inspiration — Ifext  comes  the  hurt  done 
by  spiritual  vanity — How  good  works  react  on  the  interior  favor- 
ably— Disinterestedness,  obedience,  humility  and  holy  fear  are 
safeguards  against  delusion. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  EIGHTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

For  whosover  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God. — Rom. 
viil.  14. 

All  works  of  all  men,  done  now  and  until  the  end  of  the  world,  if 
done  without  the  grace  of  God,  are  simply  nothing,  even  though  they 
be  the  greatest  deeds  of  history — all  of  them  put  together  are  nothing, 
in  comparison  with  the  least  work  that  God  does  in  man  by  His  grace. 
As  much  as  God  is  better  than  man,  so  much  better  are  His  works 
than  man's  works. 

The  Holy  Ghost  often  admonishes  us  in  our  inmost  souls,  or  by 
the  voice  of  His  authorized  teachers,  saying:  Wilt  thou  give  thyself 
up  to  Me?  Wilt  thou  follow  Me  alone?  If  thou  wilt,  I  will  lead  thee 
by  the  right  road.  I  will  work  within  thee,  and  thou  thyself  shalt 
work.  O  children,  it  is  sad  that  there  is  scarcely  anyone  who  knows 
this.  Everyone  rests  in  his  own  guidance,  chooses  his  own  methods, 
blindly  follows  external  ways,  content  with  self-approval,  thereby 
hindering  the  gracious  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  neither  under- 
standing nor  even  hearing  His  voice,  giving  no  place  to  His  guidance. 
Hence  the  need  of  my  telling  you,  that  there  is  no  better  way  to  catch 
the  tones  of  God's  whisper  in  you  than  to  rest  still  and  attentively 
listen.  When  God  speaks  all  things  must  keep  silence.  If  God  shall 
rightly  work  in  us,  needs  must  we  give  Him  room  to  work,  and  rest 
passive  under  His  action.  Two  cannot  do  the  same  work  in  us  at 
the  same  time ;   one  must  stop  while  the  other  acts. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  465 

But  do  not  mistake  me.  I  do  not  mean  that  young,  ardent,  inex- 
perienced souls  should  refrain  from  good  works,  waiting  for  interior 
guidance.  By  no  means;  for  these  greatly  need  to  follow  many  good 
pious  customs  and  do  many  good  works,  both  in  the  inner  life  and  the 
outer.  But  I  refer  to  souls  further  advanced,  who  long  sincerely  to 
become  God's  most  perfect  children;  the  methods  of  these  must  be 
far  differeut  from  those  of  beginners. 

Take  the  world  all  around,  we  find  that  men  are  for  the  most  part 
enemies  of  God.  There  are  some  who  are  friends  of  God  under  com- 
pulsion; you  must  drive  them  to  serve  Him;  what  they  do  is  not 
inspired  by  love,  but  by  fear — graceless,  loveless  men,  who  pray  or 
attend  Mass  because  you  force  them.  Then  there  are  some  common- 
place and  mercenary  creatures  who  serve  God  because  they  have  an 
oflSce  and  a  stipend;  were  they  not  sure  of  their  pay  they  would  quit 
His  service  and  drop  back  among  God's  open  enemies.  For  all  of 
these  God  has  no  regard ;  as  far  as  their  service  of  Him  goes,  it  does 
not  make  them  His  beloved  children.  They  may  do  many  outwardly 
good  deeds,  but  He  takes  no  account  of  this,  for  He  is  not  chosen  as 
the  motive  of  their  works,  but  rather  they  are  themselves. 

Take  another  class,  that  are  really  God's  children,  though  not  the 
most  loved  by  Him.  I  mean  those  who  in  their  outer  and  inner  life 
act  according  to  their  own  spiritual  methods,  and  do  their  own 
chosen  works,  and  aspire  to  nothing  higher.  These  souls  are  content 
with  the  bark  of  the  tree  of  life — they  will  not  climb  into  its  branches 
after  its  fruit.  Their  own  waj's  please  them  well ;  they  love  God 
indeed,  but  in  their  own  chosen  ways  of  piety.  And  God  loves  them, 
too,  for  they  are  His  children,  though  not  the  best  loved,  for  they 
rest  in  self-chosen  ways  of  religion.  Meantime  they  have  no  real 
peace,  and  they  will  yet  be  made  perfect. 

The  best  loved  children,  who  are  they?  St.  Paul  tells  us  in  our 
text:  "Whosoever  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons 
of  God."  How  God  leads  them,  St.  Augustine  tells:  "God's  action 
in  man  is  twofold.  The  one  is  that  God's  spirit  always  admonishes 
him,  drives  him  forward,  allures  him  on,  so  that  he  may  lead  a  well- 
ordered  life.  This  He  does  in  the  souls  of  all  who  wait  upon  Him 
who  give  Him  place,  and  who  will  follow  Him.  The  others  are  those 
whom  He  leads  suddenly  beyond  and  above  all  methods  and  wajs, 
placing  them  in  a  much  higher  degree,  pointing  them  to  an  end  far 
beyond  their  own  power  to  reach:  and    these   are   God's   best   loved 


466  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

children."  But  many  will  not  trust  themselves  to  this  divine  action; 
they  constantly  insist  on  following  ways  of  their  own  choosing.  They 
act  like  a  shipmaster  carrying  a  costly  cargo  across  a  stormy  sea, 
and  steering  a  wrong  course  through  many  dangers  and  with  painful 
toil,  the  salt  water  now  and  then  breaking  over  the  ship  and  injuring 
the  cargo.  Supposing  him  to  meet  a  skilful  mariner,  who  says  to 
him:  Let  me  guide  thee  and  I  will  lead  thee  to  a  calm  and  sunny 
sea,  with  smooth  sailing  and  a  safe  harbor  for  thy  ship  and  cargo; 
who  would  not  gladly  welcome  such  a  pilot?  Well,  and  what  sea  can 
be  more  perilous  to  cross  than  that  of  this  world  of  ours?  But  the 
ship  in  which  we  are  sailing  is  the  life  of  our  senses,  which  is  carried 
far  out  of  its  right  course  by  our  following  our  own  lights  and  ways, 
causing  us  infinite  labor  as  we  wander  amid  banks  of  fog — namely, 
our  ignorance  and  self-conceit.  The  enemy  of  souls  casts  foul  and 
corrupting  thoughts  into  our  minds,  like  the  salt  water  of  the  ocean 
soaking  into  a  precious  cargo — these  are  temptations  to  be  vain  of 
our  own  ways  of  devotion,  feelings  of  pride,  self-will,  self-complacency, 
self-indulgence,  and,  again,  of  despondency.  If  one  feels  he  has  yielded 
to  these  suggestions,  he  cleanses  his  soul  by  going  to  Confession — 
too  often  only  to  fall  back  again  into  dissipation  of  mind.  0  turn 
inward  and  sincerely  study  thy  soul's  sickness,  bemoaning  thy 
misery  to  God  and  avowing  to  Him  thy  guilt.  And  if  thou  art  con- 
scious of  grave  sin,  seek  thy  father  confessor  again.  Then  will  the 
Holy  Ghost  come  and  say:  Beloved  child,  if  thou  wilt  but  trust  Me 
and  follow  Me,  I  will  lead  thee  by  a  beautiful  and  a  safe  way.  O  who 
would  not  entrust  himself  to  the  guidance  of  such  a  counselor? 
Happy  the  man  who  gives  up  self-guidance  and  resigns  himself  wholly 
to  that  of  God's  Spirit.  But,  alas,  many  a  poor  man  will  not,  but 
prefers  his  own  devices  and  rests  in  his  own  outward  methods  of 
sanctification. 

But  I  must  not  be  misunderstood:  it  is  necessary  to  practice 
approved  devotional  methods  having  an  interior  influence,  but  not 
with  a  feeling  of  proprietorship.  Rather  should  one  do  these  good 
things  with  a  disengaged  spirit,  awaiting  the  manifestation  of  God's 
will  about  them,  guarding  against  self-approval,  avoiding  rationalizing 
on  such  matters.  One's  soul  may  be  compared  to  an  orchard  full  ol 
fruit,  but  the  apples  fall  from  the  trees  unripe,  for  they  are  worm 
eaten,  and  thus  the  worms  crawl  out  of  them  and  injure  the  good 
vegetables  growing  on  the  ground.    Meanwhile  the  worm-eaten  apples 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  467 

seem  just  as  good  as  sound  ones,  until  you  pick  them  up;  then  they 
are  found  to  be  all  rotten.  So  do  our  souls  look  with  their  fair 
seeming  vain-glorious  devotions — till  we  examine  them  closely,  and 
among  many  we  shall  hardly  find  one  or  two  that  are  worthy  of  God — 
good  observances  in  themselves,  but  the  heart  of  them  is  fatally 
injured  by  defective  motives.  And  this  applies  to  both  the  active  and 
the  contemplative  life-  -all  one  does  may  be  no  better  than  worm-eaten 
fruit,  fatally  injured  by  self  choosing  and  by  vain  observance.  For 
as  to  contemplation,  do  we  not  read  the  following  in  St.  Paul?  "And 
lest  the  greatness  of  the  revelations  should  exalt  me,  there  was  given 
nie  a  sting  of  my  flesh,  an  angel  of  Satan,  to  buffet  me"  (II  Cor.  xii :  7) . 
So  might  it  be  needful  to  thee,  even  if  thou  hadst  the  gift  of  prophecy, 
and  did  great  signs  and  wonders,  healed  the  sick,  possessed  the  key  of 
the  future — all  may  be  worm-eaten  and  rotten,  if  thou  dost  not  stand 
watchfully  on  thy  guard. 

And  now  let  us  explain  the  lowest  and  grossest  case  of  empty- 
hearted  religious  custom.  Suppose  a  man  giving  alms,  and  that  he 
begins  by  being  careful  that  God  alone  shall  know  of  this  good  act  ol 
<harity;  but  after  awhile  he  cherishes  a  sort  of  longing  for  human 
praise,  for  he  is  not  quite  content  to  be  without  it: — now  this  is  a 
worm-eaten  apple.  Thus  it  is  that  one  may  have  selfish  motives  in 
wishing  that  people  should  praise  their  good  deeds.  They  put  windows 
and  altars  in  churches  with  their  names  marked  on  them — "they  have 
received  their  reward."  They  defend  themselves  by  saying  they  wish 
men  to  pray  for  them.  Alms  pure  and  simple,  known  to  God  alone, 
in  whose  bosom  it  is  all  hidden,  were  of  more  benefit  to  their  souls 
than  if  they  built  great  churches  before  men's  eyes  and  all  the  people 
prayed  for  them.  God  would  easily  make  up  to  them  what  men 
might  have  petitioned  for  them,  did  they  entrust  their  good  work  to 
Him  alone  in  all  confidence. 

Alms  out  of  a  heart  wholly  disengaged  from  men  and  from  created 
things,  are  themselves  a  better  prayer  to  God  than  the  petitions  of 
admiring  multitudes.  Many  a  man  for  lack  of  this  perfectly  pure 
intention  destroys  the  merit  of  his  good  works,  sometimes  all  through 
his  life ;  whether  they  serve  God  or  men,  in  vigils,  and  fasts,  and  alms 
deeds,  they  calculate  what  return  they  shall  get,  either  from  God  (in 
a  mercenary  spirit)  or  their  fellowmen — that  is  all  they  think  of. 
If  these  works  filled  the  whole  world,  they  are  no  better  than  worm- 
eaten  apples.    Accept  this  doctrine,  not  from  me,  but  from  truth  itself: 


468  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

'Take  heed  that  you  do  not  your  justice  befoi*e  men,  to  be  seen  by 
them:  otherwise  you  shall  not  have  a  reward  of  your  Father  who  is 
in  Heaven.  Therefore  when  tliou  dost  an  almsdeed,  sound  not  a 
trumpet  before  thee,  as  the  hypocrites  do  in  the  synagogues  and  in 
the  streets.  Amen  I  say  to  you,  they  have  received  their  reward.  But 
when  thou  dost  alms,  let  not  thy  left  hand  know  what  thy  right  hand 
doth;  that  thy  alms  may  be  in  secret,  and  thy  Father,  who  seeth  in 
secret,  will  repay  thee."  And  he  continues:  "When  thou  shalt  pray, 
enter  into  thy  chamber,  and  having  shut  the  door,  pray  to  thy  Father 
in  secret:  and  thy  Father  who  seeth  in  secret  will  repay  thee" 
(Matt.  vi:l-6).  Children,  take  heed  to  these  words,  which  are  not 
mine,  but  those  of  everlasting  truth ;  let  each  one  look  to  God  and  to 
Him  alone  in  all  the  good  that  he  undertakes  to  do. 

Now,  there  are  four  preservatives  against  the  worm  that  destroys 
the  fruit  of  good  works.  The  first  is  that  a  man  should  do  all  his 
works  of  the  interior  and  exterior  life,  not  for  himself,  but  for  God 
alone,  thinking  of  God  and  loving  God  while  he  is  doing  them.  Does 
he  find  them  sweet  to  do?  \Yell  and  good.  Does  he  find  them  bitter? 
He  yet  perseveres  to  do  them,  for  he  never  chose  them  for  his  own 
joy,  but  for  God's. 

The  second  preservative  is  an  immeasureable  depth  of  obedience 
under  God,  yea  and  under  all  mankind  from  the  lowest  to  the  highest. 
An  example  of  this  is  in  the  life  of  the  great  doctor  of  the  Church,  St. 
Thomas,  who  made  not  the  least  difficulty  of  humbly  accompanying 
an  overbearing  brother  with  a  lantern  along  the  streets  of  the  city. 
Be  subject  to  every  human  being  for  God's  sake.  Thou  shouldst  in  all 
sincerity  esteem  any  man  better  than  thyself;  thou  shouldst  never 
withstand  anyone,  but  yield  gently  and  humbly  to  all. 

The  third  is  humility,  so  that  a  man  shall  in  all  sincerity  rest  upon 
his  nothingness,  realizing  that  it  is  the  only  thing  he  can  claim 
properly  as  his  own,  everything  besides  being  not  his  own.  Let  him 
consider  as  an  evil  thing  whatsoever  he  has  or  does  on  his  own  account, 
including  his  own  self.  Once  as  I  was  in  choir  alongside  of  a  holy 
brother  of  ours,- who  was  a  man  to  whom  God  had  granted  many  signs 
of  sanctity,  and  whose  holy  life  was  full  of  marvels  of  grace — this 
brother  whispered  to  me  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart:  "Brother, 
believe  what  I  tell  thee — I  am  the  greatest  and  foulest  sinner  in  the 
whole  world."  Let  every  one  of  us  say  the  same  in  all  sincerity.  For 
I  say  to  you,  that  if  God  has  bestowed  upon  the  worst  sinner  the  graces 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  469 

He  has  granted  me,  be  would  have  become  a  great  saint.  And  a  man 
who  is  thus  grounded  in  humility  is  wholly  incapable  of  sitting  in 
judgment  upon  his  neighbor,  about  no  matter  what  affair.  If  he  sees 
what  is  plainly  bad,  he  forthwith  turns  his  attention  to  the  considera- 
tion of  his  own  defects. 

The  fourth  preservative  is  that  one  shall  stand  in  constant  dread 
of  the  secret  judgment  of  God,  not  indeed  as  one  who  yields  to  despair, 
but  rather  as  one  deeply  anxious  lest  he  shall  arouse  a  friend's  anger. 
Now  as  to  these  preservatives,  St.  Bernard  says:  "Whosoever  does 
not  rest  securely  upon  these,  let  him  do  all  the  good  deeds  in  the  world, 
and  they  are  all  worm-eaten  fruit." 

In  the  garden  of  holy  Church  there  grow  many  and  wonderful  trees, 
all  full  of  good  fruit;  that  is  to  say,  many  humble-hearted  men:  on 
them  alone  hangs  God's  true  fruit  of  virtue.  Others  are  there  bearing 
worm-eaten  fruit,  fair  and  red  to  look  at,  fairer  sometimes  than  the 
sound  fruit:  but  wait  till  a  stormy  wind  blows,  wait  till  the  time  of 
trial  comes :  down  they  fall,  and  soon  they  are  rotten  and  spreading 
rottenness  around  them. 

These  are  self-indulgent  and  unmortified  men.  They  vainly  trust 
to  their  own  showy  good  works,  often  seeming  to  do  more  of  them 
than  the  truly  good  souls.  They  are  absorbed  in  the  practice  of 
devotions  that  have  not  been  prescribed  by  holy  Church,  and  upon 
these,  with  all  their  grand  show  of  piety,  they  rest  as  upon  their  life's 
foundation.  Meanwhile  the  weather  is  calm,  their  souls  are  in  peace, 
lliey  bask  in  the  sunshine  of  their  pious  observances,  they  seem  to 
excel  God's  true  servants  in  virtue.  But  presently  the  storm  arises, 
they  are  assailed  by  those  temptations  against  the  faith  common  in 
our  time,  and  presently  they  are  overthrown — and  then  the  worms  of 
doubt  and  error  creep  out  of  their  hearts  into  the  hearts  of  other 
men,  uninstructed  and  simple-minded,  whom  they  ruin  with  their 
false  maxims  of  liberty  and  their  other  false  teaching.  They  have  been 
all  along  treading  a  broad  yet  hidden  road  of  destruction,  because 
they  give  up  to  their  own  inborn  unsanctified  tendencies.  They  never 
entered  upon  the  narrow  but  true  path  of  sincere  self-denial;  they 
would  not  give  up  self;  they  were  determined  to  yield  to  corrupt 
nature. 

But  let  us  not  go  too  far  from  our  subject  in  pursuit  of  these  worm- 
eaten  souls.  "Whosoever  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the 
sons  of  God,"  namely,  those  who  perseveringly  watch  for  the  will  of 


470  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

God  to  follow  it,  who  are  docile  to  His  inspirations,  who  obey  His 
interior  admonitions.  In  this  way  of  God  they  must  now  and  then 
cross  a  desert  place  all  full  of  woe.  If  they  bravely  venture  into  it,, 
trusting  loyally  to  God's  Spirit,  what  a  happy  lot  theirs  shall  be» 
Let  them  but  turn  inward  to  their  soul's  life  and  keep  careful  account 
of  it.  What  wonders  of  God's  working  are  there,  surpassing  all  sense 
and  all  understanding.  Let  such  a  man  give  but  one  year  to  this  holy 
interior  life  and  to  nothing  else,  and  never  was  a  year  better  spent. 
Nay,  if  God  but  grant  him  in  that  whole  year  only  a  single  momentary 
glimpse  of  the  action  of  His  Spirit  in  the  soul's  depths,  that  momentary 
revelation  will  give  more  worth  to  the  year  than  all  the  good  works 
he  could  have  crowded  into  it  by  immense  self  activity.  He  that  works 
with  God  can  lose  nothing,  and  in  this  holy  matter  one  indeed  worka^ 
with  God. 

What!  Shall  we  doubt  that  God  is  nobler  than  His  creature?  So 
is  His  work  nobler  than  His  creature's  work.  With  such  a  man  all 
outward  activity  not  strictly  of  God's  appointment  falls  away,  for 
he  ever  has  activity  enough  within  his  soul.  Herein  is  found  perfect 
security,  herein  is  perfect  joy.  Alas,  that  men  will  not  credit  this. 
They  cannot  comprehend  it.  In  truth  it  pertains  only  to  perfect  souls 
who  are  deep  rooted  in  God  in  all  simplicity  of  heart.  As  to  lower 
grades  of  good  men,  let  them  be  rightly  engaged,  as  indeed  they  ought 
to  be,  in  every  kind  of  good  works  of  the  active  life,  lest  they  lapse 
into  guilty  slothfulness. 

Believe  me,  children,  "Every  plant  which  My  heavenly  Father  hath 
not  planted  shall  be  rooted  up"  (Matt,  xv:  13).  Now  can  you  under- 
stand how  deeply  God  loves  a  man  who  gives  Him  full  room  in  his  soul 
for  His  divine  work,  by  which  work  God  is  blessed  in  His  own  life? 
It  is  a  love  above  all  love  that  God  bestows  on  him,  and  passes  all 
understanding.  For  such  a  man  is  loved  with  the  love  wherewith 
the  heavenly  Father  loves  His  only  begotten  Son.  No  wonder,  I  say^ 
then,  that  this  spiritual  way  leads  the  soul  into  the  abyss  of  the  deity. 

The  disciples  of  Dionysius  once  asked  him  how  it  happened  that 
Timothy  surpassed  them  all  so  greatly  in  holiness,  although  they  did 
all  the  good  works  that  he  did.  Their  master  answered:  "Timothy 
is  a  man  who  permits  God  to  work  within  him."  This  takes  place  in 
a  living  faith  in  God,  which  is  unspeakably  above  all  the  works  that 
by  outward  act  a  man  can  do.     But  to  follow  this  method  what  is 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  471 

before  all  else  needed,  is  to  sink  down  into  a  deep  self-renunciation, 
by  which  a  man  never  sees  himself  in  God's  work,  but  sees  God  alone, 
leaves  himself  wholly  to  God  to  work  His  way  in  him,  reserving  only 
what  is  really  his  own,  namely,  his  nothingness.  If  such  a  man 
should  at  last  make  any  account  of  himself,  that  were  indeed  a  lament- 
able fall  and  a  dangerous  one.  May  He  who  alone  can  give  holiness 
and  perfect  it,  grant  us  the  grace  to  yield  ever  to  His  will.    Amen. 


4T2  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


/S'ynopsts — The  littlest  work  of  a  meinber  of  Christ's  body  partakes  of 
the  dignity  of  the  Head — Each  one  should  do  all  his  works  for  the 
sake  of  all  his  brethren — Searching  for  God  among  little  duties — 
The  farmer  in  a  trance,  flail  in  hand — How  to  obtain  heavenly 
guidance  in  small  affairs. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  THE  TENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.* 

There  are  diversities  of  operations,  but  the  same  Lord,  who  worketh  all  in  all, 
and  the  manifestation  of  the  Spirit  is  given  to  every  man  unto  profit.  To  one, 
indeed,  by  the  Spirit,  is  given  the  word  of  wisdom ;  and  to  another,  the  word  of 
knowledge,  according  to  the  same  Spirit;  to  another  faith  in  the  same  Spirit. 
.  But  all  these  things  one  and  the  same  Spirit  worketh,  dividing  to 
everyone  according  as  He  will. — I  Cor.  xii,  6-11. 

Here  the  apostle  names  a  variety  of  gifts,  but  which  are  all  the 
work  of  the  same  Holy  Ghost.  In  the  days  of  the  apostles,  the  Holy 
Chost  wrought  wonderful  things  among  His  friends  for  the  proof  of 
the  Christian  faith,  including  prophecies ;  and  His  final  work  was  the 
martyrdom  of  the  apostles  and  their  disciples.  Miraculous  signs  are 
not  needed  in  our  days,  although  it  must  be  confessed  that  living 
Christian  faith  is  as  little  evident  in  some  among  us  as  in  pagans 
and  Jews. 

Let  us  consider  this  teaching — that  there  are  diversities  of  work  in 
God's  service,  and  yet  that  one  and  the  same  Spirit  is  in  them  all. 
Children,  look  at  the  human  body,  with  all  its  different  members  and 
senses,  each  part  having  its  separate  office.  Not  any  sense  or  member 
usurps  the  office  of  any  other,  or  acts  otherwise  than  as  God  has 
ordained  for  it.  So  are  we  all  members  of  the  same  body,  and  of  this 
body  Christ  is  the  head.  Now,  the  eye  in  the  body  of  holy  Church, 
that  is  her  teachers.  It  is  an  office  that  does  not  concern  you,  for  we 
ordinary  Christians  must  note  carefully  what  our  place  is,  the  office 
to  which  eur  Lord  has  called  us,  and  in  the  performance  of  whose 

*No  sermon  of  Tauler's  for  the  Ninth  Sunday  after  Trinity  Is  extant. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  473 

duties  we  are  firmly  joined  to  the  Head,  our  Lord,  by  means  of  His 
holy  grace.  For  no  matter  how  insignificant  the  work  may  seem,  il 
it  be  that  of  a  member  of  Christ's  body,  then  it  is  done  by  the  grace 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  the  profit  of  men's  souls. 

Well,  then,  we  live  among  the  lowest  members.  One  can  spin, 
another  can  make  shoes,  some  being  skilful  at  one  trade,  others  at 
another.  And  these  are  all  graces  that  are  made  active  by  the  opera- 
tion of  the  Spirit  of  God.  If  I  were  not  a  priest,  and  were  only  a 
brother  in  a  community,  I  should  consider  it  a  great  thing  to  be  able 
to  make  shoes,  and  I  would  be  very  glad  to  earn  my  bread  by  the 
labor  of  my  hands.  Children,  the  foot  or  hand  should  not  wish  to  be 
the  eye,  but  each  should  fulfill  the  office  assigned  by  God;  for  however 
lowly  that  may  seem,  it  could  not  be  done  by  the  other  members. 
Thus  our  sisters  do  their  part,  as,  for  example,  in  piously  chanting 
the  psalms.  St.  Augustine  says:  "God  is  a  most  simple  being;  and 
jet  He  works  in  a  most  manifold  way,  being  all  things  in  each  single 
thing,  and  one  in  all  of  them  together."  Every  least  little  work  of 
ours  comes  to  us  as  a  duty  from  God  and  each  has  its  particular  grace. 
Let  us  do  it  gladly  for  the  sake  of  all  our  brethren,  who  cannot  do 
it  as  appropriately  as  we.  Thus  do  we  all  mutually  exchange  grace 
for  grace.  Believe  me,  the  man  who  does  not  pray  nor  work  for  his 
neighbor's  sake  shall  have  much  to  answer  for  before  God,  when,  as 
the  Gosjjel  tells  us,  it  will  be  said  to  him:  "Give  an  account  of  thy 
stewardship"  (Luke  xvi:  2).  And  each  of  us  is  appointed  as  a  steward 
to  do  a  certain  work  for  God,  and  to  render  account  of  the  same. 

How  does  it  happen,  then,  that  so  many  complain  that  their  occu- 
pation in  life  hinders  their  serving  God?  God  makes  no  limitations 
to  His  seiwice,  and  how,  then,  does  it  happen  that  thy  conscience  is 
afflicted  at  having  to  do  what  He  appoints  for  thee?  Dear  children, 
make  up  your  minds  that  it  is.  not  your  occupation,  but  your  own 
ill-regulated  way  of  performing  it  that  disturbs  your  interior  peace. 
Do  thy  duty  rightly;  have  God  alone  in  view;  be  disengaged  from  all 
self-conceit  and  self-love;  look  not  to  what  is  pleasant  or  unpleasant 
as  thy  end  in  doing  or  not  doing;  fear  nothing  and  desire  nothing 
but  God ;  seek  no  profit,  think  of  no  joy  in  thy  work ;  regard  nothing 
except  what  is  wholly  for  God's  honor: — act  this  way,  and  it  is 
impossible  that  thou  shouldst  feel  distress  of  conscience  in  thy  usual 
occupations.  It  is  a  shame  for  any  spiritual  man  to  have  it  said  of 
him,  that  he  is  disorderly  in  doing  his  daily  round  of  duty,  for  one 


474  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Koon  perceives  this  defect — the  work  is  not  done  in  God,  nor  is  it 
done  to  the  benefit  of  his  neighbor. 

By  this  slovenly  carelessness  thou  makest  manifest  that  it  is  not 
for  and  in  God  thou  art  laboring;  and  herein  is  shown  the  cause  of 
thy  unrest  of  soul.  Our  Lord  did  not  reprove  Martha  on  account  of 
her  work,  for  that  was  holy ;  he  chided  her  for  her  excessive  solicitude. 
A  man  should  practice  approved  spiritual  exercises,  attend  to  his 
bounden  duty,  and  then  cast  all  his  care  upon  God,  attending  mean- 
while to  his  obligations  diligently  and  in  all  calmness  of  mini.  And 
he  should  be  careful  to  remain  at  home  in  his  own  spirit,  looking 
often  there  in  search  of  God,  with  inward  intentness  and  very  devoutly, 
meanwhile  carefully  attending  to  every  call  of  duty  in  his  external 
life.  And,  besides,  he  should  carefully  watch  for  the  inspirations  ol 
the  Holy  Ghost,  whether  to  action  or  to  suffering  for  God's  sake. 
By  this  means  he  does  or  he  leaves  undone  according  to  the  guidance 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  now  resting  quiet  and  again  pushing  onward: 
such  is  the  way  to  fulfil  thy  part  in  life  in  all  Godliness  and  peace. 

If  there  is  any  poor,  old,  feeble,  helpless  creature,  do  thou  run 
quickly  to  his  help.  One  should  outdo  the  other  in  this  work  of 
charity,  thus  bearing  one  another's  burdens.  If  thou  failest  in  this, 
be  sure  that  God  will  bestow  the  privilege  upon  another  with  all  the 
accompanying  graces,  leaving  thee  empty.  Dost  thou  feel  a  special 
joy  in  any  work?  Be  on  thy  guard  carefully — do  the  work  for  God 
alone,  be  not  carried  away  by  thy  feelings.  Here,  then,  children,  is 
the  way  to  acquire  virtue,  and  a  very  necessary  way,  if  thou  wouldst 
come  to  God.  Do  not  dream  that  by  counselling  quiet  waiting  for 
God,  I  mean  that  thou  art  to  sit  down  idle  till  God  shall  come  and 
infuse  virtue  into  thy  soul. 

Put  no  trust  in  immature  virtue,  unearned  virtue.  If  a  man  claims 
that  the  Father  and  the  Son  and  the. Holy  Ghost  have  taken  up  their 
abode  within  him,  there  is  nothing  in  what  he  says,  unless  he  has 
attained  to  this  state  by  devout  exercises  of  religion,  interior  as  well 
as  exterior,  the  same  that  we  have  been  considering.  A  farmer  stands 
and  threshes  his  grain  with  his  flail  uplifted,  and  suddenly  falls  into 
a  trance;  now  the  flail  will  fall  on  him  and  strike  him,  unless  an 
angel  from  Heaven  shall  catch  it.  So  with  you.  None  like  to  thresh, 
all  would  wish  to  be  entranced — all  the  members  of  the  body  would 
be  the  eye,  all  for  the  contemplative  and  none  for  the  active  life. 
Now  this  is  a  sign  of  stupidity.    I  knew  a  man  who  was  a  very  dear 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  475 

friend  of  God,  and  who  was  a  ploughman  all  the  days  of  his  life — 
more  than  forty  years,  and,  indeed,  he  is  the  same  yet.  Well,  he  once 
asked  our  Lord  whether  or  not  he  should  give  up  his  labor  and  spend 
his  time  in  church.  The  Lord  said  to  him:  "No,  thou  shalt  eat  thy 
bread  in  the  sweat  of  thy  face,  and  in  that  service  thou  shalt  do 
honor  to  My  precious  blood."  And  yet  everyone,  each  following  his 
own  pious  method,  should  daily  and  nightly  retire  apart  and  sink 
down  into  the  depths  of  his  soul,  choosing  therefor  a  proper  time 
and  place.  Those  who  are  so  far  advanced  as  to  go  to  God  direct 
and  without  the  images  of  the  imagination,  should  follow  their  method ; 
others  in  turn  are  helped  by  a  different  one ;  for  we  cannot  all  be  eyes 
in  the  Lord's  body.  Each  one  for  himself  must  thus  pray  just  as  God 
ordains;  and  in  deep  love  and  quiet  peace.  Whosoever  serves  God 
as  He  wills,  to  him  shall  God  respond  according  to  that  man's  own 
will.  But  if  one  serves  God  according  to  his  own  will,  him  shall  God 
treat,  not  as  he  would  wish  to  be  treated,  but  as  God  in  His  justice 
deems  best. 

Children,  it  is  in  this  self-departure,  this  going  forth  from  selfwill, 
that  the  essential  peace  of  the  soul  is  born  within  us,  which  means 
the  acquisition  of  well-seasoned  virtue.  Believe  me  that  essential 
peace  never  comes  otherwise — it  is  false  to  assert  such  a  thing.  Out- 
wardly practiced  and  inwardly  cherished  virtue  produces  peace  of 
soul ;  though  it  is  to  be  said  that  the  peace  that  arises  from  the  more 
interior  exercises  of  religion  is  a  treasure  that  no  man  can  rob  you  of. 
Men  wise  in  their  own  conceit  will  bid  you  do  this  and  do  that  to 
become  perfect — and  it  is  all  a  set  of  observances  of  their  own  con- 
trivance. Such  men  have  sometimes  been  forty  years  in  religion,  and 
to  this  day  they  do  not  appreciate  their  state  of  life.  They  are  far 
bolder  in  devotional  things  than  I  would  dare  to  be. 

My  vocation  is  that  of  a  teacher  of  the  people.  And  yet  when  I 
hear  confessions  and  ask  my  penitents  how  this  is  and  how  that, 
having  in  view  their  spiritual  direction,  at  the  last  I  am  often  unable 
to  form  a  judgment  about  them.  Then  I  pray  to  our  Lord  for  light; 
and  if  He  does  not  grant  it  to  me,  I  can  but  say:  Dear  children,  you 
must  yourselves  pray  for  the  divine  guidance,  and  it  will  certainly  be 
granted  you.  Not  so  the  rash  men  of  whom  I  have  been  speaking; 
they  praise  or  they  condemn  quickly,  each  of  them  according  to  his 
own  chosen  standard,  and  strive  to  fasten  on  others  their  own 
favorite  devotional  customs.    And  by  this  means  many  a  plant  in  our 


476  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Lord's  garden  is  worm-eaten  in  the  bud.  They  say  to  you :  Your 
way  is  a  novelty  and  we  do  not  approve  of  it,  it  is  full  of  the  spirit 
of  innovation;  and  meanwhile  God's  ways  are  wholly  unknown  to 
them.    Ah,  strange  things  may  be  expected  from  men  of  that  kind. 

Now  says  St.  Paul :  "But  all  these  things  the  same  Spirit  worketh, 
dividing  to  everyone  according  as  He  will."  Children,  to  what  kind 
of  men,  think  you,  does  God  give  the  knowledge  of  the  divisions  He 
makes  among  men?  Who  are  they  that  have  the  judgment  and  dis- 
cernment of  different  spirits  in  men?  Be  sure  that  they  who  have 
this  gift  are  well  exercised  in  the  ways  of  God.  The  trials  of  flesh 
and  blood  are  familiar  to  them,  for  they  have  suffered  them  in  the 
severest  form.  The  enemy  of  souls  has  gone  through  them,  aye,  and 
they  have  gone  through  him.  Bone  and  marrow  have  been  searched 
through  and  through,  and  all  their  souls  have  been  perfected — such 
are  the  men  to  whom  God  grants  the  discernment  of  spirits.  If  they 
will  but  turn  their  attention  to  any  souls  and  consider  them,  they  at 
once  discover  whether  or  not  their  spirit  is  of  God;  and  they  can 
decide  what  is  the  right  step  to  be  taken  in  the  road  of  perfection, 
or  what  it  is  that  stands  in  the  way.  Meanwhile  let  us  lament  how 
trifling  a  thing  it  is  that  causes  us  to  turn  out  of  the  straight  road 
to  everlasting  truth,  doing  ourselves  a  grievous  and  eternal  harm — 
for  God  and  His  love  are  eternal,  and  if  we  neglect  His  love  on  earth 
it  will  never  be  ours  in  the  life  to  come.  May  God  help  us  to  do  His 
work  in  all  truth,  and  just  as  His  Holy  Spirit  shall  guide  us,  each 
one  according  to  his  particular  inspirations.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  477 


^itttwn  mh  S^^irobatuin 


Synopsis — To  abide  in  self-approval  is  to  court  reprobation — Also  to 
serve  God  in  a  spirit  of  buying  and  selling — Dreadful  fate  of  a 
certain  unworthy  monk — An  elect  soul  keeps  God  ever  in  view — A 
plain  sign  of  election  is  feeling  spiritual  misery  on  account  of 
bodily  plenty — Again,  readiness  to  hear  God's  word  in  a  humble 
mood. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  TENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER 

TRINITY. 

And  when  He  drew  near,  seeing  the  city,  He  wept  over  it,  saying:  If  thou 
also  hadst  known  and  that  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  that  are  to  thy  peace;  but 
now  they  are  hidden  from  thy  eyes.  For  the  days  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  thy 
enemies  shall  cast  a  trench  about  thee,  and  compass  thee  round,  and  straiten 
thee  on  every  side,  and  beat  thee  flat  to  the  ground,  and  thy  children  who  are  in 
thee ;  and  they  shall  not  leave  in  thee  a  stone  upon  a  stone ;  because  thou  hast 
not  known  the  time  of  thy  visitation.  And  entering  into  the  temple,  He  began  to 
cast  out  them  that  sold  things,  and  them  that  bought  Saying  to  them :  It  Is 
written :  My  house  is  the  house  of  prayer.  But  you  have  made  it  a  den  of 
thieves. — Luke  xix,  41-46. 

The  city  over  which  our  Lord  now  weeps  is  Christendom.  This  is 
the  first  meaning  of  this  Gospel;  the  second  is  that  He  weeps  over 
worldly  hearts,  and  well  may  He  weep,  for  we  may  all  weep  and 
never  weep  enough  over  those  who  know  not  and  who  will  not  be 
warned  of  the  time  of  their  visitation.  Jerusalem  was  in  joy  and 
peace  when  Christ  wept  over  the  city.  And  so  are  all  these  men  who 
live  in  the  life  of  the  senses.  They  are  full  of  joy  and  peace  as  long 
as  they  have  this  world's  goods,  power,  friends,  relatives,  honors, 
everything  to  their  hearts'  content,  living  as  if  these  were  to  be  theirs 
for  all  eternity.  Meanwhile  they  keep  up  a  show  of  religion,  confession, 
and  prayer,  and  dream  they  are  safe.  If  you  say  anything  to  the 
contrary,  you  are  lost  to  them.  They  abide  in  self-righteousness  and 
in  perfect  security.  But  mark  what  comes  after  this  state  of  security : 
their  enemy  shall  come  upon  them,  and  leave  not  a  stone  upon  a  stone. 


478  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

The  time  of  God's  visitation  is  at  hand.  As  they  approach  death,  the 
fiend  enwraps  them  in  a  mantle  of  despair,  they  know  not  which  way 
to  fly,  not  a  thought  of  God's  goodness  can  enter  their  souls.  No 
wonder.  God  has  never  been  there,  they  never  built  on  Him,  took 
little  account  of  Him — they  were  ever  absorbed  in  transitory  pleasures 
and  the  joys  of  the  senses.  When  the  evil  one  has  knocked  away  that 
foundation,  then  down  falls  the  peace  that  was  built  thereon.  Now 
follows  an  unbearable  tumult  of  soul,  unbearable  and  everlasting,  over 
which  all  men  might  weep  and  wither  up  with  terror ;  yea,  they  might 
well  shed  tears  of  blood  over  such  a  calamity.  Good  reason  had  Christ 
to  weep  over  these  souls,  saying:  "If  thou  also  hadst  known,  and 
that  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  that  are  to  thy  peace?'  And  St.  John 
writes:  "All  that  is  in  the  world  is  the  concupiscence  of  the  flesh, 
and  the  concupiscence  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life"  (I  John 
ii:  16).  How  shall  God  judge  such  a  soul  after  death?  Would  that 
He  might  give  you  to  know  the  terrors  of  that  future  tumult  of  soul 
which  shall  never  be  followed  by  peace ;  which  not  my  words  but  those 
of  St.  Gregory  describe  in  this  day's  homily. 

Then  our  Lord  entered  into  the  temple  and  drove  out  the  buyers 
jmd  sellers,  saying:  You  have  made  My  house  a  den  of  thieves.  He 
means  the  soul  of  man,  which  is  more  properly  the  temple  of  God 
than  ail  material  temples  in  the  world.  St.  Paul  says:  "Know  you 
not  that  you  are  the  temple  of  God,  and  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
dwelleth  within  you?  If  any  man  violate  the  temple  of  God,  him 
shall  God  destroy.  For  the  temple  of  God  is  holy,  which  you  are" 
(ICor.iii:  16-17).  Now  when  our  Lord  would  enter  into  this  His 
temple.  He  finds  it  a  den  of  thieves  and  murderers,  and  a  place  of 
traflSc.  For  what  is  buying  and  selling?  It  is  when,  for  example,  a 
man  gives  the  corn  which  he  has  for  the  wine  which  he  has  not. 
Now,  a  man  has  nothing  that  is  really  his  own,  except  his  free  will. 
And  it  is  by  bartering  away  his  free  will  in  exchange  for  the  perishable 
things  of  this  world  that  he  plies  his  traflSc :  no  matter  what  he  gets 
in  return,  he  always  gives  away  his  free  will — seeking  joy  in  food 
and  drink,  in  raiment  and  jewels,  both  for  his  own  pleasure  and  for 
the  admiration  of  other  men.  Alas,  the  day  of  reckoning  is  sure  to 
<rome.  And  then  they  cry  out,  O  blessed  Lord,  have  pity  on  me!  It 
was  not  a  sensual  love  but  a  spiritual  love  I  indulged  in;  we  must 
have  our  relaxations.  Dear  children,  make  no  mistake.  This  is  really 
the  traflSc  thou  earnest  on  whilst  thou  canst  barter  away  thy  free 
will.    And  as  time  goes  on,  God  is  removed  farther  and  farther  away 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


479 


from  thee,  and  grows  stranger  and  stranger.  St  Bernard  Bays- 
'Dmne  consolation  is  of  so  sensitive  and  delicate  a  nature,  that  it 
cannot  abide  the  company  of  any  other  consolation."  One  will  perhaps 
exclaim:  O  Lord,  we  are  in  the  religious  state,  members  of  a  holy 
order.  I  answer:  If  thou  hadst  upon  thee  all  the  holy  habits  thou 
^ouldst  choose,  unless  thou  dost  act  up  to  what  these  rightly  mean, 
they  will  do  thee  no  manner  of  good. 

It  happened  once  that  a  man  committed  a  crime,  and  then  he  entered 
a  monastery,  wholly  unrepentant  and  unconfessed.     Having  received 
the  holy  habit,  he  came  to  his  death-and  the  devil  cut  him  to  pieces 
and  carried  him  off,  body  and  soul,  but  leaving  the  holy  habit  after 
him.    And  they  that  belong  to  orders  should  be  for  that  reason  all 
the  more  holy  than  the  ordinary  traffickers  of  this  world.    Alas   how 
vast  a  subject  is  this  for  our  meditation,  if  we  did  but  search  it  to  the 
bottom.     For  everybody  seems  full  of  his  own  will,  full,  full    full ' 
How  few  strong  characters  do  we  meet  with,  men  who  subject'them- 
selves  wholly  to  God;   indeed,  the  majority  of  those  who  act  thus  are 
poor,  humble  women.    All  seek  their  o;vn,  all  are  self-willed     Ah   if 
they  would  but  traffic  with  God,  and  give  Him  their  free  wills,  that 
would  indeed  be  a  prosperous  venture.     And  what  is  the  net  profit 
of  their  worldly  barter?    Nothing  but  disturbance  of  mind.    Yet  these 
half-hearted  Christians  are  all  the  better  off  for  their  pain  upon  pain 
of  heart,  if  they  but  knew  it,  for  by  means  of  this  distress  of  conscience 
they  will  at  last  be  saved;   whereas  those  who  are  content  with  their 
«tate  of  infidelity  to  God  are  in  great  peril  of  final  loss.    St.  Augustine 
speaks  thus  of  the  half-hearted:    "Ill-regulated  spirits  provide  a  mar- 
tyrdom for  themselves,  and  lay  on  their  souls  an  oppressive  burden; 
they  feel  deep  unrest  and  yet  know  not  what  ails  them."    The  trouble 
Is  that  their  temple  is  a  place  of  traffic;  they  will  not  give  up  self-love. 
Sometimes  one  will  give  up  relatives  and  friends,  his  goods  and  his 
inheritance ;  but  he  will  not  give  up  self.    And  all  is  then  in  vain     He 
must  be  to  himself  as  utterly  stripped  of  all  things  as  when  he  came 
naked  from  God.    This  is  true,  even  though  one  must  have  many  cares 
for  himself,  like  eating  and  drinking,  seeing  and  hearing,  all  of  which 
leave  their  memories  in  the  soul.    What  then?    A  man  must  in  all 
these  things  keep  God  in  view;    he  must  seek  God  in  all  he  does,  m  all 
he  leaves  undone.    As  long  as  he  acts  that  way,  he  may  disregard  his 
memories  and  the  images  of  his  imagination.    He  keeps  the  temple 
of  his  soul  clean  from  traffic.    He  is  not  entangled  by  these  intrusions 
of  outward  things. 


480  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

The  bride  in  the  Canticles  says  that  their  bed  is  full  of  flowers,  that 
is  to  say,  the  soul  in  friendship  with  God  is  full  of  heavenly  flowers,, 
of  thoughts  and  images  of  divine  love  and  of  Heaven.  Ah,  if  thy 
temple  were  only  totally  empty,  cleansed  of  all  trafficking,  all  imagina- 
tions, then  would  it  indeed  be  the  temple  of  God— never  until  then, 
no  matter  what  thou  mayst  do  to  it  Peace  and  joy  would  then  possess 
rhy  heart;  nothing  whatever  could  lead  thee  astray;  all  that  now 
annoys  thee  and  even  fills  thee  with  anguish  would  vanish  away.  The 
Lord  commanded  Ezechiel  to  dig  his  way  through  the  wall  into  the 
temple,  and  to  behold  the  many  abominations  there,  and  the  foul 
images  therein  to  be  found — painted  by  the  keepers  of  the  temple 
themselves.  And  thus  it  is  with  the  recollections  and  the  imaginations 
of  men ;  they  themselves  paint  them  upon  their  souls. 

Herein  may  one  distinguish  between  the  elect  and  the  rejirobate. 
The  former  cannot  enjoy  full  peace  in  inordinate  use  of  created  things, 
even  if  they  do  for  awhile  lose  themselves  and  go  astray  in  them.  They 
feel  the  tooth  of  remorse  constantly  gnawing  their  conscience,  sorrow 
and  dread  haunt  them  even  in  their  evil  hours;  and  this  is  the  work 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  it  is  written :  "The  Spirit  Himself  asketh  for  us 
with  unspeakable  groanings"  (Rom.  viii:  26).  They  come  at  last  to 
sincere  repentance,  weeping  over  their  wayward  and  disorderly  life, 
and  thus  they  are  saved.  This  is  true  even  though  years  may  pass 
before  they  return  to  God.  What  an  inestimable  grace  is  this;  and 
he  who  is  granted  it  may  well  thank  God  for  the  warnings  vouchsafed 
him,  and  the  interior  inspirations  that  stirred  him  to  repentance.  But, 
alas,  with  others  it  turns  out  differently.  There  are  some  to  whom  it 
avails  not  to  give  private  warnings  or  public  discourses — nay,  there 
are  whole  countries  that  seem  to  be  averted  from  God. 

Therefore  do  I  warn  you  to  hear  God's  message,  while  yet  it  is 
addressed  to  you :  profit  well  by  it.  Admit  the  word  of  God  into  thy 
understanding,  for  it  is  too  little  understood.  It  is  a  blameworthy 
thing  that  God's  warning  remains  in  the  ear  and  does  not  reach  the 
heart,  for  that  is  filled  already ;  it  is  all  encumbered  and  overlaid  with 
things  of  sense.  Make  room  for  God's  word ;  drive  out  of  your  hearts 
the  joys  you  take  in  created  things;  expel  the  imaginations  and 
memories  of  this  world — otherwise  you  cannot  understand  what  God 
means. 

When  one  preaches  a  truth  of  God  today,  and  preaches  the  self -same 
truth  again  tomorrow,  his  hearers  will  receive  it  attentively  and  with 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  481 

joy,  because  it  is  a  property  of  divine  truth,  that  as  fast  as  we  learn 
one  lesson  in  it  God  makes  our  hearts  ready  for  another.  It  is  full  of 
undiscovered  beauty  and  instruction,  all  of  which  we  never  can  per- 
fectly comprehend.  And  this  ever-increasing  power  of  understanding 
God's  word,  is  granted  especially  to  those  who  come  to  hear  it  with 
souls'  detached  from  earthly  things.  As  to  the  others,  much  is  lost 
to  them,  and  much  is  not  rightly  understood.  The  truth  of  God  reaches 
their  ears  and  forms  figures  in  their  fanc}' — not  much  more.  This  is 
on  account  of  the  preoccupation  of  their  souls  by  worldly  thoughts.  If 
these  thoughts,  these  traflSckers,  were  but  driven  out  of  that  temple 
of  God,  it  would  be  transformed  into  a  house  of  prayer,  in  which  God 
would  love  to  dwell.  And  presently  we  shall  discourse  upon  the  prayer 
that  should  be  offered  therein.  Meanwhile,  may  God  grant  us  the 
grace  to  drive  out  all  traffickers,  and  make  our  souls  acceptable  to  Him. 
Amen. 


482  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — A  notahle  hindrance  is  despondency  over  past  sinfulness— 
Another  is  lack  of  sensible  devotion — Yet  another  is  discourage- 
ment over  venial  defects — Frequent  communion  as  a  reparation 
for  the  wickedness  of  the  whole  race  of  man — Our  helps  'are  all 
kinds  of  interior  tendencies  towards  God — Externally,  brotherly 
love  is  second  to  none — Disregard  of  men's  opinion  of  us  is  a  de- 
cided aid — An  exhortation  to  frequent  communion. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  ELEVENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

Two  men  went  up  into  the  temple  to  pray,  the  one  a  Pharisee,  and  the  other  ia 
publican. — Luke  xviii,  10.  » 

Let  us  take  the  temple  here  spoken  of  to  mean  the  soul  of  man  in 
its  very  depths.  There,  indeed,  does  the  Holy  Trinity  love  to  dwell. 
He  loves  to  inspire  the  soul's  activity,  making  it  the  place  of  His  joy, 
the  treasury  of  His  gifts.  For  the  soul  is  made  in  the  image  and  like- 
ness of  the  Triune  God.  Here  then  is  the  temple  into  which  a  man 
must  enter  to  pray.  And  if  he  prays  right  he  does  so  as  two  men ;  one 
the  inward  man  and  the  other  the  outward  man.  What  the  outward 
man  prays  for  is  of  little  or  no  value.  And  let  me  tell  you,  my  dear 
sisters,  that  if  you  would  have  help  to  pray  and  to  make  real  progress 
in  prayer,  there  is  nothing  better  than  the  blessed  body  and  blood  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Receive  this  at  proper  intervals  and  you  will 
find  yourself  renewed,  yes,  newly  born,  in  your  spiritual  life.  That 
privilege  is  yours.  Thank  God  for  it  with  special  fervor,  and  make 
good  use  of  it  in  preference  to  any  other  spiritual  help.  Human  nature 
is  weak  and  much  inclined  to  evil.  We  need  great  assistance  if  we 
shall  be  able  to  withdraw  from  evil;  no  help  can  compare  with  this 
divine  nourishment.  In  the  Lord's  parable,  one  of  the  men  praying  in 
the  temple  was  a  Pharisee.  The  other  was  a  publican ;  that  is  to  say, 
a  notorious  sinner.  He  stood  afar  off,  not  daring  to  lift  his  eyes  to 
heaven,  and  he  said :  "O  God,  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner."    All  went 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  483 

well  with  him  in  this  prayer.  I  only  wish  that  I  could  in  all  reality  do 
as  he  did,  ever  gazing  down  into  my  nothingness ;  that  is  the  best  way 
to  pray,  and  the  most  useful.  Prayer  made  in  that  spirit  leads  a  man 
to  God,  straight  and  without  intermediation,  for  when  God,  appealed 
to  on  the  score  of  His  mercy,  comes  to  the  soul.  He  comes  with  His 
divine  essence.  His  own  very  self. 

But  some  enter  on  prayer  with  the  spirit  of  this  poor  sinner, 
acknowledging  indeed  their  wickedness,  but  in  their  humility  they 
would  fly  from  the  face  of  God  and  from  the  Holy  Sacrament — ^they 
dare  not  receive  Communion.  Not  so,  not  so,  my  dear  sisters.  All 
the  more  eagerly  should  you  go  to  Communion,  so  that  the  strength 
of  your  sins  may  fall  away  from  you,  saying  to  our  Lord:  O  come 
quick,  Lord,  ere  that  my  soul  shall  die  in  its  sins.  Let  me  assure  you, 
that  if  I  should  find  a  man  inspired  with  that  publican's  spirit,  deeply 
and  most  humbly  conscious  of  his  sinful  state,  and  who  would  gladly 
be  good  but  much  overcome  with  this  praiseworthy  fear,  yet  anxious 
still  to  follow  God's  blessed  will  and  renounce  the  love  of  created 
things  with  all  his  might,  I  say  that  to  such  a  one  I  would  give  the 
consolation  of  receiving  our  Lord's  body  and  blood  the  very  next  day ; 
and  the  prudence  of  this  I  am  prepared  to  prove  from  holy  scripture. 
When  we  received  holy  baptism  and  were  dedicated  to  God,  we  received 
full  right  to  Holy  Communion ;  that  right  all  creatures  together  cannot 
strip  us  of — except  our  own  selves  by  refusing  to  be  contrite  for  our 
sins. 

Dear  sisters,  one  need  not  have  great  sensible  devotion  in  order  to 
worthily  receive  Communion,  nor  need  one  have  done  great  outward 
good  works.  It  is  enough  if  one  be  free  from  mortal  sin,  humbly  stand 
in  fear  of  God,  and  confess  his  unworthiness ;  all  this  is  indeed  neces- 
sary and  it  is  at  the  same  time  very  beneficial.  If  one  will  live  free 
from  mortal  sin,  then  there  is  great  need  that  he  be  fed  by  this  divine 
food.  It  elevates  us  high  towards  the  summit  of  the  spiritual  life. 
Instead  of  avoiding  Communion  because  thou  hast  been  sinful,  rather 
shouldst  thou  hasten  to  receive  it,  as  long  as  thou  dost  sorrowfully 
confess  thy  wickedness.  For  from  this  grace  comes  strength,  holiness, 
consolation  and  sweetness.  Of  course  thou  shouldst  not  condemn 
those  who  do  not  go  often  to  Communion,  any  more  than  sit  in  judg- 
ment on  poor  penitent  sinners  who  do  go.  St.  Augustine  says:  ''Con- 
demn no  man  on  any  account  whatsoever,  unless,  indeed,  Holy  Church 


484  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

has  already  condemned  him  for  his  proud  spirit  and  his  open  wicked- 
ness, and  for  being  obstinately  given  up  to  his  sinful  practices."  As 
to  whether  any  one  receives  unworthily,  that  is  not  our  affair;  they 
have  their  superiors  who  will  certainly  attend  to  that.  Condemn  not, 
dear  children,  lest  you  become  like  the  proud  Pharisee,  who  sat  in 
judgment  on  the  poor  sinner  who  stood  below  him  in  the  temple — 
beware  of  that  as  you  would  of  the  eternal  loss  of  your  soul.  Mean- 
time be  not  over  anxious  as  to  whether  or  not  your  past  sins  will  be 
held  against  you;  rather  be  anxious  to  avoid  the  sin  of  judging  your 
neighbor. 

Once  it  happened  that  I  was  with  some  brothers  of  our  order  who 
observed  our  rule  with  special  strictness,  and  I  was  very  desirous  of 
doing  as  they  did.  But  our  Lord  willed  otherwise,  for  my  health  was 
too  feeble  to  allow  me  to  do  so.  This  led  me  to  suppose  that  God  fore- 
saw I  should  have  fallen  into  Pharisaism  if  I  had  been  permitted  these 
austerities ;  I  should  have  been  given  over  to  self  complacency.  Our 
Lord  is  so  faithful  to  us,  that  sometimes  he  allows  a  man  of  God  to  fall 
into  occasional  notable  faults  of  a  venial  nature  his  whole  life  long, 
because  thereby  he  is  constantly  forced  to  enter  into  his  soul  and  learn 
his  own  nothingness  in  all  humility.  Hence  one  should  not  refrain 
from  Communion  on  account  of  such  defects.  Let  him  meekly  exclaim : 
Lord,  I  am  not  worthy  that  thou  shouldst  enter  under  my  roof  or  into 
my  heart;  yet  I  implore  thee  to  enter  there  out  of  regard  for  the  over- 
flowing riches  of  Thy  merits  and  Thy  boundless  mercies.  I  am  in  sore 
need  of  contrition,  charity  and  other  graces,  and  all  these  are  plentiful 
in  Thee,  in  whom  we  find  all  virtue,  all  aspiration  for  good. 

Children,  the  awful  state  of  sin  in  which  God  found  mankind  in  the 
time  of  our  Father  St.  Dominic,  and  which  almost  provoked  Him  to 
once  more  destroy  the  world  in  His  wrath,  seems  to  be  returned  upon 
the  race  in  our  day.  What  will  happen  to  us  we  know  not;  but  we 
must  seek  anxiously  for  some  means  of  obtaining  God's  blessed  mercy. 
And  no  means  is  better  than  for  each  of  us  to  renounce  and  cast  away 
all  created  things,  turn  inwardly  to  God,  and  invite  ourselves  to  our 
Lord  in  the  Sacrament  of  His  body  and  blood.  Dear  sisters,  adopt 
that  holy  method,  observing  due  order,  cultivating  the  right  spirit. 
If  you  detect  yourselves  in  faults,  still  cherish  within  you  a  hearty 
purpose  to  live  according  to  God,  regret  your  defects  sincerely,  avoid 
all  dangerous  occasions. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  485 

In  the  holy  order  of  which  you  and  I  are  members,  and  in  which  God 
calls  us  away  from  a  perilous  world,  we  ought  to  wait  on  Him  and 
Him  alone  with  the  utmost  fidelity  of  heart.  Dear  children,  often 
ponder  your  holy  vocation,  mark  carefully  what  progress  you  are 
making,  and  what  example  of  virtue  you  are  setting  to  others.  All  men 
should  behold  in  your  lives  the  fruit  of  your  Communions,  as  well 
as  the  diligent  observance  of  the  holy  rule.  I  do  not  mean  to  urge 
any  unreasonable  austerity,  as  that  any  aged  and  feeble  sister  should 
fast  and  toil  and  watch  beyond  her  power  of  endurance ;  but  all  things 
to  be  done  with  discretion.  Children,  if  you  are  thus  fervent,  the 
graces  of  Holy  Communion  will  be  inestimably  great  in  you. 

Futhermore,  let  all  your  words  be  sweet,  kind  and  peaceful.  What 
if  hard  words  are  spoken  to  you ;  suflfer  this  meekly  for  the  love  of  God, 
submissive  to  all  men.  To  bitter  words  answer  thou  nothing  but  a  few 
kindly  sentences,  spoken  with  a  cheerful  countenance. 

Look  closely  to  your  interior.  Have  no  joy  in  the  possession  of  any 
thing  whatsoever,  or  in  its  use.  Make  no  effort  to  please  self,  or  to  win 
the  favor  of  others.  Be  attached  neither  to  clothing,  ornaments  nor 
books ;  no,  nor  to  any  particular  companionship.  Whatsoever  is  really 
needful  for  your  wants  God  will  provide  for  you  through  your 
superiors. 

You  ought  to  have  great  love  for  one  another,  should  be  subject  one 
to  another  in  all  affection,  abhoring  overbearing  manners,  or  anything 
that  may  in  the  least  degree  estrange  sisterly  affections,  or  disturb 
interior  peace  of  mind.  Be  zealous  for  good  works  in  the  community, 
exhorting  the  sisters  most  affectionately  and  emulating  one  another. 
Lend  a  hand  and  a  heart  to  help  the  weak  and  aged  sisters,  antici- 
pating and  relieving  their  necessities  in  all  cheerfulness  and  love. 
And  let  this  be  done  not  only  for  members  of  your  own  community, 
but  for  all  other  persons  whom  you  can  induce  to  accept  your  good 
offices.  ''For  if  you  love  them  that  love  you,  what  reward  shall  you 
have?  Do  not  even  the  publicans  this?  And  if  you  salute  your 
brother  only,  what  do  you  more?  Do  not  also  the  heathens  this?" 
(Matt.  v:46,  47). 

But  suppose  that  you  should  be  ridiculed  for  doing  good  deeds,  or 
for  some  devout  practice?  Answer  never  a  word,  make  no  sort  of 
complaint.  Meanwhile,  strictly  observe  your  holy  silence  in  choir  and 
in  all  other  places  in  which  it  is  prescribed.    In  choir,  you  should  assist 


486  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

with  deep  reverence,  for  you  know  that  our  Savior's  blessed  body  is 
really  present  there.  Cast  down  your  eyes  in  holy  adoration  before 
the  face  of  your  eternal  King.  If  a  simple  maiden  stood  in  the  presence 
of  a  great  queen  the  object  of  her  monarch's  special  attention,  would 
she  not  observe  all  proper  decorum?  Thus  shalt  thou  recollect  all  thy 
powers  of  soul  and  body  as  thou  standest  before  thy  divine  Bridegroom, 
one  of  His  chosen  spouses,  for  He  gazes  steadfastly  upon  thee,  looking 
into  the  secret  recesses  of  thy  soul.  O,  dear  sisters,  most  devoutly 
spend  your  time  in  choir,  singing  and  reading  your  holy  office  there 
with  deep  devotion  and  a  recollected  soul.  Nor  need  you  be  disturbed 
in  conscience  if  sometimies  your  attention  wanders,  for  the  law  of  the 
office  is  kept  if  you  pronounce  the  words;  and  meanwhile  be  sure  to 
bring  back  your  wandering  mind  to  your  holy  work  as  soon  as  possible. 
One's  conscience  is  clear  if  one  does  not  wilfully  yield  to  distracting 
thoughts. 

The  gospel  says:  "Wherefore,  by  their  fruits  you  shall  know  them'' 
(Matt,  vii:  20).  And  in  your  case,  it  must  be  by  the  outward  appear- 
ing fruits  of  virtue  that  you  shall  know  yourselves  as  God's  servants, 
and  be  known  by  others.  To  be  equal  to  this  test,  no  one  is  too  feeble 
in  body  or  too  old,  if  they  will  but  cherish  mutual  charity  and  practice 
patience  and  mildness  of  manner.  These  virtues  one  can  have  if  he  be 
bedridden.  But,  again,  you  shall  be  known  by  your  interior  fruits  of 
grace — forfeiting  no  opportunity  to  love  God,  and  totally  disengaged 
from  all  that  is  not  God.  Be  glad  to  pass  your  time  alone  with  God, 
united  to  Him,  passive  under  His  influence.  Ascend  the  tree  of  Christ's 
holy  cross  and  passion,  and  hide  in  His  glorious  wounds — nay,  go  up- 
ward still,  and  be  absorbed  in  the  infinite  Godhead  itself.  This  is  tbe 
way  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  who  leadeth  His  sheep  back  and  forth 
through  rich  pastures.  Thus  in  your  Communions  shall  the  adorable 
Sacrament  give  you  the  fruits  of  a  holy  life,  and  you  shall  make  steady 
progress  in  grace. 

It  may  be  that  some  good  souls  will,  out  of  reverence,  receive  Com- 
munion less  often  than  thou  dost,  and  this  is  also  good;  again  there 
may  be  others  who  do  not  at  all  approve  thy  going  to  Communion  often, 
and  these  will  chide  thee  for  thy  boldness,  or  even  visit  thee  with  pen- 
ances. But  what  then?  I  say  to  thee,  bear  this  infliction  with  all 
meekness.  Hardly  any  good  thing  can  be  done  in  this  life  without 
creating  some  trouble.    It  is  indeed  good  that  thou  shouldst  now  and 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  437 

then  give  up  Communion  in  a  spirit  of  unfeigned  humility;  and  yet 
It  IS  much  better  for  thee  (if  thou  canst)  rather  to  receive  it  in  a  spirit 
of  holy  love.     The  sick  man  needs  the  physician-here  is  One  whose 
very  presence  is  itself  thy  cure.    Humble  fear  thou  must  not  be  with- 
out;  which  means  that  thou  holdst  up  thy  sins  before  thy   soul's 
sorrowful  gaze.    That  is  a  sign  that  this  adorable  Sacrament  has 
worked  its  ends  within  thee.     But  when  the  medicine  has  driven  out 
the  disease,  then  comes  the  time  to  nourish  the  patient  with  good 
food-he  IS  going  to  be  restored  to  health,  and  that  soul  is  sound  and 
well  before  whose  eyes  its  sins  stand  out  plain  and  clear.     Another 
good  sign  IS  the  sincere  longing  to  lead  a  good  life  and  obey  God's 
law;  and  if  one  is  thus  minded-not  in  fickleness  or  presumption, 
but  because  he  has  expelled  all  vice  from  his  soul-then  in  this  case 
also  let  him  in  all  confidence  approach  the  holy  table.    The  more 
fruitful  will  his  Communion  be  in  proportion  to  the  intensity  of  his 
sorrow  for  his  sins. 

It  may  occasionally  happen  that  some  of  our  sisters  may  have  little 
or  no  time  for  thanksgiving  immediately  after  Communion,  being 
called  away  by  community  duty,  or  service  in  the  choir.  Let  them  not 
be  anywise  disturbed  on  that  account-the  Holy  Sacrament  will  none 
the  less  do  its  work  of  grace  in  your  soul  if  you  be  well  prepared. 
Meanwhile  our  Lord  can  wait  for  your  thanksgiving;  give  Him  some 
time  after  dinner,  even  after  vespers  or  compline,  and  that  will  please 
Mim  just  as  well  as  if  done  in  the  morning. 

A  word  about  venial  sins  and  imperfections,  faults  that  we  cannot 
hope  ever  to  be  quite  free  from  in  this  life.  In  case  some  of  these  escape 
your  mind  at  confession,  be  not  disturbed-confess  them  sorowfully 
to  God;  and  even  at  confession,  it  is  enough  that  one  touch  upon  such 
things  in  a  general  way,  rather  than  overtax  one's  father  confessor 
As  far  as  real  obligation  goes,  it  is  only  mortal  sins  that  one  is  bound 
to  tell  in  confession.    Venial  sins  may  be  remitted  by  saying  an  Our 
Father,  or  using  holy  water,  or  by  a  genuflexion,  supposing  always  that 
one  s  heart  is  truly  penitent  for  them.     But  suppose-you  may  ask- 
that  we  have  no  sorrow  for  our  sins?    I  answer:  Canst  thou  not  desire 
to  have  S01.0W?    If  one  is  sorry  that  he  is  not  sorry  for  his  sins,  then  he 
IS  truly  sorry.    He  that  aspires  after  holy  ambition  is  really  ambitious 
to  serve  God.    He  that  loves  to  be  able  to  love  God  already  loves  God 

But  incomparably  the  most  precious  virtue  is  practical,  active  love' of 
C.od.    This  comes  to  our  heart  from  meditating  on  all  the  good  which 


4S8  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

God  has  done  us  and  all  mankind,  and  rendering  sincere  thanks  for  the 
same.  Concentrate  all  thy  powers  upon  thoughts  of  the  good  things 
God  has  done  thee,  whether  in  joy  or  in  sorrow,  throughout  thy  entire 
life.  Place  all  this  over  against  thy  pettiness,  thy  meanness,  thy  total 
unworthiness — and  then  invite  all  men  and  angels  and  all  other  crea- 
tures to  join  with  thee  in  praising  and  thanking  God,  for  thou  shalt 
find  thyself  unequal  to  the  task.  Embrace  in  one  single  view  all  the 
members  of  Holy  Church,  both  living  and  dead,  and  bid  them  all  join 
with  thee  in  this  interior  thank  offering  to  God.  Often  repeat  this 
flight  of  thy  mind  and  heart  to  God,  and  fill  it  with  real  sentiments  of 
love.  Whatsoever  a  man  has  received  from  God,  let  him  retain  no  part 
of  it  for  himself,  but  return  it  wholly  to  the  divine  giver  by  frequent 
and  most  fervent  thanksgiving.  And  put  a  stop  to  all  questionings  and 
all  thy  disputes,  as  to  whether  or  not  this  or  that  interior  feeling  be 
from  God;  fall  back  constantly  upon  thy  poverty  of  soul  and  thy 
essential  nothingness.  Leave  God's  part  to  God,  and  as  to  thyself, 
consider  thy  origin,  and  imitate  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  His  constant 
elevation  of  His  soul  to  His  father.  The  man  who  follows  Christ  best 
is  the  best  man. 

What  if  one's  attention  be  sometimes  relaxed;  what  if  one's  soul  be 
now  and  then  preoccupied  with  creatures ;  bow  down  humbly  and  beg 
God's  pardon ;  then  lift  thy  soul  again  to  the  heavenly  Father.  Do 
this  and  do  all  else  in  union  with  and  in  thoughts  about  the  life  and 
passion  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Thus  it  will  be  best  done  in  God's 
sight.  Call  to  mind  the  feeling  of  the  woman  in  the  gospel :  "If  I  shall 
touch  only  His  garment  I  shall  be  healed"  (Matt.  ix:21).  And  she 
touched  the  hem  of  His  garment  and  was  healed.  Now  we  may  con- 
sider His  garment  to  mean  His  Holy  Communion,  and  the  hem  of  it 
any  drop  of  His  precious  blood.  Thou  mayst  think  thyself  so  vile  as 
to  be  unworthy  to  touch  Him,  but  if  thou  shalt  only  have  the  courage 
to  do  so,  without  doubt  thou  shalt  be  healed  of  thy  spiritual  infirmity — 
and  this  touching  of  Him  means  approaching  Holy  Communion.  But 
as  to  thy  preparation,  what  is  before  all  else  most  useful  is  falling  back 
liumbly  on  thy  own  nothingness. 

If  one  has  attained  even  to  the  very  highest  point  of  perfection,  then, 
even  then  has  he  the  very  greatest  need  to  sink  the  roots  of  humility 
deep  down  in  the  depths  of  his  soul.  The  higher  the  tree,  the  deeper 
must  be  the  roots.    All  the  height  of  our  perfection  springs  from  the 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  489 

depth  of  our  humility.  Hence  we  see  that  when  that  notorious  sinner, 
the  publican,  was  so  deeply  humbled  that  he  dared  not  so  much  as  raise 
his  eyes  to  heaven,  then  it  was  that  he  was  raised  up  high  in  God's 
favor,  and  went  home  to  his  house  justified.  May  we  be  humbled  in 
like  manner  as  was  this  scandalous  but  penitent  sinner— truly  hum- 
bled, and  thereby  fully  restored  to  God's  favor.  May  this  be  merci- 
fully granted  us  by  God  the  Father,  and  God  the  Son,  and  God  the 
Holy  Ghost.    Amen, 


4:90  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis— The  sanctification  of  the  saints  of  the  old  law  was  wholly 
hy  patience  and  hope — An  insistence  on  the  need  of  suffering,  and, 
therefore,  of  patience,  to  live  and  die  well — Sneering  God's  judg- 
ment meekly  is  the  highest  form  of  patience — Fatuity  of  seeking 
human  comfort  amid  divine  inflictions — Endurance  of  God's  de- 
lays is  a  nohle  virtue. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  THE  TWELFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER 

TRINITY. 

For  the  letter  killeth,  but  the   spirit  quickeneth.— II  Cor.  ill.  6. 

Among  God's  friends  there  are  two  kinds  of  people,  who  may  be 
compared  respectively  to  the  old  and  new  testaments.  You  know  that 
until  Christ  came  men  obeyed  the  old  law  with  its  ceremonies  and 
customs,  and  by  these  they  were  made  pleasing  to  God;  after  Christ 
we  are  to  be  saved  by  the  new  law  and  its  usages.  The  old  testament 
was  introductory  to  the  new,  and  was  its  image,  preparing  men's 
souls — if  they  but  rightly  viewed  it —  for  the  new  dispensation,  as 
every  such  thing  must  be  announced  beforehand  and  men  made  ready 
for  its  reception.  The  old  testament  imposed  many  heavy  burdens, 
severe  penalties  for  sin,  and  gave  very  stern  manifestations  of  God's 
righteousness,  together  with  only  a  dim  and  distant  view  of  redemp- 
tion. The  gates  of  heaven  were  shut  for  five  thousand  years,  during 
which  men,  with  all  their  painful  good  works,  could  not  enter  into 
eternal  life.  Their  waiting  was  tedious  enough,  ere  the  new  testament 
was  vouchsafed  them,  with  peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  now 
my  lesson  to  you  is  this:  Some  such  preparation  must  each  one  of  us 
make  if  he  would  in  all  security  attain  to  the  privileges  of  God's  new 
dispensation;  one  must  first  be  practiced  in  the  trials  of  the  ancient 
covenant.  A  man  must  bear  a  heavy  load  of  sorrow ;  he  must  humbly 
bow  down  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God ;  he  must  endure  pains  from 
without  and  pains  within;  he  must  suffer  all  kinds  of  hardships, 
whether  he  be  innocent  or  guilty. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  492 

Children,  the  case  is  quite  different  from  what  I  fear  you  suppose— 
stand  fast  by  God's  teaching,  if  you  would  act  prudently,  and  if,  as  I 
trust,  you  have  received  the  grace  of  God.    If  you  wouM  come  to  the 
new  testament,  you  must  endure  the  old.    Mistrust  in  all  lowliness  of 
heart  any  consolation  that  is  offered  you,  inwardly  or  outwardly,  for 
by  the  way  of  pleasure  no  man  can  come  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
He  must  enter  there  by  the  way  of  bitter  pain  and  much  tribulation— 
turn  him  which  way  he  pleases,  so  it  must  be.    Before  thou  enjoyest 
the  holy  sacraments,  divine  illuminations,  sweet  sentiments  of  devo- 
tion, to  say  nothing  of  human  comfort,  bow  down  the  old  man  that  is 
in  thee  beneath  the  toilsome  yoke  of  God's  ancient  covenant,  with  its 
burdens  and  humiliations  and  self-renunciation.    And  rememeber  that 
in  very  truth  His  yoke  is  sweet  and  His  burden  is  light.    Dear  children, 
I  exhort  you  by  the  servitude  of  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
that  you  keep  that  token  of  His  suffering  before  your  eyes,  ever  carry- 
ing it  manfully  forward,  enshrining  it  in  your  souls,  glad  of  its  heavy 
weight,   embracing   it   with   total   abandonment   of  all   things   else, 
according  as  God  wills  and  has  willed  for  you  from  all  eternity— this 
I  exhort  you  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart.    May  God  lend  you  cour- 
age  in   all   your   future   pains,   desolations,   disgrace,    and    calumny. 
Thus  shall  you  have  the  old  Adam  conquered  within  you  under  the 
ancient  covenant,  till  Jesus  Christ  shall  be  born  in  your  souls  in  His 
new  dispensation  of  peace  and  joy.    The  patriarchs  must  wait  thou- 
sands of  years,  sighing  and  yearning;  but  in  very  truth,  children,  if  you 
will  but  have  their  spirit  of  patient  self-renunciation,  your  time  of 
waiting  shall  not  be  a  single  year  long.     If  you  had  a  quartan  fever 
for  a  year  or  for  two  years,  you  must  perforce  endure  it  to  the  end ; 
and  so  must  you  endure  your  suffering  in  preparation  for  Christ's 
coming. 

Another  trial  under  the  old  dispensation  were  the  judgments  God 
visited  upon  His  people;  and  this  represents  our  interior  pains,  our 
suffering  from  the  gnawing  of  remorse.  Some  men  strive  to  escape  this 
by  multiplying  their  confessions,  little  realizing  that  a  thousand  con- 
fessions of  mortal  sins  are  of  no  avail  for  solacing  the  pain  of  remorse, 
unless  they  be  accompanied  by  proper  works  of  penance.  Confession 
being  thus  made,  we  can  in  all  humility  accept  the  feeling  of  remorse 
that  still  lingers,  full  sure  of  God's  pardon. 

Others,  again,  would  still  their  reproaches  of  conscience  by  asking 
many  questions  of  learned  men,  hoping  thereby  for  some  new  comfort 


492  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

to  their  souls.  Spare  yourselves  the  trouble;  run  here  and  run  there 
your  whole  life  long,  it  is  all  in  vain.  Your  solace  must  come  from 
within  or  not  at  all.    Await  it  patiently  in  thy  interior  soul.    I  could 

tell  you,  dear  children,  of  the  holiest  man  in  all  inward  and  outward 
virtue  that  I  ever  saw ;  and  he  was  a  man  who  never  heard  more  than 

four  or  five  sermons  all  his  life.  But  the  sermon  that  was  preached 
to  him  by  the  voice  of  conscience,  that  he  marked  well,  and  it  was 
enough  to  guide  him  how  to  live  and  how  to  die. 

As  to  the  common  run  of  people,  let  them  go  here  and  there  and 
listen  to  all  sorts  of  preaching,  lest  they  should  fall  into  unbelief ;  but 
as  to  you  who  aspire  to  be  perfect  in  God's  service,  hear  good  preach- 
ing indeed,  but  turn  yourseves  inward  to  God ;  for  if  you  would  acquire 
true  spirituality  you  must  give  up  running  about  and  you  must  stay 
at  home  in  your  own  souls;  many  words  make  no  man  perfect.  Love 
God  from  the  depths  of  your  heart  and  your  neighbor  as  yourself,  and 
all  the  rest  will  take  care  of  itself.  What  you  see  of  good  in  others 
let  it  be  good  in  your  eyes ;  what  you  see  bad,  judge  it  not  nor  question 
about  it.  Long  to  possess  God  with  your  whole  heart,  as  did  the 
fathers  under  the  old  law ;  seek  what  in  very  truth  you  ought  to  seek ; 
as  to  the  rest,  leave  it  all  to  God's  blessed  will. 

The  third  characteristic  of  the  old  dispensation  was  a  dim  hope 
towards  a  distant  redemption ;  for  the  gates  of  heaven  were  fast  shut, 
and  no  prophet  could  exactly  tell  when  redemption  would  come.  And 
so  must  we  resign  ourselves  humbly  to  await  God's  time  and  place  in 
perfect  humility,  for  such  is  God's  will  with  each  of  us;  and  He  will 
come  and  be  born  in  us  in  a  perfect  life  at  last  and  without  fail.  But 
when?  Leave  that  to  Him.  Some  would  arrive  at  perfection  in  their 
youth;  some  fix  their  old  age  as  the  time;  some  even  at  the  point  of 
death.  Leave  all  that  to  His  adorable  will,  only  be  true  to  Him  from 
day  to  day.  And  to  thus  submit  to  Him,  thou  needest  no  special  kind 
of  spiritual  exercise.  Learn  the  commandments  of  God  and  keep  them ; 
learn  the  articles  of  the  Christian  faith  and  believe  them;  all  that 
remains  is  that  thou  shouldst  place  thyself  at  God's  disposal  in  all 
things  whatsoever.  Do  these  simple  things,  and  there  is  no  manner  of 
doubt  but  that  Christ  will  be  born  in  thee  in  due  time  to  a  perfect  new 
testament  of  peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  Thou  shalt  be  granted 
the  grace  of  an  angel's  life  of  gentleness  and  wisdom.  That  is  indeed 
a  splendid  gift;  and  yet  a  better  one  is  the  life  more  than  angelic 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  493 

which  the  Spirit  will  work  within  thee,  quite  surpassing  human  under- 
standing. But  by  this  way  of  patient  endurance  must  it  come  to  thee 
and  none  other.  One  may  dream  that  he  understands  all  this  plainly, 
and  then  starts  with  self-formed  plans  of  devotion  to  achieve  this 
result,  and  such  a  man  surely  fails.  He  can  only  succeed  by  treading 
the  plain  way  of  mortification ;  succeed  he  surely  will  by  that  way. 

In  the  old  law  the  Levites  carried  the  ark  of  God;  but  in  the  new 
law,  as  we  have  described  it,  the  ark  of  God  carries  the  Levites;  that 
is  to  say,  our  souls.  Whosoever  will  not  submit  humbly  in  this  life  to 
God's  judgments,  that  man  without  doubt  will  fall  under  God's  judg- 
ments in  eternity.  Try  what  expedient  thou  mayst,  thou  must  give 
thyself  up  to  suffering  under  God.  Do  that,  and  then  God  carries  thee 
forward  through  all  thy  pain  and  trouble;  God  it  is  who,  as  it  were, 
bends  His  shoulders  under  thy  burden  with  thee,  and  helps  thee  to 
bear  it.  Meanwhile,  to  those  who  are  submissive  to  God,  no  burden  is 
unbearable,  no  misery  intolerable.  Alas  for  us  if  we  would  do  other- 
wise, and  would  go  forward  alone  in  our  weakness  bearing  our  heavy 
load.  In  that  case  sufiFer  we  must,  labor  we  must,  but  all  without  God. 
Now  may  God  grant  us  the  grace  to  carry  our  burden  manfully  and 
with  Him.    Amen. 


494  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Sptrttual  HtnfntBB 

Synopsis — In  what  degree  Satan  is  responsible  for  our  dullness  of 
spirit — The  unresponsiveness  to  God  that  afflicts  worldlings;  and 
even  hurts  spiritual  persons — St.  Gregory's  remarkatle  teaching 
on  this  point — Thanksgiving  is  a  sign  of  attentiveness  to  divine 
(falls — God's  inward  word  in  relation  to  the  Seven  Gifts  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  TWELFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER 

TRINITY. 

And  they  bring  to  Him  one  deaf  and  dumb ;  and  they  besought  Him  that  He 
would  lay  His  hand  upon  him.  And  taking  him  from  the  multitude  apart,  He 
put  His  fingers  into  his  ears,  and  spitting,  He  touched  his  tongue.  And  looking 
up  to  heaven,  He  groaned,  and  said  to  him :  Ephpheta,  which  is.  Be  thou 
opened.  And  immediately  his  ears  were  opened,  and  the  string  of  his  tongue 
was  loosed,  and  he  spoke  right.  .  .  .  He  hath  done  all  things  well ;  He  hath 
made  both  the  deaf  to  hear,  and  the  dumb  to  speak. — Mark  viii,  32. 

We  are  to  inquire  to-day  into  man's  spiritual  deafness.  Since  our 
first  parents  lent  a  willing  ear  to  the  voice  of  Satan,  we  are  all  deaf  to 
the  voice  of  the  eternal  Word  of  God  within  our  souls.  And  yet  we 
know  full  well  that  this  divine  Word  is  indescribably  close  to  our 
souls,  closer  than  our  own  thoughts,  or  our  very  nature  to  our  con- 
scious existence.  Within  our  inmost  souls  dwells  that  divine  Word, 
and  He  addresses  us  without  ceasing.  Man  hears  Him  not,  for  he  is 
afflicted  with  great  deafness.  Nor  is  this  a  blameless  state  of  deafness, 
for  we  are  like  one  to  whom  something  is  spoken,  and  who  stops  his  ears 
lest  he  shall  hear  what  it  is.  We  are  worse ;  we  have  done  this  so  much 
that  at  last  we  have  lost  knowledge  of  ourselves,  and  are  become  dumb, 
that  is  to  say,  wholly  stupid.  Ask  a  worldly  man  about  his  interior 
life,  and  he  is  dumb — he  knows  not  if  there  be  any  such  a  life.  And 
the  cause  of  it  is  that  the  enemy  has  crept  into  that  soul,  which  haa 
hearkened  to  him,  and  thus  has  become  deaf  and  dumb. 

Now  how  does  Satan  insinuate  himself  into  the  soul?  Thou  shalt 
detect  him  in  all  blameworthy  conduct ;  his  guidance  is  in  all  the  deceit 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  495 

of  this  world,  all  inordinate  love  of  created  things,  such  as  honors  and 
riches,  relatives  and  friends,  and  also  self  love  in  all  its  forms.  Under 
cover  of  any  of  these  does  he  insinuate  himself  into  thy  soul,  for  he  is 
ever  on  the  watch  to  take  advantage  of  thy  inclination  to  evil.  Some- 
times he  urges  thee  to  shun  a  certain  pain  that  thou  shouldst  manfully 
bear;  again,  to  seek  forbidden  joys,  whispering  inwardly  in  thy  ear, 
showing  pictures  before  the  eyes  of  thy  soul,  all  that  thou  mayst  shut 
eyes  and  ears  and  soul  to  the  eternal  Word.  If  we  but  instantly  turn 
away  from  the  enemy's  allurements,  his  temptations  are  easily  over- 
come. If,  on  the  contrary,  one  dallies  with  the  tempter,  gazes  upon 
his  pictures,  listens  to  his  suggestions,  then  is  he  nigh  to  destruction; 
the  temptation  is  grown  very  heavy.  Eesist  instantly,  turn  from  him 
instantly,  and  thou  art  close  to  a  victory.  Soon  thy  deafness  shall  be 
cured,  and  thou  shalt  hear  the  inner  voice  of  the  eternal  Word. 

This  deafness  afflicts  not  only  people  living  in  the  world  but  also 
those  called  to  a  spiritual  life,  but  who  permit  their  souls  to  be  occu- 
pied by  love  and  enjoyment  of  created  things.    This  is  well  known  to 
the  devil,  who  tells  them  things  calculated  to  gratify  their  inclinations. 
Some  are  made  deaf  by  their  infatuation  for  their  self-chosen  devotional 
customs  and  outward  observances,  which  link  them  strongly  to  crea- 
tures in  a  spirit  of  proprietorship.    The  clatter  of  all  this  hinders  the 
soul  from  hearing  the  inner  voice  of  the  eternal  Word.    We  know  well, 
of  course,  that  we  must  have  approved  spiritual  exercises  and  follow 
them  earnestly;  and  yet  without  a  feeling  of  proprietorship.    Such  are 
devout  prayers  to  God  as  well  as  holy  meditation,  by  means  of  which 
our  sluggish  nature  is  aroused;  we  are  heartened  to  our  work,  and  we 
are  drawn  inward  to  the  Spirit;  but  never  with  an  obstinate  sense  of 
ownership,  and  always  looking  inward  to  God  in  the  depths  of  our 
souls.     We  should  not  imitate  some  men,  who  persist  to  their  very 
deaths  in  certain  external  pious  practices  and  use  them  in  a  wholly 
externized  spirit,  never  seeking  to  go  beyond  this.     If  God  wishes  to 
speak  to  them,  the  ears  of  their  souls  are  always  preoccupied  by  other 
voices.    Children,  there  are  so  many  cases  of  this  sort  of  spiritual  deaf- 
ness, that  at  the  end  of  all  things  we  shall  be  amazed  at  the  revelation 
of  it. 

Now  God's  word  is  never  spoken  in  any  man's  ears  of  whom  it  may 
not  be  said  "If  any  one  love  Me,  he  will  keep  My  word"  (John  xiv:  23). 
St.  Gregory  explains  this:  "Wouldst  thou  know  if  thou  lovest  God? 


496  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Take  note  of  thy  conduct  when  thou  art  tried.  What  dost  thou  do 
when  pain  comes  on  thee,  or  contradiction,  or  any  other  distress  from 
round  about  thee?  And  how  dost  thou  bear  thyself  in  time  of  interior 
distress,  when  thy  mental  anguish  is  so  sharp  that  thou  knowest 
not  whither  to  turn  for  relief?  What  is  thy  bearing  in  sudden  storma 
of  adversity;  when  beset  with  difficulties  all  unforeseen?  If  thou 
shalt  rest  quiet  in  these  visitations,  thy  soul  resting  in  peace,  without 
any  outburst  of  impatience,  with  no  fault  of  word  or  act  or  even 
motion,  then  without  doubt  thou  lovest  God  truly."  On  the  heart  that 
truly  loves,  neither  outward  pain  nor  pleasure  can  make  any  impres- 
sion. One  may  give  to  thee,  one  may  take  from  thee,  if  only  thy 
Beloved  abide  with  thee,  it  is  all  one  to  thee,  and  thou  restest  in 
interior  peace.  Thy  outward  man  weeps — that  thou  canst  not  help; 
the  inner  man  rests  content  with  God's  holy  will.  But  if,  alas,  thou 
canst  not  stand  this  test,  then  art  thou  deaf — the  divine  Word  will  not 
be  heard  by  thee. 

Another  test :  art  thou  full  of  thanksgiving  to  God  for  the  manifold 
favors  He  has  conferred  on  thee,  and  on  all  mankind,  and  on  all  crea- 
tures in  earth  and  heaven  and  never  ceases  to  confer?  And  art  thou 
especially  thankful  for  the  unspeakable  gift  of  His  Son's  holy  human- 
ity? Again,  thy  universal  spiritual  exercise  should  be  sincere  love 
of  all  mankind,  not  only  the  members  of  thy  own  community,  but  all 
priests  and  monks  and  nuns  and  sisters,  and  all  humanity  besides, 
of  whatever  state  or  condition ;  and  this  love  should  be  active,  and  by 
no  means  confined  in  practice  to  thy  own  community,  as  far  as  lies  in 
thy  power.  This  universal  love  is  of  inestimable  benefit;  for  whoso- 
ever are  real  enlightened  friends  of  God,  their  hearts  are  melted  with 
affection  for  all  men  living  and  dead.  Had  we  no  such  lovers  of  man- 
kind among  us,  our  lot  would  be  evil  indeed.  Futhermore,  thou 
shouldst  also  show  thy  love  by  outward  works,  by  making  gifts,  by 
speaking  words  of  comfort  and  counsel,  in  so  far  as  thy  own  real  neces- 
sities will  permit.  And  if  thou  art  unable  to  give  outward  help,  at 
least  excite  thy  heart  to  say  in  all  truth,  that  thou  wouldst  do  so  if  it 
were  within  thy  power.  Here  then  are  thy  plain  signs  for  true  love, 
and  they  will  show  that  thy  heart  is  not  deaf. 

And  now  comes  our  Lord  to  a  man  deaf  and  dumb,  and  He  spirit- 
ually putteth  His  finger  in  his  ears,  and  anoints  his  tongue  with  His 
holy  spittal,  and  immediately  the  man's  soul  can  hear  and  can  speak. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  497 

O  children,  wonderful  words  might  be  said  of  this  act  of  our  Lord ;  we 
content  ourselves  with  naming  the  seven  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
thus  enter  the  soul  and  are  granted  when  it  hearkens  to  God  in  very 
truth. 

First  is  the  spirit  of  fear,  which  is  given  us  that  we  may  renounce 
all  self-will,  all  self-conceit.  It  teaches  us  to  fly  from  every  evil  thing. 
After  that  is  granted  the  gift  of  piety,  making  us  tender-hearted,  hin- 
dering all  rash  judgment,  rendering  us  yielding  and  kindly  towards 
all.  The  third  touch  of  the  Lord's  finger  is  the  gift  of  knowledge,  giving 
us  an  interior  lesson  of  divine  experience,  and  guiding  us  to  know  the 
inner  ways  of  union  with  God's  holy  will.  The  fourth  is  divine  forti- 
tude, by  which  the  soul  is  so  strengthened  as  to  be  able  easily  to  suffer 
all  pain  for  God's  sake,  and  courageously  to  undertake  all  heavy 
tasks  in  His  honor.  The  fifth  is  holy  counsel,  making  all  who  receive 
it  lovable  men,  and  acceptable  guides  to  others.  And  now  come  two 
touches  of  the  divine  finger  that  are  deep  and  strong,  namely,  under- 
standing and  wisdom;  but  as  to  these,  one  can  more  easily  feel  the 
worth  of  them  than  he  can  describe  them.  May  God  grant  that  our 
ears  may  thus  be  opened  to  His  truth,  and  that  we  may  ever  hearken 
to  His  eternal  Word.     Amen. 


498  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — The  double  vision  of  man,  outward  for  created  things,  in- 
ward for  divine  things — How  self-will  blinds  the  soul — Differences 
between  seeing  and  understanding;  especially  when  considering 
God  in  the  incarnation  of  His  Son — How  one's  meditation  on  even 
Christ's  passion  may  lack  true  insight. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  THE  THIRTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER 

TRINITY. 

Blessed  are  the  eyes  that  see  the  things  that  you  see. — Luke  x,  23-37. 

On  one  occasion  our  Lord,  gazing  upon  his  disciples,  said :  "I  confess 
to  Tliee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  because  Thou  hast  hid 
these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed  them  to 
little  ones"  (Matt,  xi:  25).  This  is  appropriate  to  our  text,  which  was 
addressed  to  those  same  disciples :  '"Blessed  are  the  eyes  that  see  the 
things  that  you  see.  For  I  say  to  you  that  many  prophets  and  kings 
have  desired  to  see  the  things  that  you  see,  and  have  not  seen  them; 
and  to  hear  the  things  that  you  hear,  and  have  not  heard  them." 
Then  the  holy  narrative  proceeds:  "And  behold  a  certain  lawyer  stood 
up,  tempting  Him,  and  saying:  Master,  what  must  I  do  to  possess 
eternal  life?  But  He  said  to  him :  What  is  written  in  the  law?  How 
readest  thou?  He,  answering,  said:  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  thy  whole  heart,  and  with  thy  whole  soul,  and  with  all  thy 
strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind:  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  And 
He  said  to  him :  Thou  hast  answered  right.  This  do,  and  thou  shalt 
live." 

Now  let  us  consider  our  text:  "Blessed  are  the  eyes  that  see  the 
things  that  you  see."  A  man  has  two  sets  of  eyes,  interior  and  exterior. 
It  were  a  hard  lot  if  a  man  had  no  interior  eyes;  he  would  be  like  a 
l)east  had  he  only  exterior  eyes.  And  let  me  ask,  dear  children,  how 
does  it  happen  that  the  blessed  interior  eyes  of  a  man,  namely,  his 
glorious  reason,  are  blinded,  are  in  a  state  of  pitiful  darkness,  seeing 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 4Q9 

no  light?  This  comes  from  the  thick  covering  that  is  drawn  over 
them,  namely,  the  love  of  created  things,  whether  love  of  self  or  of 
other  creatures.  In  this  state  men  receive  our  Lord's  sacred  body 
and  blood,  and  the  oftener  they  do  so  the  blinder  they  become.  It  is 
as  if  a  thick  skin  had  gone  over  their  eyes.  Children,  what  do  you 
think  can  be  the  reason  that  so  many  men  cannot  enter  in  and 
examine  the  inner  life  of  their  own  souls?  It  is  because  a  veil  is 
drawn  over  their  interior  eyes  as  thick  as  an  ox's  horn.  Men  shut 
their  souls  up  so  close  that  they  keep  both  God  and  themselves 
entirely  outside— they  shut  their  spirits  up  with  thick,  coarse,  black 
hides,  as  heavy  as  the  skin  of  a  bear  were  it  even  forty  or  fifty  folds 
in  thickness.  And  what  do  I  mean  by  these  hides?  Everything  to 
which  thou  devotest  thy  will ;  all  that  thou  givest  thy  love  to,  whether 
thou  doest  it  by  words  or  works,  by  favor  or  disfavor,  arrogance, 
obstinacy  or  frivolity;  in  a  word,  pleasure  in  anything  whatsoever 
without  God. 

These  are  the  dark  blinds  over  the  eyes  of  men's  souls.  But  the 
moment  a  man  feels  pained  at  this  lamentable  state,  and  humbly 
confesses  it  to  God,  determined  to  do  his  best  to  remedy  it,  presently 
God  guides  him  to  good  counsel,  and  the  obstacles  to  spiritual  sight 
fall  off.  But  with  some  men  no  counsel  avails,  and  then  their  darkness 
grows  yet  more  dense.  They  will  not  forsake  their  idols,  but,  like 
Rachel,  they  hide  them  away  and  «it  upon  them.  Their  minds  are 
filled  with  the  forms  of  the  created  things  they  love;  these  blind 
their  eyes;  the  voices  of  the  world  deafen  their  ears.  And  when 
reason  is  thus  deaf  and  blind,  it  cannot  be  saved. 

"Blessed  are  the  eyes  that  see  the  things  that  you  see."  Any  man 
in  his  senses  can  see  that  the  creatures  that  possess  our  hearts  are 
in  themselves  merely  nothing,  and  yet  they  are  capable  of  giving  us 
joy  of  a  certain  kind.  But  why  cannot  we  understand  the  joy  that 
God  will  give  us,  since  it  is  from  God  that  created  things  have  all 
come  forth?  The  knowledge  and  appreciation  of  this  would  make  our 
eyes  blessed,  if  we  would  but  see  it,  for  we  in  our  day  see  more  than 
our  Lord's  disciples  at  that  moment  were  able  to  see.  They  saw 
their  Master  indeed;  but  He  was  then  a  poor,  rejected  and  much 
suffering  man,  whereas  we  know  Him  now,  in  the  light  of  holy  faith, 
as  a  majestic  being,  God  and  Lord  of  earth  and  heaven.  Could  we 
but  duly  appreciate  what  our  eyes  thus  behold,  eternally  blessed 
would  those  eyes  be. 


500  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Dear  children,  the  great  masters  dispute  with  one  another  as  to 
which  is  greater,  knowledge  or  love.  But  as  to  us,  we  shall  rather 
choose  for  our  discussion  matters  of  eternal  life: — when  we  come  to 
that,  we  shall  behold  all  things  in  very  truth.  Our  Lord  says :  "But 
one  thing  is  necessary"  (Luke  x:  42).  And  what  is  that  one  thing 
necessary?  It  is  that  thou  shouldst  know  thy  own  nothingness; 
recognize  this  as  thy  only  real  self;  fully  understand  as  thou  dost 
depend  on  thyself  who  thou  art.  For  that  one  thing  necessary  has  our 
Lord  suffered  such  agony  of  soul  that  He  sweat  blood.  It  was  because 
thou  wouldst  not  learn  this  one  thing,  that  he  cried  out  on  the  cross: 
"My  God,  My  God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  Me?"  (Mark  xv:  34). 
Why  should  the  one  thing  necessary  for  our  salvation  be  given  up 
by  us?  Dear  child,  I  bid  thee  to  dismiss  from  thy  mind  all  that  I 
and  all  other  instructors  have  taught  thee,  all  work  and  all  contem- 
plation, and  study  henceforth  only  this  one  thing  necessary — to  know 
thy  own  nothingness.  For  our  Lord  said:  ''Mary  hath  chosen  the 
better  part"  (Luke  x:  42).  In  very  truth,  didst  thou  but  gain  only 
this  part,  thou  shouldst  have,  not  a  part,  but  the  whole  of  heavenly 
wisdom.  This  sense  of  our  nothingness  is  not  what  some  men  conceit 
themselves  to  know  and  teach.  They  feign  a  deep  humility  as  thej 
speak  of  it,  but  in  their  soul's  inmost  depths  they  cherish  a  notion 
of  themselves  as  high  as  the  steeple  of  the  Cathedral.  They  would  be 
great  before  men's  eyes,  and  they  deceive  men,  and  most  of  all  them- 
selves, by  a  pretense  of  humility.  Dear  child,  if  thou  findest  thyself 
clinging  fast  to  some  devout  practice,  meanwhile  unmindful  of  thy 
nothingness,  then  I  say  to  thee  it  were  better  to  give  over  this  busy 
method  of  thine,  and  turn  inward  to  the  thoughts  of  thy  helpless 
nothingness. 

But  let  us  now  consider  the  outward  man.  Ask  thyself :  What  art 
thou,  and  whence  art  thou?  Thy  bodily  substance  is  made  up  of  such 
foul  matter,  that  it  is  offensive  to  thy  very  self  as  well  as  to  all  others. 
And  what  shall  thy  body  become?  A  sack  of  un cleanliness,  emiting 
a  most  intolerable  stench,  turning  the  costliest  food  into  the  worst 
filth.  Yet  this  fuel  for  the  everlasting  fire  of  hell,  is  what  many  a  one 
devotes  his  whole  life  to  pampering.  A  dead  corpse?  It  is  an  unbear- 
able horror  to  the  very  ones  who  once  loved  it  best  —  it  is  more 
disgusting  than  a  dead  dog.  It  would  seem  as  if  God  had  set 
everything  against  the  comfort  of  oup  bodily  life,  the  air  and  the  sun 
and  all  the  elements.    Now  we  are  freezing  with  cold,  again  scorched 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  501 

with  heat;  now  it  pours  down  rain,  again  we  are  smothered  with 
snow ;  there  is  hunger  and  thirst,  there  are  pleasures  and  pains ;  beasts 
and  insects  and  worms  assail  and  molest  us,  and  many  other  such 
plagues;   and  it  is  impossible  for  thee  to  escape  them. 

Look  at  the  wild  animals,  how  happily  they  are  placed  compared 
to  thee.  Their  garments  grow  upon  them  naturally,  and  they  arc 
always  comfortable  whether  it  be  cold  or  hot.  As  for  thee,  it  is  from 
them  that  thou  must  borrow  thy  clothing;  thus  art  thou  poorer  than 
they.  All  thy  pleasure  depends  on  their  gifts  to  thee,  and  yet  thou 
art  proud!  Is  not  this  an  unspeakable  blindness  of  heart?  The  cattle 
are  quite  content  with  what  God  gives  them  of  clothing,  beds,  shelter, 
food  and,  drink.  And  now  consider  thy  marvellous  misery,  that  thou 
sinnest  not  seldom  by  excessive  enjoyment  of  these  things  that  the 
cattle  furnish  thee.  In  former  times  the  saints  wept  because  they 
were  compelled  to  eat;   and  they  laughed  when  they  had  to  die. 

Yet  further  consider  thy  nothingness  in  the  miseries  of  thy  nature. 
Dost  thou  gladly  pray,  and  watch,  and  fast,  and  weep?  By  no  means 
canst  thou  do  it.  What  thou  wouldst  wish  to  do,  that  thou  doest  not; 
and  what  thou  wishest  not  to  do,  that  thou  nevertheless  must  do. 
What  miseries  are  thine  from  thy  many  amazing  temptations;  and 
what  sms  does  not  God  threaten  to  allow  thee  to  commit.  Dost  thou 
never  think  of  this?  O  that  thou  didst  but  learn  the  lesson  of  this 
thy  nothingness,  the  one  thing  necessary  to  know.  To  be  sure,  the 
fact  that  God  thus  leaves  thee  in  peril  of  sin  is  only  for  thy  best  good, 
so  that  thou  shouldst  take  counsel  of  thy  nothingness — better  for  thee, 
perhaps,  than  if  thou  shouldst  stand  high,  and  wert  lifted  up  among 
great  things. 

Men  will  come  to  thee  with  overbearing  manners  and  hard  words, 
telling  thee  high-sounding  and  subtle  things  of  the  intellect,  as  if  they 
thought  they  were  Christ's  apostles.  Dear  child,  get  away  from  them 
and  sink  into  thy  inmost  soul,  into  thy  nothingness,  and  let  these 
men  talk  on  like  the  ringing  of  the  bells  in  a  church  steeple.  Nay, 
if  all  the  devils  in  hell  were  turned  loose  upon  thee,  and  all  other 
creatures  with  them— it  will  all  help  thee  wonderfully,  if  thou  wilt 
but  turn  inward  to  the  study  of  thy  nothingness:  that  is  "the  best 
part." 

But  thou  mightst  say  to  me :  Brother,  I  meditate  all  day  long  on 
Christ's  passion.  His  sufferings  in  Pilate's  hall  and  before  Herod,— 


502  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

and  all  the  rest.  Dear  child,  let  me  instruct  thee.  Thou  must  see 
in  thy  Savior  not  only  His  humanity;  thou  must  look  upon  Him  as 
the  infinite  God,  who  made  heaven  and  earth  and  all  things  by  His 
word  only,  and  by  the  same  word  could  annihilate  them — God  whose 
greatness  is  above  all  knowledge:  and  who  yet  became  as  nothing 
for  the  sake  of  His  miserable  creatures.  Then  shame  thyself,  thou 
poor  mortal  man,  that  thou  hast  given  thyself  up  to  pride  and  vanity. 
Bow  down  beneath  the  cross  of  the  God-man.  Bend  thy  proud  head 
and  ask  for  Christ's  crown  of  thorns,  and  take  up  thy  journey  to 
Calvary.  Do  this  in  all  manner  of  ways  interior  and  exterior, 
cultivating  constantly  a  sense  of  thy  littleness.  Since  thy  great  God 
has  for  thy  sake  annihilated  Himself  so  far  as  to  be  judged  and 
condemned  by  His  own  creatures,  crucified  and  put  to  death,  so  must 
thou  most  patiently  sufifer  thy  little  pains  in  all  meekness,  ever 
dv/elling  upon  the  picture  of  thy  Savior's  sufferings  and  sinking  it 
into  thy  mind. 

But  men  do  not  follow  this  way;  rather  they  think  of  our  Lord's 
passion  with  a  blinded  love;  and  it  is  a  love  which  does  not  bear 
fruit  in  good  works ;  it  does  not  result  in  their  renouncing  pride  and 
worldly  honors.  Nor  are  they  led  to  foreswear  bodily  pleasures ;  they 
are  the  same  after  their  meditations  as  tTiey  were  before.  Alas,  how 
little  fruit  is  borne  by  that  sweetest  of  spiritual  exercises — meditation 
on  the  passion  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ — if  we  are  to  judge  by  men's 
morals.  Let  it  be  far  different  in  thy  case,  dear  child.  After  so  holy 
a  devotion  thou  shouldst  feel  so  deeply  ashamed  as  to  wonder  that 
the  earth  could  endure  thee  and  that  it  did  not  open  to  swallow 
thee  up.  Eemember  that  there  are  thousands  now  in  hell  who  perhaps 
were  far  less  sinful  than  thou.  Had  God  favored  them  as  He  has  thee, 
they  would  have  served  Him  far  better  than  thou  hast;  yet  has  He 
spared  thee  and  eternally  condemned  them.  Often  think  of  such 
truths.  Never  taste  a  morsel  of  food  or  drink  a  drop  of  water  but 
with  holy  fear  and  deep  humility.  Use  all  the  comforts  of  life  wholly 
for  thy  mere  necessities,  by  no  means  for  thy  pleasure. 

And  then  come  forward  some  men  full  of  high  argumentation  about 
the  spiritual  life ;  they  talk  as  if  they  had  scaled  high  heaven  in  their 
wisdom,  but  in  reality  they  have  not  moved  a  step  beyond  their  own 
poor  self,  of  whose  nothingness  they  are  quite  ignorant.  To  argu- 
mentative truth  they  have  attained,  but  to  living  truth,  which  rightly 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  503 

is  the  only  truth,  no  man  comes  except  by  the  way  of  his  own  nothing- 
ness. Going  apart  from  this  way  of  truth  one  can  but  arrive  at 
misfortune,  and  then  remain  stationary  among  shadows.  O  children, 
the  day  will  come  when  such  souls  will  wish  they  never  had  any  show 
of  spirituality  or  heard  a  word  about  it,  or  won  a  great  name  among 
men.  They  will  wish  that  they  had  followed  the  cattle  in  the  fields 
and  eaten  their  bread  in  the  sweat  of  their  face.  For  then  must  they 
render  account  of  every  gift  God  gave  them — a  just  and  terrible  God, 
though  now  so  gentle,  now  allowing  His  mercy  to  be  so  shamefully 
abused.  Yet  if  one  but  realizes  now  this  future  reckoning,  let  him 
not  fall  into  despair,  for  these  thoughts  are  sent  him  that  he  may 
subject  himself  absolutely  .under  God  and  under  all  creatures  in  a 
spirit  of  entire  self-renunciation.  Meanwhile  beware  of  a  false  and 
boastful  humility.  Our  Lord  says:  "Unless  you  be  converted,  and 
become  as  little  children,  you  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
Heaven"  (Matt,  xviii:  3).  Let  us  be  as  unconscious  of  our  humility 
as  little  babes,  nor  ever  make  it  a  subject  of  our  thouglits.  The  Lord 
says:    "Sufifer  little  children  to  come  unto  Me"  (Matt,  xix:  14). 

The  earth  is  the  least  of  all  the  elements,  and  in  its  littleness  it 
has  fled  far  away  from  the  heavens;  and  yet  the  vast  celestial  spheres, 
sun,  moon  and  stars,  pursue  the  earth  with  their  kindly  and  mighty 
influence,  producing  on  its  lowly  bosom  most  useful  fruits.  Where 
the  valley  is  deepest  the  waters  do  most  plentifully  flow  down,  and 
the  lowly  valleys  are  thus  more  productive  than  the  proud  hills.  It 
is  so  in  the  spiritual  life:  the  soul  sunken  into  the  deepest  depths  of 
humility  attracts  the  best  gifts  of  the  divine  abyss  of  love.  "Deep 
calleth  on  deep"  (Ps.  xli:  8),  exclaims  the  Psalmist.  The  created 
abyss,  with  its  boundless  knowledge  of  its  own  nothingness,  calleth 
into  itself  the  uncreated  abyss  that  is  the  infinite  God,  and  thus  is  it 
made  one  with  Him;  in  which  union  the  soul  knows  God,  and  yet 
as  St.  Dionysius  says,  knows  Him  as  like  nothing  that  it  ever  knew 
before;  for  God  is  nothing  like  the  things  that  man  knows  or  can 
ever  express.  Herein  the  spirit  of  a  man  is  truly  humbled  and  self- 
abandoned.  So  that  if  it  pleased  God  to  annihilate  him  (if  such  a 
thought  were  possible  or  were  permitted),  he  would  gladly  be  annihi- 
lated— for  he  knows  nothing,  loves  nothing,  enjoys  nothing,  but  the 
One.  Children,  blessed,  indeed,  are  the  eyes  that  thus  see,  as  our  Lord 
says  in  the  text.  May  God  grant  us  thus  to  contemplate  our  own 
nothingness.    Amen. 


504  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — First  is  revealed  to  the  soul  its  own  dignity — This  consists 
in  its  close  kinship  with  God — Another  revelation  is  the  difference 
between  the  spiritual  man  and  the  animal  man — Yet  another  is 
the  perception  of  the  marvellous  mutual  action  of  knowing  and 
loving  God  here  and  hereafter — Finally,  the  revelation  of  God 
Himself  in  the  remotest  interior  of  the  soul — The  teaching  of 
Albertus  Magnus  on  this  gift  to  the  soul. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  THIRTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER 

TRINITY. 

Blessed  are  the  eyes  that  see  the  things  that  you  see. — Luke  x,  23. 

Here  we  have  a  teaching  that  is  the  purest  truth,  showing  us  where 
the  highest  blessedness  of  eternal  life  is  to  be  found.  And  we  read 
that  a  scribe  came  and  tempted  our  Lord  with  his  questioning,  and 
yet  our  Lord  received  him  and  answered  him  very  mildly,  referring 
him  to  the  witness  of  Holy  Scripture;  Now  every  man  under  the  old 
law  who  would  be  right,  must  have  had  one  of  three  witnesses  to 
approve  him.  The  first  testimony  might  come  from  God  by  special 
revelation ;  the  second  out  of  the  depths  of  his  own  living  soul  in  the 
light  of  natural  reason ;  and  the  third  was  that  of  Holy  Scripture. 
Dut  this  man  who  questioned  our  Lord  had  but  one  witness;  to  this 
our  Lord  referred  him  when  He  said  to  him :  "What  is  written  in  the 
law?  How  readest  thou?"  And  he  answered  that  the  law  commanded 
us  to  love  God  above  all  things,  and  our  neighbor  as  ourself.  He  had 
indeed  answered  truly;  he  also  believed  that  he  had  fulfilled  that 
commandment,  and  upon  this  he  prided  himself. 

Dear  children,  two  meanings  are  to  be  found  in  the  words,  "Blessed 
are  the  eyes  that  see  the  things  that  you  see."  One  is  the  blessedness 
of  the  interior  contemplation  of  our  soul's  dignity  in  its  kinship  with 
God,  which  brings  to  a  loving  heart  a  most  blessed  grace  and  joy.    Of 


of  John  Tauler,  the  illuminated  Doctor  505 

this  dignity  of  our  soul,  which  is  seated  in  its  essential  inner  life, 
many  masters,  new  and  old,  have  treated,  as  Albertus  Magnus,  Master 
Dietrich,  and  Master  Eckhart.  Some  teachers  speak  of  it  as  a  spark 
of  divine  fire,  others  as  the  inmost  depths  of  the  soul,  others  again  as 
the  crown  of  the  soul,  or  as  its  origin  and  source  of  life.  Albertus, 
however,  calls  it  an  interior  image,  in  which  the  blessed  Trinity  is 
manifested  to  the  soul.  This  divine  spark,  say  others,  flies  upward 
so  high  in  the  soul,  that  the  understanding  cannot  follow  it,  for  it  is 
ever  passing  again  upward  into  the  divine  centre  which  is  its  uncreated 
source.  But  you  must  know,  dear  children,  that  these  masters  have 
experienced  in  their  minds  and  in  their  lives  the  things  they  herein 
treat  of;  and,  furthermore,  they  have  drawn  this  doctrine  from  the 
greatest  saints  and  doctors  of  holy  Church.  Even  certain  teachers 
before  our  Lord's  birth,  as  Plato,  Aristotle  and  Proclus,  have  also 
diligently  studied  this  subject.  As  to  our  devout  Christian  masters, 
this  close  kinship  with  God  has  much  inflamed  their  fervor  and  that 
of  their  disciples,  and  contributed  to  their  eternal  salvation,  causing 
in  them  a  sudden  conversion  of  their  souls  to  God.  Whereas  the  false 
doctrines  on  this  subject  have  worked  eternal  harm  to  souls. 

Dear  children,  let  us  now  carefully  examine  this  road  to  eternal 
bliss.  It  is  the  way  of  unfeigned  humility,  and  entire  renunciation  of 
f.elf.  It  makes  nothing  of  self,  nothing  of  all  that  one  can  have  or 
can  do.  For  if  a  man  having  this  way  perceives  good  in  himself,  at 
once  he  knows  it  as  God's  and  not  man's.  To  this  basis  of  life  must 
thou  come,  if  thy  eyes  shall  be  blessed.  This  is  the  rule  that  Jesus 
Christ  the  Son  of  God  gave  to  His  elect,  saying:  ''Learn  of  Me, 
because  I  am  meek  and  humble  of  heart"  (Matt,  xi:  29).  Gentleness 
and  humility  are  two  sisters  who  are  inseparably  associated  in  life's 
journey.  To  the  humble  our  Heavenly  Father  hath  manifested  the 
secrets  of  His  high  wisdom,  and  concealed  them  from  the  great  ones 
of  this  world.  This  meekness  of  soul  it  is  that  we  are  to  understand 
as  the  perfect  truth  in  which  is  hidden  the  essence  of  all  felicity. 

In  this  same  Gospel  our  Lord  says:  "Many  prophets  and  kings 
have  desired  to  see  the  things  that  you  see,  and  have  not  seen  them." 
Dear  children,  by  the  term  prophets,  we  may  understand  those  men 
who  glory  in  their  natural  reason,  its  arguments  and  its  subtleties. 
The  eyes  of  such  as  these  are  not  blessed.  By  the  term  kings,  we  may 
understand  men  of  strong  character  and  seeming  holiness,  powerful 
speakers,   full   of   self-chosen   good   works,    abounding   in   fasts   and 


506  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

prayers  and  vigils  which  they  make  much  of,  meanwhile  making  little 
of  other  ways  of  serving  God.  This  spirit  of  self-praise  is  not  the  eye 
that  is  called  blessed.  These  men  desire  to  see,  but  they  do  not  see, 
because  they  are  fixed  fast  in  their  own  self-will.  Children,  it  is  by 
self-will  that  the  harm  is  done;  that  is  the  very  foundation  of  all 
hindrance  to  God's  work  in  us;  for  the  will  is  the  eye  of  the  soul. 
Consider  that  when  the  outward  eye  is  blindfolded  it  cannot  see  at  all. 
And  the  eye  must  be  entirely  unstained  with  any  color  whatsoever  if 
it  shall  be  able  to  distinguish  all  colors.  So  must  our  interior  eye, 
the  will,  be  entirely  cleared  of  all  desires  to  have  and  not  to  have, 
if  it  shall  be  the  blessed  eye  destined  to  see  the  eternal  things  of  God. 
Jn  worldly  men  the  colors  that  stain  the  soul's  eye  are  coarse  and 
material.  But  spiritual  men  also  are  afflicted  with  their  own  peculiar 
self-deceptions. 

Each  man,  though  he  be  but  one  person,  is,  nevertheless,  three  men 
in  one.  First  he  is  just  the  external  being,  animal,  living  in  his 
senses;  the  second  is  the  interior  man,  whose  life  is  in  his  reasoning 
faculties;  the  third  is  the  man,  that  is,  the  soul,  in  its  highest  part, 
that  part  which  we  call  the  spirit:  and  all  these  three  are  one  and 
the  same  man.  Now  in  this  threefold  man  God  should  reign  supreme. 
Children,  the  will  must  entirely  abdicate  its  supremacy  to  God, 
according  to  our  Lord's  word :  "J  came  down  from  Heaven,  not  to  do 
My  will,  but  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  Me"  (John  vi:  38).  How  plain 
it  is,  that  as  long  as  thou  standest  upon  thy  own  will  thou  art  forfeit 
of  the  divine  blessedness  of  tliy  eves,  for  blessedness  is  found  only  in 
unfeigned  renunciation  of  one's  own  will.  This  is  bom  of  that  lowli- 
ness of  spirit  in  which  self-will  is  lost  and  gone.  Self-will  is  the  pillar 
on  which  rests  the  whole  structure  of  a  deordinated  life :  knock  down 
that  support,  and  every  roof  and  wall  of  imperfection  falls  to  the 
ground.  And  the  less  value  a  man  puts  on  himself,  the  less  self-will 
has  he. 

Let  us  consider  the  love  that  is  theirs  who  have  blessed  eyes- 
love  with  the  whole  heart,  the  whole  soul,  all  the  powers  and  all 
The  mind.  There  is  much  controversy  among  the  masters  as  to 
whether  one's  love  or  one's  imderstanding  be  the  higher  faculty — and 
that  question  we  leave  on  one  side,  being  full  sure  that  of  the  two 
love  is,  at  any  rate,  the  more  meritorious  and  useful :  for  love  joyfully 
enters  in  where  knowledge  must  needs  remain  without.  Love  requires 
no  subtle  knowledge  of  things,  but  a  clear,  living.  Christian  faith. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  507 

Let  us  consider  the  form  of  love,  its  matter,  and  its  end  or  purpose. 
As  to  the  form  of  love,  that  is  just  love's  own  self;  its  matter  is  our 
boul  and  its  powers,  or,  in  other  terms,  our  heart,  whose  work  in 
love  is  to  love  in  all ;  and  the  end  and  i)urpose  of  love  is  to  love  God 
directly  and  without  any  intermediation.  Finally,  the  essence  of  love 
is  simply  to  love,  for  love  loves  for  the  sake  of  love.  A  furthei^ 
explanation  is  given  by  Kichard  of  St.  Victor:  "Love  in  its  lowest 
degree  proceeds  from  the  heart  and  from  its  thoughts ;  also  from  the 
Boul,  in  its  enjoyments  and  content;  and  from  the  soul's  powers,  in 
their  resistance  to  and  suppression  of  all  that  is  opposed  to  love." 
But  all  this  is  not  the  love  that  we  are  to  consider. 

Albertus  Magnus  comments  on  this  Gospel  as  follows:  "To  love 
God  with  all  our  heart  means  to  love  Him  with  a  free  and  ready  will 
in  such  wise  that  we  are  practically  well  exercised  in  love."  It  often 
happens  that  a  man  will  have  a  love  for  something,  and  against  that 
love  his  reason  in  the  exercise  of  its  freedom  will  revolt.  And  many 
another  time  it  happens  that  reason  constrains  a  man  to  love  some- 
thing, to  which  he  has  no  manner  of  attraction.  But  love,  to  be  at 
its  best,  should  go  forth  instinctively  from  a  free  and  a  holy  hearty 
needing  as  little  help  from  the  warnings  and  the  considerings  and 
the  ponderings  of  human  reason,  as  is  possible  in  this  changeful  life 
of  ours. 

The  words,  "With  all  thy  soul,-'  mean  a  love  full  of  satisfaction  and 
contentment  in  loving  God,  with  entire  freedom  of  will,  engaging 
every  element  of  the  soul's  life,  embracing  the  inward  man  and  the 
outward :    this  love  comes  from  the  soul's  knowledge  of  truth. 

The  words,  "And  with  all  thy  strength,"  mean  that  a  man  subdues 
to  the  service  of  this  love  of  God  all  his  animal  powers  and  all  his 
life  of  the  senses.  Such  a  man  controls  for  God's  love  all  his  bodily 
existence,  just  as  an  archer  strings  the  bow  to  shoot  his  arrow.  This 
is  the  fulness  of  love,  and  it  is  the  highest  degree. 

To  love  God  "with  all  thy  mind"  is  a  love  which  embraces  all  the 
others,  as  a  measure  contains  what  is  to  be  measured  out,  fixing  the 
shape  and  the  weight  and  the  distribution.  St.  Augultine  says :  "An 
act  does  not  become  an  acquired  virtue  until  it  gains  a  certain  form, 
so  that  a  man  is  grown  used  to  it,  does  it  as  easily  and  with  as  much 
pleasure  as  if  it  had  become  part  of  his  very  nature."  And  that  state 
of  virtue  arises  from  a  foundation  of  humble  love. 


608  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Mark  well  that  one's  mind  is  in  itself  something  much  higher  than 
the  mental  faculties,  which  draw  all  their  force  from  the  mind,  belong 
to  it,  and  flow  ont  from  it  —  the  mind  itself  being  beyond  measure 
above  in  its  own  powers.  For  its  being  is  simple,  essential  and  uniform. 
The  learned  tell  us  that  the  mind  or  the  spirit  is  always  in  action, 
whether  one  be  sleeping  or  waking,  conscious  of  act  or  unconscious. 
Now,  that  spirit  of  ours  has  a  constant  longing  for  God,  ever  gazing 
towards  Him,  ever  longing  to  love  Him  and  enjoy  Him.  Exactly  how 
that  is,  we  need  not  now  discuss.  Furthermore,  the  spirit  of  man 
beholds  God,  if  it  but  will  it,  in  itself;  for  although  it  be  a  created 
being,  it  is  yet  made  to  resemble  the  uncreated  God.  Proclus,  a 
heathen  writer,  calls  this  a  sleep,  a  quiet  and  divine  rest,  saying:  "It 
is  a  secret  search  of  one  for  one,  and  is  a  state  too  high  to  be  com- 
prehended." When  the  soul  turns  towards  this  supernaturally,  then 
it  becomes  God-like,  leading  a  divine  life.  As  a  man  goes  forth  to 
outward  things,  he  cannot  know,  he  cannot  even  believe  that  this  state 
of  the  spirit  can  be;  yet  it  really  is.  The  human  spirit  is  planted  in 
such  soil  and  has  such  a  life  in  it,  that  it  is  drawn  powerfully  to 
itself;  it  is  a  peculiar  property  of  the  spirit  to  be  bent  and  inclined 
inwards  to  its  own  deepest  depths,  in  search  of  its  own  origin.  This 
tendency  is  never  quenched,  no,  not  in  hell  itself,  whose  worst  pain 
is  that  the  soul  must  forever  endure  the  activity  of  this  tendency. 
If  a  man  will  but  hearken  to  reason,  that  will  guide  all  his  lower 
powers  and  will  subject  them  to  its  mastery,  rejecting  whatever  is 
against  reason  as  something  alien  to  its  nature.  Keason  thus  raises 
a  man  above  the  influence  of  his  senses,  and  there  he  rests  free  from 
all  disturbance.  When  the  interference  of  the  lower  faculties  is  thus 
hindered  in  the  Christian  soul,  it  sees  its  own  essence  and  its  power 
in  an  intellectual  image  of  Him  to  whom  it  owes  its  origin.  Blessed 
are  the  eyes  that  come  to  this  sight;  blessed  the  soul  that  clings  to 
this  holy  state  essentially,  and  sinks  into  it.  St.  Dionysius  teaches 
that  the  forms  and  images  of  the  imagination  can  in  this  state  have 
no  influence  over  us. 

Albertus  Magnus  tells  of  six  excellences  of  this  high  state.  It  is 
most  wonderful:  the  man  to  whom  this  spiritual  insight  is  granted 
can  never  again  be  amazed  by  wonderful  or  miraculous  happenings. 
It  is  the  very  highest :  no  spiritual  state  is  superior  to  it.  It  is  most 
purely  spiritual:  there  is  no  manner  of  admixture  of  the  material 
world.     It  is  the  most  secure:     its  safety  is  its  own  and  is  very 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  50^ 


perfect,  borrowing  security  from  none  other.  It  is  inseparably  joined 
to  the  spirit:  it  cannot  be  influenced  by  fleshly  lusts  or  temptations. 
It  is  the  least  hindered  state:  for  in  it  the  spirit  walks  in  the 
brightest  light,  in  which  it  feels  at  home  and  which  has  grown  to 
be,  as  it  were,  a  habit  of  its  nature;  no  task  of  God's  appointment 
can  now  be  burdensome.  It  is  also  the  most  enduring  state:  it 
encounters  no  opposition,  because  it  is  not  rooted  in  the  soul's 
sensitive  existence. 

This  is  called  a  state  of  eternal  beatitude,  and  for  three  reasons. 
First,  it  is  the  image  of  God  divinely  imparted  to  the  soul.  Second, 
the  soul  is  immersed  in  the  deity.  Third,  the  spirit  enjoys  God  as  if 
in  His  very  substance.  Hence  it  is  called  tlie  action  of  God  in  the 
soul.  All  these  wonderful  things  of  the  soul's  unchangeable  bliss, 
spoken  of  by  Albertus,  are  not  as  it  were  in  any  state  that  may  be 
called  human  activity,  but  rather  an  essential  indwelling  of  the  spirit,, 
living  with  God  in  its  own  depths,  in  a  way  superior  to  that  of  this 
life;  for  in  this  life  all  things  change,  and  unhappiness  is  bom  of 
activity.  To  such  a  man  a  mishap  may  occur  in  his  outward  life,  bu^ 
it  cannot  affect  the  essence  of  his  happiness  in  his  union  with  God. 
Now  when  our  Savior  said :  "Blessed  are  the  eyes  that  see  what  you 
have  seen,"  he  meant  this  blessedness. 

Children,  to  attain  to  this  sort  of  ecstacy  or  rapture,  one  must 
carefully  choose  his  times  and  his  circumstances,  namely,  qmet  hours, 
solitude,  and  recollection.  Therefore  is  the  night  a  favorable  time, 
for  it  is  long  and  still.  Whereas  if  one  waits  till  morning,  he  must 
provide  various  things,  and  run  about  here  and  there,  and  thus 
interior  detachment  is  broken  in  upon.  The  devil  takes  advantage 
of  this,  perhaps,  to  snatch  from  thee  thy  opportunity— it  may  never 
come  again  to  thee,  but  be  given  to  another  who  will  make  better 
use  of  it.  Dear  child,  if  God  gave  thee  an  earthly  kingdom,  he 
would  give  thee  with  it  what  was  necessary  for  thee  in  order  to 
possess  and  govern  it.  As  to  this  kingdom  of  blessedness,  He  gives 
thee  all  that  is  needed  for  thy  possessing  it;  but  the  misery  of  it 
is  that  thou  wilt  not  procure  solitude  and  recollection  to  that  end. 

No  one,  not  even  the  Pope  or  holy  Church,  would  wish  to  disturb 
such  men  as  these,  but  rather  be  glad  to  leave  them  wholly  to  God, 
and  this  we  could  prove  from  the  history  of  the  greatest  saints. 
David  calls  this  state  of  soul  a  spiritual  slumber;    St.  Paul,  a  peace- 


510  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

that  surpasses  all  understanding;  St.  John,  a  stillness  lasting  half 
an  hour.  St.  Dionysius  and  St.  Gregory,  as  well  as  many  other 
great  saints,  have  written  to  the  same  effect.  Let  us  give  to  such 
favored  souls  all  careful  attention,  and  leave  them  to  follow  God's 
guidance.  St.  Augustine  says:  "When  God  would  work,  let  us  care- 
fully attend  to  His  work,  and  observe  it."  Let  us  bear  in  mind  that 
the  Lord's  yoke  is  sweet  and  His  burden  light.  Now,  a  yoke  is 
something  drawn  over  one's  head  and  fastened  to  his  neck.  So  has 
God  in  all  sweetness  yoked  and  assumed  control  over  these  favored 
souls,  placing  a  light  burden  upon  them,  and  leading  them  by  his 
sweet  yoke  whithersoever  He  will.  If  thou  art  thyself  thus  honored, 
and  if  thou  feelest  a  sudden  stroke  fall  upon  thee,  be  still,  God  is 
fastening  his  burden  of  blessedness  upon  thee.  If  anyone  says  that 
thou  hast  lost  thy  senses,  be  still,  answer  not:  it  is  thus  that  God 
is  making  thee  ready  for  His  blessedness.  And,  meanwhile,  if  thou 
hast  to  endure  something,  yet  thou  are  not  going  to  be  beheaded,  as 
were  the  holy  marytrs.  May  the  merciful  God  prepare  us  to  follow 
His  lead,  until  our  eyes  shall  behold  His  blessedness.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  511 


3n  Wi\dt  Wag  a  f  ^rfrrt  Mm  \b  Stk?  (&oh 

Synopsis — God  communicates  to  man  His  own  invisibility — This  should 
make  us  prefer  the  hidden  life  of  pnayer — Another  resemblance  is 
to  God's  opposition  to  worldliness — Study  of  Christ's  passion  per- 
fects this  resemblance — God  would  also  give  us  His  unchangeable- 
ness — This  is  assimilated  by  the  steadfastness  of  holy  living — Be- 
sides these,  God  would  endow  us  with  universal  holiness,  springing 
from  love. 


SERMON  FOK  THE  FOURTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

And  put  on  the  new  man,  who  according  to  God.  is  created  in  justice  and 
holiness  of  truth. — Eph.  iv,  24. 

Walk  in  the  spirit,  and  you  shall  not  fulfill  the  tests  of  the  flesh.  For  the 
flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh. — Gal.  v,  16,  17. 

Dear  children,  if  we  would  walk  in  the  spirit,  we  must  steadfastly 
turn  away  from  all  sin,  and  from  inordinate  love  of  creatures ;  and  we 
must  lovingly  turn  to  God  with  all  the  powers  of  our  soul  in  per- 
severing prayer.  To  this  we  must  add  detachment  of  spirit,  and  well- 
chosen  devout  exercises.  By  these  means  we  shall  bring  the  flesh  into 
subjection  to  the  spirit,  "and  put  on  the  new  man,  who  according  to 
God  is  created  in  justice  and  holiness  of  truth." 

Children,  you  should  know  the  dignity  of  your  soul.  And  although 
every  creature  of  God  belongs  to  Him,  yet  none  other  so  particularly 
as  our  soul.  God  made  use  of  no  other  creature  to  create  us,  but  freely 
and  directly  did  He  make  us,  taking  counsel  alone  of  His  goodness, 
and  forming  us  after  His  own  image  and  likeness.  We  are  more  Hia 
than  we  are  any  others  of  His  creatures.  His  image  and  likeness  is 
sunk  so  deep  in  us  that  it  can  never  be  effaced — not  even  in  souls 
condemned  eternally  to  hell.  And,  as  inwardly  we  are  in  God's  like- 
ness, so  also  outwardly  we  should  show  forth  God's  likeness,  being  in 
our  life  conformed  to  His  holiness. 

This  likeness  should  follow  four  attributes  of  God.  The  first  is  that 
Ood  is  invisible,  for  we  know  that  no  man  can  see  God  and  live.  We 


512  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

copy  God  in  this  when  we  come  to  a  spiritual  life;  for  then  whatever 
outward  form  our  life  may  take,  no  man  need  be  harmed  by  what  he 
8ees  in  us. 

Dear  children,  St.  Paul  writes  that  by  Christ  the  world  was  crucified 
to  him,  and  he  to  the  world  (Gal.  vi :  14) ;  which  means  that  the  world 
with  all  its  joys  and  luxuries  and  lusts  was  exceedingly  painful  to  the 
Apostle;  he  longed  for  all  this  infinitely  less  than  for  the  gallows  of 
the  cross.  And  what  meant  he  by  saying  that  he  was  a  cross  to  the 
world?  He  meant  that  he  was  such  a  man  in  morals  and  in  manners, 
and  in  the  whole  man  that  he  showed  himself  to  be,  that  the  world 
cared  for  him  as  little  as  it  cared  for  the  cross.  Now  it  is  in  this  that 
the,  perfection  of  spiritual  men  consists ;  if  thou  standest  there,  thou 
art  in  the  way  of  perfection.  But,  alas,  although  there  are  many  among 
us  to  whom  indeed  the  world  is  a  cross,  for  they  do  not  desire  it,  do  we 
on  the  other  hand  find  one  man  in  a  thousand  so  perfect  as  not  to 
desire  to  please  the  world?  Nor  am  I  now  speaking  of  those  who 
follow  sinful  courses.  No,  dear  children,  no,  by  no  means.  But  I  say 
simply  this :  The  man  who  can  truly  affirm  with  St.  Paul :  I  am  a  cross 
to  the  world,  must  have  reached  that  point  of  perfection  as  to  show 
plainly  in  all  he  does  and  in  every  trait  of  his  character  that  he  cares 
not  to  please  anybody  except  God ;  never  dreams  of  winning  anybody's 
favor  except  God's  alone.  He  indeed  it  is  that  can  say :  I  am  the 
world's  cross.  I  range  myself  against  it  in  everything  whatsoever,  in 
my  interior  dislike  for  it,  in  my  outward  opposition  to  it,  and  to  that 
degree  that  it  no  more  desires  me  than  it  covets  the  gallows  of  the  cross. 

The  second  way  in  which  our  soul  is  shown  to  be  like  to  God  is  that 
we  are  conformed  to  His  unchangeableness.  Thus  must  we  be  wholly 
steadfast  in  a  good  life.  We  must  give  ourselves  over  to  Him  perma- 
nently. Let  the  whole  world  be  turned  upside  down,  we  cannot  be 
shaken  loose  from  Him,  never  thrown  off  into  sin,  not  separated  from 
Him  in  any  manner  whatsoever.  Ah,  dear  children,  to  the  man  who  is 
thus  fast  fixed  in  God,  all  changes  are  alike,  fortune  or  misfortune, 
poverty  or  wealth,  joy  or  sorrow.  O  how  like  unto  God  the  creator, 
is  the  soul  that  stands  immovable  in  Him  who  gives  motion  to  all 
created  things. 

The  third  resemblance  to  God  is  that  the  perfect  soul  is  the  image 
and  likeness  of  all  virtue.  We  know  that  in  God  there  is  the  image  of 
all  things  created,  namely  in  His  eternal  and  only  begotten  Son  our 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  513 

Lord  Jesus  Christ — an  image  not  like  that  in  the  creature,  but  the 
living  image  as  God  is  in  God,  without  beginning  and  without  end. 
So  must  a  perfect  man  assemble  in  his  soul  the  living  image  of  all 
virtues  that  he  sees  around  him  as  they  shine  forth  in  the  lives  of  good 
men  and  women  of  all  conditions.  From  one  and  from  another  he 
learns  different  virtues  and  acquires  various  kinds  of  holiness;  this 
one  teaches  him  humility,  that  one  patience,  a  third  mortification; 
good  order  and  discipline,  devotion,  spiritual  motives,  truthfulness, 
affectionateness,  cleanness  of  life,  obedience.  His  soul  is  a  treasure 
house  of  virtues,  gathered  in  from  all  directions.  It  is  a  picture  gallery 
full  of  masterpieces  of  virtue,  which  he  copies  in  his  daily  life.  And 
thus  never  is  anything  seen  in  him  but  holy  living. 

The  fourth  trait  of  his  likeness  to  God  is  that  he  is  good ;  he  shows 
forth  the  divine  goodness.  God  is  the  fountain  head  from  which  all 
goodness  flows.  All  the  goodness  in  this  world  taken  together  and 
joined  in  one  is  called  and  is  good,  because  it  is  a  single  drop  of 
God's  goodness,  a  drop  He  has  permitted  us  to  enjoy.  Hence,  dear 
children,  must  we  cleave  close  to  this  infinite  source  of  all  good,  if 
we  would  feel  the  power  of  good  in  our  lives — the  nearer  the  source  the 
purer  and  the  sweeter  the  waters  of  goodness  and  grace  and  holiness. 

When  we  give  up  the  world,  that  is  to  say,  sin,  we  draw  nigh  to  the 
flowing  spring  of  divine  grace.  The  man  who  totally  shuts  out  what- 
soever is  the  world  or  cleaves  to  the  world,  he  it  is  that  may  be  said  to 
leave  the  world;  self-will,  self-love,  self-opinionatedness,  these  must 
one  and  all  be  shut  out.  This  done,  a  man  must  then  give  himself  up 
to  God,  body  and  goods  and  liberty,  keeping  back  nothing  of  self  or  for 
self.  This  is  what  it  means  to  be  a  really  good  and  pious  man.  He 
must  surrender  his  will  in  subjection  to  another  man's  will,  and  keep 
obedience  even  to  his  death.  He  must  hand  over  his  goods  to  another 
man's  ownership,  holding  nothing  back  for  his  own  even  secret  posses- 
sion. His  soul,  he  must  plainly  manifest  to  another,  to  be  by  him  directed 
in  all  things  whatsoever.  Children,  whosoever  honestly  does  all  this, 
and  thus  goes  forth  from  self  in  soul  and  body,  and  draws  nigh  to  the 
fountain  head  of  all  good  and  all  grace — O  how  plentifully  shall  the 
living  waters  flow  into  him,  fructifying  his  soul  unto  all  virtue.  Then 
does  that  man  arrive  at  essential  blessedness;  he  is  like  unto  God 
indeed,  and  "according  to  God  is  created  in  justice  and  holiness  of 
truth."    God  grant  that  this  may  be  our  happy  destiny.    Amen. 


514  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — Gentleness  is  the  ideal  virtue  for  dealings  imth  our  neighbor 
— This  is  made  up  of  affection  towards  all  men  for  God's  sake  and 
humility  in  our  own  regard — A  universal  ideal  is  found  in  Jesus 
crucified — The  mingled  sweetness  and  meekness  resulting  from  the 
study  of  Calvary — How  rightly  guided  pMyer  ministers  to  an  un- 
derstanding of  Christ's  pission — Prudent  mortification  is  pioduc- 
tive  of  an  ideal  wisdom  in  spiritual  matters — Observations  on  the 
remoter  and  rarer  ideals  revealed  in  contemplation. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  THE  FIFTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER 

TRINITY. 

If  we  live  in  the  Spirit,  let  us  also  walk  in  the  Spirit.  Let  us  not  be  made 
•lesirous  of  vainglory,  provoking  one  another,  envying  one  another.  Brethren, 
if  a  man  be  overtaken  in  any  fault,  you  who  are  spiritual,  instruct  such  a  one  hi 
the  spirit  of  meekness,  considering  thyself,  lest  thou  also  be  tempted.  Bear  ye 
one  another's  burdens;  and  so  you  shall  fulfill  the  law  of  Christ.  For  if  any  man 
think  himself  to  be  something,  whereas  he  is  nothing,  he  deceiveth  himself.  But 
let  everyone  prove  his  own  work,  and  so  he  shall  have  glory  in  himself  only, 
and  not  in  another.  For  everyone  shall  bear  his  own  burden. — Gal.  v,  25,  26; 
and  vi,  1-5. 

All  these  words  of  St.  Paul  are  full  of  wisdom,  but  especially  the  first 
ones :  "If  we  live  in  the  Spirit,  let  us  walk  in  the  Spirit,"  that  is,  in  the 
Holy  Ghost.  For  as  our  soul  is  the  life  of  our  body,  so  is  the  Holy 
Ghost  the  life  of  our  soul.  Now  there  are  three  ways  in  which  we 
should  walk  in  the  Spirit.  The  first  is  in  outward  conduct  as  to  our- 
self  and  our  neighbor;  the  second  way  is  after  the  likeness  of  our  Lord; 
and  the  third  is  a  way  without  any  likeness. 

St.  Paul  tells  us  how  to  walk  according  to  the  first  way :  "Let  us  not 
be  made  desirous  of  vain  glory,"  for  worldly-minded  men  diligently 
occupy  day  and  night  in  vainglorious  thoughts.  One  can  easily  see 
how  the  Holy  Ghost  does  not  come  into  them.  They  are  not  members 
of  God,  but  are  separated  from  Him;  He  has  no  part  in  them.  Then 
there  are  other  men  who,  under  an  appearance  of  spirituality,  carry 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  515 

worldly  hearts  within  them,  and  are  desirous  of  vainglory  in  every- 
thing— clothing,  company,  relatives  and  much  besides.  The  longer  they 
thus  continue,  the  worse  is  their  state.  The  Holy  Ghost  comes  not  into 
them,  and  their  state  is  a  more  perilous  one  than  they  imagine.  Vain- 
glory is  seeking  anything  in  order  to  be  honored  and  loved  by  other 
men.  And  this  taint  insinuates  itself  into  all  our  good  religious 
customs,  into  our  conversation  and  manners,  and  into  our  good 
works,  and  this  to  such  a  degree  that  it  behooves  us  all  to  be  on  our 
guard  against  it,  praying  God  to  save  us  from  it ;  for  of  ourselves  we  are 
powerless  to  resist  it. 

And  we  should  walk  circumspectly  towards  our  neighbor.  We  should 
not  quarrel  with  him,  nor  in  anywise  annoy  him,  nor  circumvert  him, 
nor  treat  him  harshly.  On  the  contrary,  we  should  bear  ourselves 
towards  our  neighbor  in  the  spirit  of  meekness.  Consider  thy  own  self, 
and  meddle  not  with  thy  neighbor.  Some  there  are  who  assail  others 
with  abusive  language  and  scornful  bearing,  often  enough  about  trifling 
things.  Look  to  thyself  in  this,  for  where  such  conduct  is  there  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  not. 

"Bear  ye  one  another's  burdens,"  and  that  will  make  us  all  one  body 
in  Jesus  Christ.  Superiors  should  instruct  their  subjects  in  all  kindli- 
ness of  spirit,  and  admonish  them  lovingly.  Our  holy  Father  St- 
Dominic  was  of  so  mild  a  spirit,  joined  to  so  deep  an  earnestness,  that 
no  matter  how  perverse  any  subject  of  his  might  be,  he  never  failed  to 
convert  him.  St.  Paul  teaches  us  how  a  gentle  spirit  can  by  his 
patience  soften  a  hard  man — "in  the  spirit  of  meekness."  Let  each 
of  us  thus  deal  with  our  neighbor,  guarding  ourselves  carefully,  lest  we 
destroy  God's  temple,  that  is  to  say,  our  neighbor's  soul,  and  thereby 
fall  under  God's  curse. 

Now  let  us  consider  the  second  way  of  walking  according  to  the 
Spirit,  namely,  after  the  sweet  pattern  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Let 
us  set  His  life  before  us  like  a  mirror,  and  conform  to  it  to  the  utmost 
of  our  ability.  Look  at  Him ;  see  how  patient  He  is,  how  kind,  gentle 
and  faithful  to  us;  see  how  candid  He  is,  how  truthful;  and  O  how 
overflowing  with  love  His  whole  life  long.  Take  all  this  to  thyself  after 
the  manner  of  prayer  and  meditation,  praying  Him  with  the  deepest 
fervor  of  thy  heart  that  He  would  help  thee  to  follow  along  this  way 
in  the  footsteps  of  His  virtues,  bearing  in  mind  that  thou  hast  no 
power  of  thy  own  to  do  this,  but  recommending  thyself  with  every 


516  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

earnestness  to  His  boundless  goodness.  Set  thyself  and  thy  Redeemer 
together  before  thy  eyes,  and  see  how  unlike  these  two  are  to  each 
other.  Consider  how  strange  to  thee  is  this  way  of  salvation,  namely, 
the  imitation  of  Jesus  Christ.  Offer  to  the  heavenly  Father  His  divine 
image,  His  only  begotten  Son  Jesus  Christ,  as  a  substitute  for  thyself, 
who  art  unlike  God  in  all  things.  Eemind  the  heavenly  Father  of  His 
Son's  innocent  thoughts,  and  words,  and  works;  His  bitter  passion 
and  death — all  for  thy  guilty  soul  and  those  of  all  mankind  living  and 
dead. 

Dear  children,  our  Lord  is  so  good!  And  whosoever  would  stand 
with  Him  in  His  goodness  has  but  to  beg  Him  for  virtues  as  for  favors, 
and  all  will  be  granted  him.  He  is  easily  moved  by  our  petitions,  He 
hears  His  friends  most  gladly.  Even  our  purgatory.  He  readily  remits  it 
all,  if  we  but  turn  to  Him  with  our  heart's  deepest  fervor.  Then  all 
our  transgressions  are  pardoned,  and  the  years  that  were  wasted  are 
quickly  atoned  for.  But  this  transformation  God  alone  can  give,  God 
alone  can  perfect.  A  man  must  pray  for  it  day  by  day  with  love  and 
humility.  He  will  know  that  it  is  at  hand,  when  he  is  interiorly 
admonished  that  he  must  now  give  up  all  hindrances  to  God's  action 
within  him,  and  then  he  has  but  to  wait. 

Children,  the  prayer  of  the  spirit  pierces  the  heavens,  for  in  this  the 
soul  follows  in  the  steps  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  upon  that  rests  all 
that  I  can  teach,  or  all  other  teachers,  namely,  imitation  of  Christ. 
St.  Peter  writes :  "Christ  also  suffered  for  us,  leaving  you  an  example 
that  thou  shouldst  follow  His  steps"  (I  Peter  ii:  21).  No  man  can  go 
so  high  as  to  reach  beyond  our  Lord's  footsteps.  The  higher  one 
ascends  the  plainer  are  Christ's  footsteps,  who  trod  that  way  in  His 
life  and  death  and  in  His  glory. 

Here  come  virgins  from  the  market  place  and  sit  them  down  con- 
tent, as  if  the  entering  of  this  religious  house  was  their  perfection. 
No,  it  is  by  no  means  so ;  the  way  is  not  so  short  as  that.  They  must, 
so  St.  Paul  says,  crucify  their  flesh  with  its  vices  and  concupiscences. 
They  complain  of  difficulties — they  fall  asleep  at  their  prayers.  But 
what  wonder  if  they  do?  And  they  complain  again  that  they  have  no 
sweetness  of  devotion.  What!  Wilt  thou  seek  for  sweet  feelings 
forgetful  of  the  awful  bitterness  of  thy  Savior's  passion  and  death? 
Thy  slothfulness  sets  thee  far  off  from  His  footsteps,  for  in  all  thy 
doings  and  devotions  thou  seekest  only  thyself.    Seek  nothing  of  pleas- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  517 

ure,  not  in  any  mental  state  nor  in  its  images.  Prostrate  thyself 
humbly  before  the  remembrance  of  His  life  and  death,  and  carefully 
consider  thy  own  nothingness.  The  lower  thou  sinkest  thyself  the 
higher  thou  shalt  stand,  for  they  that  humble  themselves  shall  be 
exalted.  Set  thy  nothingness  in  contrast  with  God's  infinite  majesty, 
and  then  consider  how  He  became,  as  it  were,  nothing  for  thy  sake  and 
through  thy  sinfulness;  and  do  not  again  imagine  that  thy  corrupt 
nature  has  yet  been  overcome.  The  war  against  it  thou  must  bravely 
begin  and  carry  on  to  victory,  for  victory  will  not  fly  down  from 
heaven  into  thy  bosom. 

There  are  some  men  so  given  over  to  life's  pleasures,  that  God  must 
deprive  them  of  their  means  of  enjoyment  by  main  force.  If  they  were 
but  detached  in  spirit,  even  riches  and  honors  might  well  be  theirs, 
for  they  would  still  advance  in  perfection.  But  what  costs  nothing 
is  worth  nothing.  Young  and  hearty  and  unmortified  natures,  living 
a  life  of  flesh  and  blood,  complain  of  hindrances  to  their  spiritual  life 
in  their  occupations  and  in  distractions.  All  that  may  be  true,  for  the 
reason  that  thou  hast  not  as  yet  wisely  chosen  thy  way.  It  must  be 
another  way  from  thy  present  one,  if  thou  art  going  to  arrive  at  per- 
fection. Such  souls  are  of  the  race  of  Simon  of  Gyrene,  who  carried 
the  cross  of  Christ  by  compulsion  and  not  from  love.  One  should 
under  all  circumstances  offer  to  carry  the  holy  cross  of  Christ  out  of 
love ;  he  should  constantly  place  himself  at  the  disposal  of  Jesus  cruci- 
fied. Art  thou  retiring  to  sleep  ?  Lay  thee  down  on  the  cross  of  Christ, 
and  pray  and  yearn  that  the  blessed  bosom  of  the  crucified  may  be  thy 
bed.  His  sweet  heart  thy  pillow,  His  holy  arms  thy  covering.  Those 
wide  open  arms  should  be  thy  refuge  in  all  thy  necessities  of  soul  and 
body,  and  well  will  they  shield  thee  from  harm.  Art  thou  sitting 
down  to  eat?  Dip  every  morsel  in  His  holy  wounds.  When  our  sisters 
sing  their  psalms,  they  should  place  each  holy  canticle  in  His  blessed 
wounds,  considering  what  those  wounds  mean  to  us.  So  shouldst 
thou  identify  Him  with  thyself  and  thyself  with  Him  in  thy  thoughts. 
What  simple  talk  is  this,  that  men  boast  that  they  recite  the  Lord's 
prayer,  and  meanwhile  fail  to  follow  His  example,  fail  to  enter  into 
the  Lord's  spirit. 

The  third  way  of  perfection  is  imagelese — a  high,  short,  darksome 
and  sorrowful  way  is  this,  my  children.  Job  speaks  of  it:  "To  a  man 
whose  way  is  hidden,  and  God  hath  surrounded  him  with  darkness'^ 


518  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

(Job  iii:21).  Here  it  is  that  women  are  strengthened  to  be  men  and 
all  men  who  here  refuse  to  follow  God  are  brought  to  naught.  O  how 
dark  is  this  way.  For  all  that  had  been  granted  the  soul  in  the  other 
ways  of  perfection  is  now — so  the  soul  feels — quite  stripped  of  it. 
Whither  it  should  turn  for  relief  it  knows  not,  and  so  it  stands  in  the 
way  in  deep  oppression  of  spirit  encompassed  by  darkness,  for  light 
seems  departed  from  it.  St.  Gregory  says:  "Many  walk  in  darkness 
in  this  life,  thinking  to  be  saved  and  ending  in  eternal  death."  But 
these  are  in  the  darkness  of  sin.  The  darkness  we  are  considering  is 
the  road  to  eternal  life.  And  this  unknown  and  darksome  way  we 
must  be  willing  to  follow,  rather  than  the  broad  road  that  leads  to 
destruction,  against  which  we  are  warned  in  the  Gospel.  This  is  God's 
little  path  to  paradise,  and  it  lies  between  knowledge  and  ignorance; 
one  must  keep  it  in  as  plain  sight  as  an  archer  does  his  target. 

We  must  stop  neither  at  ignorance  nor  at  knowledge  in  treading  this 
road,  but  keep  on  steadfastly  guided  by  a  simple  faith.  We  must  avoid 
both  over  security  and  despondency,  trusting  entirely  to  holy  hope. 
So  too  we  must  avoid  both  false  peace  of  soul  and  indolence  of  body, 
pressing  onward  under  the  guide  of  true  self-renunciation.  Excessive 
fear  and  rash  presumption  must  both  be  avoided,  the  soul  being  led 
on  by  unfeigned  humility.  But,  dear  children,  remember  that  this 
narrow  path  can  be  understood  only  by  knowledge  of  one's  inmost  soul. 
As  to  our  outer  senses  and  the  soul's  lesser  powers,  they  are  useful 
to  inform  us  of  the  circumstancees  of  life  that  surround  us,  for  it  is  a 
shame  for  a  man  to  know  many  things  and  not  to  know  himself. 

By  sticking  to  this  road  one  is  safeguarded  against  this  terrible 
fate  spoken  of  by  St.  Gregory.  But  one  can  go  astray  by  knowledge 
when  it  generates  pride,  and  by  ignorance  when  that  degenerates  into 
silliness.  But  a  humble  sinking  down  into  entire  detachment  of  spirit, 
is  a  safeguard  against  any  misfortune  that  may  befall  us — sinking 
down  into  thy  own  nothingness,  with  absorbtion  in  thy  holy  faith 
Joined  to  living  confidence  in  God.  This  saves  one  from  those  foul 
temptations  to  discouragement,  a  vice  that  has  stagnated  many  spirits, 
and  made  them  give  up  all  progress,  thinking  it  impossible  to  finally 
succeed.  No,  dear  children ;  never  allow  yourselves  to  be  driven  back- 
wards ;  press  onward  with  love  and  with  yearning  of  heart ;  lean  confi- 
dently on  thy  good  and  faithful  God.  When  natural  goodness  exists 
*nd  grace  is  added,  then  one  strides  forward  swiftly.     I  myself  am 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  519 

acquainted  with  several  young  people  of  about  twenty-five  years  of  age, 
of  noble  birth  and  living  in  the  married  state,  who  have  followed  this 
way  and  attained  to  perfection.  But  it  happens  that  when  good  young 
souls  of  a  poor  condition  in  life  would  advance  to  God  in  this  way, 
and  therein  are  awaiting  God's  guidance,  they  are  often  driven  out 
of  it  by  others,  and  are  forced  to  go  to  work  to  earn  bread — and  thereby 
it  may  happen  that  great  spiritual  advantages  are  forfeited.  Mean- 
while, it  is  a  perilous  thing  to  be  associated  with  those  who  follow  this 
spirit  and  to  be  made  responsible  for  their  guidance,  because  they  may 
very  easily  go  astray. 

Children,  three  things  are  to  be  considered  about  this.  The  first  is 
that  it  is  God  who  does  all  these  souls'  work,  just  in  so  far  as  they 
allow  Him,  and  in  these  things  they  are  of  course  good  and  praise- 
worthy. The  second  is  this :  If  one  is  turned  to  God  with  all  his  spirit- 
ual life,  cooperating  with  Him  in  love  and  in  every  purpose,  just  so 
far  is  such  a  soul  good.  Thirdly,  if  that  man  yields  to  self-content  and 
thus  gives  up  to  his  natural  sense  of  proprietorship,  then  everything 
goes  wrong  with  him,  his  darkness  grows  deeper  and  it  lasts  longer. 
This  darkness  casts  the  natural  man  into  unrest  and  anguish  of  soul, 
for  he  is  placed  helplessly  between  enjoyment  of  the  images  of  his  imag- 
ination and  deprivation  and  absence  of  them.  All  the  sad  things  we 
have  already  spoken  of  happen  to  him,  and  he  has  no  savor  of  any 
spiritual  joy  left  to  him.  What  he  would  enjoy  he  cannot  have,  seek 
it  however  eagerly  he  may;  and  thus  he  remains  in  deep  desolation 
and  constraint  of  spirit. 

This  state  of  suffering  drives  many  a  one  away  from  home  on  pil- 
grimages to  Aix-la-Chapelle  or  to  Rome;  sends  many  into  monasteries. 
But  the  more  eagerly  they  search  for  relief  the  less  they  get  of  it. 
Others  give  up  the  struggle  and  go  back  to  the  lower  spiritual  methods 
of  imaginative  forms  in  their  prayer;  they  have  not  the  courage  to 
suffer  patiently  to  the  end,  but  fall  out  of  the  narrow  and  rough  way. 
But  O  children,  how  blessed  are  those  noble  spirits  that  persevere  to 
the  end  in  this  painful  darkness;  they  are  God's  best  beloved.  But 
their  poor  nature  suffers  many  a  death  agony  before  all  their  task  i.s 
done.  Once  a  hermit  living  in  a  forest  had  a  novice,  who  asked  him 
what  he  should  do  for  his  perfection.  The  holy  father  said :  "Go  into 
thy  cell  and  sit  there  crying  out  with  the  Psalmist:  'My  tears  have 
been  my  bread  day  and  night,  whilst  it  is  said  to  me  daily.  Where  is 


520  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

thj  God  V  "  Children,  never  leave  the  footsteps  of  Christ.  What  is 
the  good  of  devising  ways  and  means  of  relief,  if  one  will  not  keep  to 
this  narrow  road  ?  And  he  sure  that  thy  perseverance  in  this  shall  not 
be  in  vain. 

For  what  is  the  end?  The  Lord  will  come  to  thee  at  the  appointed 
hour,  and  He  will  instantaneously  manifest  the  hidden  treasure  of  His 
love,  the  bright  shining  light  of  His  truth  heretofore  covered  from  thy 
eyes.  In  thy  innermost  soul  shalt  thou  know  why  and  how  thy  God 
has  led  thee  through  darkness  to  light;  thou  shalt  be  fully  repaid  for 
thy  steadfast  fidelity  to  His  guidance.  Then  more  fully  than  ever 
before  shalt  thou  be  granted  the  gift  of  deep  humility,  the  boon  of  entire 
self  renunciation.  The  more  profound  has  been  thy  sorrow,  the  richer 
shall  be  the  gifts  of  the  interior  life  now  bestowed  upon  thee,  and  over- 
flowing into  all  thy  works  in  a  most  supernatural  way.  May  we  all 
have  courage  to  follow  God  in  this  darksome  way  to  the  end;  may  He 
bring  us  all  forth  into  everlasting  light.     Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  521 


QlruBttng  (^oh 

Synopsis — Greed  for  this  world's  goods  a  universal  vice:  the  blindness 
and  folly  of  it — Seeking  for  God's  kingdom  within  us — Relation  of 
outward  good  works  to  this  inner  quest — How  improvidence  is  to 
"be  guarded  against — The  final  result  is  the  proper  union  of  out- 
ward and  inward  religion. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  FIFTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER 

TRINITY. 

No  man  can  serve  two  masters  ....  Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how 
they  grow ;  they  labor  not,  neither  do  they  spin.  But  I  say  to  you,  that  not  even 
Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was  arrayed  as  one  of  these.  And  if  the  grass  of  the 
field,  which  is  today,  and  tomorrow  is  cast  into  the  oven,  God  doth  so  clothe,  how 
much  more  you,  and  ye  of  little  faith?  Be  not  solicitous,  therefore,  saying  what 
shall  we  eat,  or  what  shall  we  drink,  or  wherewith  shall  we  be  clothed.  For  after 
all  these  things  do  the  heathen  seek.  For  your  Father  knoweth  that  you  have  n 
eed  of  all  these  things.  Seek  ye,  therafore,  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  His 
justice,  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you. — Matt,  vi,  24-33. 

This  is  our  Lord's  teaching  that  we  cannot  serve  both  God  and 
mammon,  but  must  hate  the  one  and  love  the  other.  You  will  find 
a  wonderful  doctrine  taught  here,  if  you  study  it  attentively.  Our 
Savior  teaches  us  as  plain  as  our  Pater  Noster,  in  very  simple  terms, 
and  with  beautiful  comparisons.  He  bids  us  set  aside  all  anxiety 
about  transitory  things.  In  this  same  gospel  He  says:  "Which  of 
you  by  taking  thought  can  add  to  his  stature  one  cubit?"  You 
know  full  well,  children,  men's  shortcomings  in  this  respect,  many 
a  hidden  sin  of  distrust  of  providence  being  committed;  and  that 
the  capital  sin  of  avarice  is  also  committed.  These  sins  work, 
perhaps,  more  secret  harm  among  men  than  any  others.  Let  each 
one  of  us  consider  whether  or  not  in  his  thoughts  and  his  works  he 
is  overanxious  to  provide  for  his  temporal  wants,  sometimes  even  to 
the  injury  of  his  neighbor.  A  full  consideration  of  this — where 
would  it  end?  How  strange  that  we  cannot  trust  everything  to  God, 
who  rules  absolutely  over  all  things  in  heaven  and  earth.    We  act 


522  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

as  if  we  were  to  live  on  earth  for  all  eternity.  If  one  but  learned 
the  lesson  of  this  gospel,  he  would  be  shocked  to  think  that 
he  so  selfishly  seeks  his  own  advantage  against  all  his  fellowmen; 
all  his  words,  works  and  thoughts  being  devoted  to  his  own  honor, 
or  pleasure,  or  gain  exclusively;  and  that  even  in  the  things  which 
pertain  to  God's  service.  Children,  this  failing  is  so  deep-rooted  in 
many  men  that  every  corner  of  their  soul  is  filled  with  greed  for  the 
perishable  goods  of  this  world,  their  soul  being  bent  and  twisted  by 
it,  like  the  poor  crippled  woman  in  the  gospel,  who  was  bent  down 
to  the  ground  by  an  evil  spirit. 

Poor  blinded  souls!  Why  will  you  not  trust  God,  not  in  outward 
show  but  in  all  sincerity.  Has  He  not  delivered  you  from  the  infec- 
tion of  the  solicitude  of  this  treacherous  world?  Think  of  all  He 
has  done  for  you  in  the  eternal  things  of  heaven:  and  will  He  not 
provide  you  with  the  petty  necessities  of  this  life?  Is  it  not  lament- 
able, that  a  man  pretending  to  be  spiritual,  should  be  absorbed  in 
outward  occupations — his  petty  little  work,  his  little  garments,  and 
his  trifling  engagements?  Until  at  last  he  can  scarcely  ever  come 
to  God  or  enter  into  his  own  heart:  and  indeed  is  quite  content  to 
forego  all  thoughts  of  eternal  things,  if  only  his  temporal  affairs  go 
on  prosperously.  These  men,  though  they  have  the  outward  show 
of  spirituality,  are  yet  as  much  immersed  in  their  miserable  little 
doings,  as  are  men  in  the  great  world  with  affairs  of  high  importance. 
So  our  Lord  bids  us  seek  His  kingdom  first  and  its  justice,  and  after 
that  all  these  temporal  things  will  be  given  us.  He  does  not  so  much 
as  call  them  gifts,  for  they  seem  to  him  too  trifling  to  merit  so  good 
a  name.  I  can  but  be  silent  about  the  widespread  evil  of  this  foolish 
and  most  useless  anxiety  over  temporal  necessities,  straight  against 
the  ordering  of  Gods'  good  providence.  St.  Peter  says:  "Casting 
all  your  care  upon  Him,  for  He  hath  a  care  of  you"  (I  Peter  v:7). 

Carefulness  about  worldly  things  does  a  threefold  harm:  it  blinds 
the  judgment;  it  quenches  the  fire  of  love,  deadening  spiritual  earnest- 
ness; and  it  hides  the  interior  way  to  God.  It  is  like  a  malarious 
vapor  which  chokes  a  man's  breathing.  Such  is  the  influence  of 
earthly  solicitude,  which  without  doubt  springs  from  the  vice  of 
avarice. 

Let  each  one  of  you,  dear  children,  look  carefully  to  himself  as 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  523 

long  as  he  remains  in  this  life,  setting  himself  to  seek  God's  Kingdom 
deep  down  in  his  own  soul.  There  it  lies  hidden,  there  it  will  be 
found,  there  it  will  yield  you  its  riches.  I  say  to  you  emphatically, 
that  whatever  spiritual  things  you  neglect  now  for  the  sake  of 
temporal  advantage,  you  shall  lack  in  eternity.  This  earnest  devot^d- 
ness  involves  a  hard  struggle;  one  must  fight  manfully  against  self- 
interest,  against  the  evil  spirit,  and  against  the  world.  Many  a 
sinful  tendency  must  be  overcome  ere  you  shall  find  God's  Kingdom; 
and  this  is  not  to  be  achieved  in  a  day.  It  comes  with  hard  striving 
and  patient  labor;  it  involves  the  withdrawal  of  our  affections  from 
transitory  things,  and  the  suppression  of  all  anxiety  about  tliem. 
That  a  man  shall  seek  his  own  interest,  is  a  trait  rooted  deep  In  our 
animal  nature.  Yea,  even  in  his  dealings  with  God  will  he  insist 
on  having  consolation  of  spirit  and  sweetness  of  feeling — he  must 
always  crave  some  compensation.  He  will,  for  example,  join  the 
pleasures  of  human  companionship  with  the  possession  of  the  King- 
dom of  God.  But  we  must  learn  to  suffer  in  the  spirit  of  faith  in 
Christ;  after  that,  God  will  gladly  fill  us  with  His  gifts. 

Therefore  do  good  works ;  exercise  thyself  in  the  practice  of  virtue ; 
God  will  in  due  time  reward  thee.  But  meanwhile  carefully  avoid 
judging  thy  neighbor,  and  never  esteem  thyself  his  better.  Children, 
suppress  all  this  naturial  tendency  to  self-seeking.  Avoid  doing 
spiritual  things  for  petty  temporal  compensation,  because  this  smacks 
of  simony,  which  is  a  sin  against  God's  justice,  and  therefore  con- 
demned by  holy  Church.  God  is  by  His  very  nature  the  end  and 
object  of  all  things  that  exist.  Why,  then,  shouldst  thou  make  some 
contemptible  created  thing  the  end  and  object  of  thy  virtuous  works? 

Children,  seek  God's  kingdom  and  His  justice,  and  make  this  the 
foundation  principle  of  your  religious  life — seek  God  alone  in  His 
kingdom,  the  object  we  long  for  and  pray  for  in  our  Pater  Noster. 
O  how  powerful  a  prayer  that  is;  but  you  do  not  know  how  much 
this  petition  in  it  means :  "Thy  kingtom  come."  It  is  really  a  prayer 
to  obtain  possession  of  God's  own  self,  for  the  kingdom  of  God  is  God 
Himself,  reigning  in  all  created  things.  In  that  kingdom  God  is  our 
Father  (as  we  begin  the  Pater  Noster),  full  of  fatherly  fidelity  and 
fatherly  power.  If  He  finds  our  souls  ready,  then  (as  the  Pater  Koster 
proceeds)  He  makes  His  name  known,  hallowed  and  lovingly  adored 
in  our  interior  life.    And  then  follows  the  coming  of  His  holy  kingdom. 


524  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

in  us,  He  guiding  us,  and  doing  His  work  of  justice  within  us.  So, 
too,  His  will  is  done  in  us  as  it  is  in  Heaven,  that  is  to  say,  as  it  is 
done  in  Himself.  Alas,  children,  how  often  do  we  give  up  our  will 
to  God's  in  this  His  interior  kingdom  only  to  take  it  back  again,  and 
use  it  against  God's  will.  Rise  up  and  restore  God  thy  will,  bind 
thyself  fast  and  firm  to  God's  will  in  true  self-renunciation,  trusting 
for  thy  care  to  His  fatherly  providence.  Can  He  not  do  all  things? 
Hast  thou  not  often  proved  His  loving  care  of  thee?  Trust  Him, 
therefore,  most  confidently,  seeking  His  justice  and  His  kingdom 
every  day  and  hour  thou  livest. 

The  righteousness  of  God  consists  in  seeking  Him  interiorly  and 
clinging  faithfully  to  Him,  having  Him  ever  in  mind  in  what  thou 
dost,  and  giving  Thyself  over  to  His  guidance.  The  soul  that  does 
all  this  is  ruled  by  God,  and  from  it  all  inordinate  anxiety  about 
created  things  falls  away. 

I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  one  should  be  improvident;  we  must 
not  tempt  God.  You  must  exercise  prudent  foresight  for  all  proper 
provision  for  yourself,  as  well  as  for  others  confided  to  your  care. 
You  should  also  be  in  a  position  to  do  acts  of  kindness  to  your 
neighbor  in  a  spirit  of  common  charity,  all  things  being  ordered 
discreetly.  But  whatsoever  you  do  or  strive  to  do,  conversing  with 
others,  eating  and  drinking,  sleeping  and  waking  —  in  all  things 
whatsoever,  keep  God  in  view  and  God  alone,  and  not  your  own 
interests.  In  this  way  a  noble  spirit  will  go  through  this  mortal 
life  clean  of  all  sordid  avarice,  passing  amid  creatures  in  real  detach- 
ment, enslaved  to  none,  looking  forward  to  his  heavenly  country,  ever 
considering  His  heavenly  Father,  from  whose  bosom  He  came  forth 
at  his  creation. 

You  might  object,  that  if  God  does  not  abandon  those  who  put  their 
trust  in  Him,  how  does  it  happen  that  He  often  permits  good  and 
faithful  servants  of  His  to  sufifer  painful  want?  Albertus  Magnus 
gives  three  reasons  to  account  for  this.  The  first  Is,  that  God  may 
test  a  man's  trust  in  Him,  so  that  it  may  become  sincere  and  steadfast. 
Many  a  one  does  God  allow  to  suffer  want  that  He  may  perfectly 
teach  him  the  virtue  of  detachment.  And  then  He  in  due  time  comes 
to  his  help,  that  he  may  love  his  Heavenly  Father  more  tenderly, 
and  pour  out  his  soul  in  gratitude  to  Him.  In  all  this  he  is  drawn 
nearer  to  God.  The  second  reason  is  for  the  sake  of  penance;  for  by 
suffering  in  this  life  with  a  devout  resignation  to  the  divine  will,  a 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  525 

man  lessens  his  purgatory  hereafter.  And  the  third  reason  is  that 
perhaps  these  servants  of  God  are  called  on  to  suffer  as  an  eternal 
reproach  to  evil  men,  who,  though  well  able  to  assist  them,  yet 
culpably  refuse  to  do  so. 

Dear  child,  seek  this  kingdom,  for  it  is  nothing  less  than  God's 
own  self.  When  attachment  to  creatures  ceases,  then  the  will  of  God 
is  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.  The  will  of  God  in  heaven  is  the 
same  as  His  will  in  His  divine  Son.  If  thou  wilt  thyself  become  God's 
kingdom  and  be  ruled  wholly  by  Him,  then  desire  nothing,  intend  noth- 
ing but  God's  will.  Then  shall  God  be  in  thy  soul,  the  eternal  King 
seated  on  His  throne  and  gloriously  reigning. 

This  kingdom  is  in  the  deepest  depths  of  the  spirit.  A  man  is  first 
practiced  in  all  good  outward  exercises  of  piety,  and  then  he  retires 
into  the  interior  life  of  his  intelligence,  and  becomes,  as  it  were,  the 
union  of  two  different  men,  one  the  man  of  the  religious  life  of  the 
senses,  the  other  of  that  of  the  intelligence.  Thus  being  now  made  a 
twofold  man,  he  penetrates  yet  deeper  into  his  spirit,  into  the  secret 
recesses;  there  it  is  that  he  finds  the  divine  image  enshrined.  Now  he 
is  engulfed  in  the  abyss  of  the  deity,  in  which  he  was  foreknown, 
by  God  in  the  eternity  before  his  creation.  When  God  finds  a  man 
thus  turned  to  Him  in  all  self-renunciation.  He  responds  by  embracing 
him  in  His  infinite,  paternal  bosom.  God  takes  the  soul  thus  aban**- 
doned  to  Him,  and  new  forms  its  created  life,  as  if  He  transformed 
it  into  the  uncreated  life,  making  it  one  with  Himself.  If  that 
soul  could  but  see  its  own  being  as  it  now  really  is,  it  would  see  itself 
so  invested  with  the  divine  dignity  that  it  might  for  a  moment  think 
it  saw  God  Himself — it  would  even  seem  to  behold  all  the  words  and 
works  of  itself  and  of  all  other  souls. 

And  what  shall  be  the  sign  that  thou  art  coming  into  this  inner 
Kingdom  of  God  to  partake  of  this  divine  nobility?  When  all  solic- 
itude about  temporal  things  has  fallen  away  from  thy  soul ;  for  our 
Lord  tells  us  that  it  is  in  this  that  we  seek  the  Kingdom  of  God  and 
His  justice— the  giving  up  of  all  care  and  anxiety  into  the  hands 
of  the  all  faithful  heavenly  Father.  We  know  that  we  can  never  love 
God  too  much,  and,  just  the  same,  we  can  never  trust  Him  too  confi- 
dently, as  long  as  our  trust  is  rightly  guided. 

St.  Paul  bids  us  be  "Careful  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
bond  of  peace  (Eph.  iv:3).    And  here  indeed  is  a  kind  of  solicitude 


526  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

each  one  should  anxiously  cultivate,  for  interior  peace  is  to  be  vigi- 
lantly guarded.  In  that  peace  of  the  Spirit  everything  is  included — 
God  and  His  justice  and  His  kingdom.  This  peace  a  man  must  never 
forfeit,  come  what  will,  adversity  or  prosperity,  honors  or  shame.  And 
what  is  this  peace?  It  is  the  love  of  an  undivided  heart  for  each  and 
all  of  the  members  of  the  human  race;  just  as  God  loves  Himself;  a 
love  after  the  sweet  example  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  considering 
how  that  love  did  its  task,  suffering  Himself  alone  more  than  all  the 
saints  put  together.  Our  Savior  was  all  His  days  more  desolate  than 
any  man  ever  was,  and  he  ended  His  life  by  the  bitterest  death  any 
man  ever  died.  And  yet  in  all  this  the  higher  faculties  of  our  Lord's 
soul  were  as  happy  as  they  are  now  in  heaven.  The  men  who  imitate 
Him  most  closely  in  outer  abandonment  and  in  interior  desolation,  and 
who  stand  their  ground  courageously,  wholly  deprived  of  help — ^these 
are  the  ones  who  find  the  inner  kingdom  of  God  of  which  we  have 
been  discoursing.  God's  justice  is  found  in  following  Christ's  foot- 
steps in  poverty  and  desolation  of  spirit.  That  we  may  thus  seek  and 
find,  let  us  lay  aside  all  anxiety.  God's  Son  has  said :  "Whosoever  will 
save  his  life,  shall  lose  it"  (Mark  viii:  35).  Our  way  lies  in  self-denial, 
and  that  means  that  a  man  shall  essentially  go  out  from  all  that  he  is 
inwardly  and  outwardly.    May  God  grant  us  this  grace.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  527 


SII|^  Sfm^ttBinttia  of  tf|(  &0ul 

Synopsis — The  curious  double  and  even  triple  self  in  man — Breadth  of 
soul  is  the  state  of  recollection — Depth  of  soul  is  self-annihilation 
for  the  sake  of  our  fellowmen — Height  of  soul  is  holy  thanksgiving. 
How  the  outtoard  man  serves  the  inward  in  the  growth  of  the  soul 
— Christ's  example  in  His  agony  in  the  garden. 


THIRD  SERMON  FOR  THE  FIFTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER 

TRINITY 

For  this  cause  I  bow  my  knees  to  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of 
Whom  all  paternity  in  heaven  and  earth  is  named,  that  HHe  would  grant  you 
according  to  the  riches  of  His  glory,  to  be  strengthened  by  His  Spirit  with  might 
unto  the  inward  man.  That  Christ  may  dwell  by  faith  in  your  hearts:  that 
being  rooted  and  founded  in  charity,  you  may  be  able  to  comprehend,  with  all 
the  saints,  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and  height,  and  depth.  To  know 
also  the  charity  of  Christ,  which  surpasseth  all  knowledge,  that  you  may  be 
filled  unto  all  the  fulness  of  God.— Eph.  lii,  14-20. 

Children,  these  words  are  so  rich  in  meaning  that  there  is  no 
need  of  our  searching  through  authors  to  expound  them.  When 
St.  Paul  wrote  this  epistle  he  was  a  prisoner,  and  he  wished  that 
his  friends  should  not  be  distressed  on  his  account.  Let  me  say 
that  if  I  were  myself  a  prisoner,  surely  this  would  be  an  affliction 
to  my  favorite  children,  and  their  sympathy  would  make  them  all 
the  more  dear  to  me.  And  from  his  prison,  St.  Paul  pointed  out 
to  his  disciples  the  road  to  self-renunciation,  and  bade  them  not  be 
distressed  about  anything  whatsoever.  Some  men  suffer  more 
keenly  from  their  friends'  misfortunes  than  from  their  own,  and 
they  would  say  that  there  is  no  fault  in  that;  and  yet  there  is 
fault  in  every  distress  of  mind.  St.  Paul  would  teach  us  entire 
resignation  and  equality  of  mind  under  all  burdens,  all  gifts  and 
all  graces  that  God  gives  us.  Trouble  of  mind  is  a  great  obstacle, 
stagnating  spiritual  life,  clouding  its  light,  and  quenching  the  fire 
of  love.  Hence  the  apostle  elsewhere  teaches:  "Rejoice  in  the  Lord 
always;  again  I  say  rejoice"  (Phil.  iv:4). 

When  he  says  "I  bow  my  knees,"  he  means  not  only  the  outward 


528  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

act,  but  especially  the  inward  prostration.  What  is  inward  is  a 
thousand  times  wider  and  broader,  deeper  and  longer  than  what  is 
outward.  Our  outward  support  is  our  knees  and  feet,  and  these  we 
take  from  under  us  when  we  outwardly  genuflect.  So  should  one  act 
interiorly  towards  God.  All  that  he  is  and  all  that  he  can  do  he  should 
bend  down  humbly  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  thereby  owning  to 
his  natural  and  his  guilty  nothingness;  by  nature  we  are  nothing 
and  by  our  sins  our  nothingness  is  full  of  guilt.  With  this  double 
nothingness  let  us  lie  prostrate  at  God's  feet,  in  all  subjectiocn  to  Him, 
in  nudity  of  spirit  and  in  self-renunciation ;  for  these  three  are  like 
three  sisters  covered  with  the  same  garment;  and  the  name  of  that 
garment  is  humility.  A  man  should  stand  in  a  well-balanced  equality 
of  mind  between  pleasure  and  pain,  possessing  and  lacking,  hard  and 
easy;  and  he  should  receive  everything  from  God  and  nothing  from 
creatures. 

In  every  man  there  are  three  men.  The  first  man  is  guided  to  the 
subjugation  of  the  outward  senses,  as  far  as  possible,  under  the  sway 
of  reason,  drawing  them  inward  and  restraining  their  outward  activ- 
ity. Then  appears  the  second  man,  standing  in  all  detachment  of 
spirit,  greedy  of  nothing,  resting  his  thoughts  upon  his  own  nothing- 
ness, making  God  his  lord  and  master,  and  wholly  submissive  to  Him. 
The  third  man  is  now  before  us,  emancipated  from  servitude,  free  to 
enter  deep  into  the  uncreated  source  of  his  life  as  he  was  predestined 
in  God's  mind  in  eternity,  his  spirit  in  full  detachment  joined  to  God 
without  forms  or  images.  In  this  state  God  grants  him  ''the  riches 
of  His  glory";  and  he  is  richly  gifted  with  graces,  which  perceptibly 
strengthen  all  his  powers,  high  and  low;  "strengthened  by  His  Spirit 
with  might  into  the  inward  man." 

St.  Paul  says:  "That  Christ  may  dwell  by  faith  in  your  hearts." 
This  dwelling,  therefore,  refers  to  our  holy  faith,  in  which  men  greatly 
differ  one  from  another.  For  when  one  man  says:  I  believe  in 
God  the  Father  Almighty,  he  may  have  an  interior  faith  in  God  in  a 
more  sensible  and  appreciable  way  than  some  other  men.  Yet  if  a 
six-year-old  child  and  a  professor  from  Paris  make  the  same  act  of 
faith,  it  is  indeed  the  same  faith  in  both  of  them,  yet  very  differently 
understood  by  each.  So  does  an  interior  man  have  his  faith  in  a 
clear  light,  all  plain  and  distinct.  But  in  the  soul  of  the  third  and 
highest  kind  of  man,  just  awhile  ago  spoken  of,  this  knowledge  is 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  52^ 

•darkness,  without  distinctness  and  above  the  need  of  it,  superior 
to  forms  and  images,  in  a  certain  singleness  and  simplicity  of  knowl- 
edge— enjoying  holy  faith  in  all  sweetness. 

"That  Christ  may  dwell  by  faith  in  your  hearts."  Ck)mpare  Christ 
to  a  healing  salve.  Now,  when  God  finds  a  man  turned  submissively  to 
Him,  into  the  innermost  soul  of  that  man  does  God  pour  this  healing 
ointment  that  is  Christ,  and  it  is  in  this  sense  that  He  dwells  within 
our  hearts.  Then  that  heart  is  made  so  sweet  and  gentle  and  supple 
that  all  hardness  and  stiffness  are  quite  gone  from  it.  Abandonment 
to  God,  nudity  of  spirit,  and  freedom  from  all  desire — when  these 
three  virtues  are  deep  in  a  man's  heart,  then  the  unction  that  is 
Christ  soaks  down  into  all  its  recesses,  making  it  mild  and  gentle. 
He,  himself,  longs  to  be  turned  into  a  healing  salve  for  the  saving  of 
men.  His  love  of  God  has  the  "breadth  and  length"  to  embrace  all 
mankind.  St.  Paul  became  a  Jew  to  the  Jews  and  a  pagan  to  the 
pagans,  that  he  might  gain  them  all;  our  Saviour  ate  and  drank  and 
consorted  with  sinners  to  gain  them.  And  so  would  this  man  gladly 
be  ranked  with  all  classes  of  men  to  save  them. 

The  same  healing  ointment  penetrates  the  soul  with  a  universal 
brotherly  love;  none  are  excluded,  because  God  loves  all,  whether 
good  or  bad.  That  soul  is  "rooted  and  founded  in  charity";  and  the 
deeper  a  tree's  roots,  the  higher  and  broader  are  its  branches.  Alas! 
how  many  showy  trees  are  fallen  low;  how  many  fine-appearing  blos- 
soms have  been  torn  off  and  scattered  by  the  stormy  wind  of  tempta- 
tion. Our  Saviour  teaches :  "Every  plant  which  my  Heavenly  Father 
hath  not  planted  shall  be  rooted  up"  (Matt,  xv,  13).  See  to  it  "that 
being  rooted  and  founded  in  charity,  you  may  be  able  to  comprehend, 
with  all  the  saints,  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and  height,  and 
depth." 

Children,  to  have  breadth  in  God  is  to  realize  His  presence  at  all 
times  and  in  all  our  doings,  as  St.  Augustine  says :  "O  man,  thou 
canst  not  escape  His  presence.  If  thou  turnest  thy  back  on  His  coun- 
tenance, all  friendly  and  smiling,  thou  shalt  face  Him  stern  and 
angry."  This  breadth  as  it  is  in  God  is  infinite,  and  if  we  bring  it  into 
our  souls,  it  becomes  universal  love.  If  you  say  that  it  is  half  quenched 
in  this  life,  and  can  only  be  at  best  a  lovely  participation,  I  answer 
no,  dear  child.  It  is  universal,  it  is  as  broad  as  the  earth;  for  it 
embraces  all  mankind,  and  the  soul  would  give  all  it  has  and  its  own 


530  The  Sermons  and  Spiritvial  Conferences 

very  self  to  all  men.  Such  souls  easily  act  up  to  this  love,  as  did  our 
holy  Father  St.  Dominic,  who  once  sold  himself  into  slavery  at  a 
cheap  price,  and  gave  the  money  to  relieve  a  poor  man's  dire  necessity. 
In  that  sort  of  love  let  us  work,  and  as  far  as  possible  embrace  all 
men  in  its  beneficence. 

And  the  length — that  is  in  God's  eternity,  having  no  past  nor  present 
and  without  any  change,  as  the  saints  now  enjoy  God  in  heaven,  and 
know  and  love  all  that  God  enjoys.  Thus  let  us  co-operate  unceasingly 
with  Him  in  our  daily  course  of  life,  as  long  as  we  remain  here  below. 

The  depth  that  is  in  God  is  an  abyss  that  no  created  mind  can 
fathom.  But  this  we  can  do:  we  can  attain  to  a  fathomless  annihila- 
tion of  self,  insomuch  as  we  judge  ourselves  to  be  nothing  and  to 
merit  nothing.  Then  the  soul  goes  out  to  all  blinded  and  malicious 
sinners,  and  suffers  for  them  a  most  painful  grief,  melted  with  pity 
for  their  dreadful  blindness.  This  depth  of  love  is  so  immeasurable,  that 
it  carries  the  loving  soul  down  to  the  depth  of  hell,  and  if  God  would 
accept  the  exchange  (which  indeed  it  cannot  think)  it  would  feel  like 
emptying  hell  of  all  the  damned  and  taking  their  place  there  alone 
forever.  To  be  sure  no  one  should  so  pray,  nor  ever  think,  for  it  is 
against  God's  decree.  But  love  and  humility  have  inebriated  this  soul, 
till  it  resembles  Moses,  who  prayed  to  God  for  the  Israelites :  "Either 
forgive  them  this  trespass,  or  if  Thou  do  not,  strike  me  out  of  the  book 
that  Thou  hast  written"  (Exod.  xxii,  31,  32).  This  depth  of  love  is 
born  of  God's  unfathomable  love,  which  neither  angels  nor  men  can 
ever  reach  or  even  comprehend,  for,  children,  it  is  too  far  above  us. 

The  height  that  is  in  God  is  this :  He  can  do  all  things,  and  yet  He 
cannot  make  any  creature  so  noble,  as  to  enable  it  by  its  nature  to 
reach  His  own  divine  height,  even  though  such  a  creature  were  far 
above  all  seraphs  and  cherubim.  The  highest  possible  created  nature 
is  inmieasurably  below  God,  for  it  is  created  and  God  is  uncreated  and 
is  wholly  self  existent.  But  the  favored  souls  we  have  been  speaking  of 
attain  God's  height  in  a  kind  of  way,  namely  by  their  spirit  soaring  high 
towards  God  in  great  thanksgiving  and  elevation  of  soul ;  and  because 
God  has  become  so  great  to  them  and  so  high,  that  all  that  is  not  God 
seems  nothing  in  comparison,  according  to  the  prophet:  "Man  shall 
•come  to  a  deep  heart,  and  God  shall  be  exalted"  (Ps.  Ixiii,  7). 

I  declare  to  you,  that  the  man  who  rates  any  created  thing  great  and 
bigh,  even  though  he  rates  it  less  than  God,  to  such  a  one  God  cannot 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  53I 

be  known  in  His  full  height  and  grandeur.     When  a  man  has  been 
granted  full  uaion  with  God,  his  spirit  is  so  elevated  in  thanksgiving 
and  love,  and  God  has  become  to  him  so  adorable  that  nothing  whatever 
in  this  life  can  have  any  savor  of  sweetness  for  him,  nothing  less  than 
God.    All  created  beings  taken  together,  are  seen  in  His  eyes  to  be  less 
m  comparison  with  God  than  absolute  non-existence  is  in  comparison 
with  the  angels  of  heaven.    God's  super  essential  height  of  being  draws 
the  soul  so  high  above  itself  in  love  and  thanksgiving  and  praise  that 
all  possible  honor  done  to  godly  angels  and  saints  is  not  to  be  at  all 
considered;  the  soul  has  a  loving  ambition  to  transcend  them  all  and 
render  God  praise  that  shall  be  worthy  of  Him.    As  a  great  heap  of 
coals  make  a  mighty  fire  whose  flame  leaps  up  on  high,  so  is  the  soul 
now  wafted  up  above  all  its  thoughts,  imaginations  and  activities 
beyond  all  its  faculties,  noblest  and  lowest,  away  above  all  its  own 
possibilities  and  strength,  far  above  all  creatures,  into  the  height  of  the 
super  essential  Godhead.    In  this  elevation  of  spirit,  the  soul  has  its 
own  interior  depths  manifested  in  a  marvellously  clear  light,  and  is 
placed  in  union  with  God's  inaccessible  height  and  measureless  depth 
and  breadth  and  length. 

Herein  is  fulfilled  St.  Paul's  word:  "That  you  may  be  able  to  com- 
prehend, with  all  the  saints,  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and 
height,  and  depth,"  namely  in  the  Godhead.  Children,  if  it  happens 
that  any  man  comes  to  this  state  without  the  three  virtues  of  self 
abandonment,  purity  of  heart,  and  freedom  from  desire,  then  let  him 
at  least  be  securely  habited  in  deep  and  true  humility  and  enter  into 
the  monastery  of  love.  And  any  man  who  enters  this  state  without 
due  preparation  in  the  exercises  of  a  devout  life,  shall  surely  fall  to 
the  ground.  But  if  thou  hast  entered  in  furnished  with  the  above 
named  virtues,  then  thou  shalt  hold  thy  place;  for  if  thou  ever  shalt 
lose  It,  it  must  be  by  self-seeking  and  lack  of  detachment  of  spirit. 

Children,  here  precious  graces  are  granted,  and  the  seed  of  them 
IS  sown  in  this  soil,  and  springs  up.  It  is  written:  "In  Me  is  all  grace 
of  the  way  and  of  the  truth;  in  Me  is  all  hope  of  life  and  of  virtue 
Come  over  to  Me,  all  you  that  desire  Me,  and  be  filled  with  My  fruits" 
(Eccli.  xxiv,  25,  26).  To  attain  to  this  a  man  must  go  beyond  all 
creatures;  and  hence  it  happens  that  this  new  birth  is  shown  to  some 
who  nevertheless  do  not  experience  it.  But  any  man  who  directs  all 
his  spiritual  exercises  to  acquiring  genuine  self-renunciation,  to  him 


532  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

this  birth  will  be  granted,  in  case  he  steadfastly  continues  onward. 
Let  me  tell  you,  children,  that  I  sometimes  meet  with  this  in  young 
people.  But  in  those  who  undertake  it  when  advanced  in  years,  it  is 
usually  a  failure,  because  they  stand  upon  their  own  will,  adhere  to 
their  old  devotions  with  self  will;  they  are  hard  in  their  judgments 
©f  others;  in  a  word,  they  are  lacking  in  the  necessary  foundation  of 
gentleness  and  humility.  This  beautiful  virtue  has  more  interior  force 
than  self-denial,  which  belongs  rather  to  our  outward  life. 

To  men  absorbed  in  external  works,  the  interior  experiences  we 
have  been  treating  of  must  remain  hidden;  their  souls  are  too  coarse 
duly  to  appreciate  such  things  as  God's  infinite  being  dwelling  in  the 
soul.  Many  a  one  who  fancies  that  he  has  reached  a  high  point  of 
interior  spirituality,  has  as  a  matter  of  fact  never  reached  even  its 
lowest  degree.  God  draws  men  inward  to  this  sanctification  by  self- 
renunciation  and  purity  of  intention;  and  upon  learning  this,  many 
men  drive  Him  away  from  them  as  if  He  were  the  evil  one,  holding 
obstinately  to  their  self-will  and  self-indulgence.  All  the  fruits  of 
grace  are  as  if  struck  by  a  mildew  and  are  destroyed.  For  no  matter 
how  high  thou  comest,  the  three  sister  virtues  of  abandonment  to  God, 
purity  of  intention  and  self-denial,  grouped  and  held  together  by 
humility,  must  be  and  continue  with  thee  if  thou  shalt  hold  thy  place. 
When  the  evil  spirit  comes  to  thee  looking  for  his  own,  and  finds  thee 
attached  to  created  things,  that  gives  him  his  opportunity. 

And  now  what  shall  I  say  of  how  to  gain  this  blessed  spiritual 
state,  which  outward  living  men  wish  not  to  have,  for  they  are  not 
willing  to  withdraw  from  the  clatter  of  externalized  spirituality? 
Dear  child,  listen  to  my  counsel :  If  thou  recitest  an  approved  prayer 
once  with  thy  lips,  recite  it  twice  besides  with  a  loving  interior  spirit, 
and  let  no  one  hinder  thee  in  this  method.  Whatever  may  be  the  noise 
of  thy  outward  devotions,  that  may  not  count  for  much.  Meanwhile 
do  not  talk  about  thy  interior  experiences;  but  outwardly  submit 
thyself  to  everyone  in  sincere  humility.  Thy  outward  man  should 
always  wait  on  the  inward  man  as  a  servant  on  his  master,  doing  his 
bidding  to  the  utmost  of  his  power.  Such  is  not  the  way  with  those 
who  are  exclusively  occupied  with  the  external  things  of  religion,  and 
who  would  constrain  others  to  follow  the  same  course,  making  a  great 
noise  about  it.  For  thy  part,  dear  child,  be  silent ;  and  be  patient  with 
such    persons.     Abandonment   to   God,    purity   of   motive,   and   self- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


533 


denial— hast  thou  these  lovely  virtues?  Then  let  the  whole  world  be 
in  an  uproar  round  about  thee  the  livelong  day,  and  sit  thee  down 
quietly;  for  nothing  can  do  thee  harm.  If  any  disturbance  or  inter- 
ference injures  thy  health,  quietly  withdraw  out  of  reach. 

Children,  when  I  find  any  one  led  by  God  in  this  way,  I  counsel 
him  as  God  gives  me  light.  And  if  somebody  curses  and  swears  at  me 
for  doing  so,  I  cannot  help  it — let  him  curse  and  swear.  In  this 
respect  the  sisters  of  our  order  have  a  good  custom.  For  whenever 
one  of  them  feels  called  to  this  state  of  recollection,  the  others  are 
glad,  and  she  is  granted  leave  to  follow  her  interior  attraction.  They 
all  feel  that  such  a  case  is  placed  beyond  their  interference.  And 
this  is  a  lovely  condition  in  a  community,  and  one  established  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  Himself. 

Dear  child,  dwell  always  in  the  monastery  of  these  three  virtues,  so 
often  named,  and  beware  of  those  hateful  step-sisters,  self-indulgence 
and  self-love — nay,  set  upon  them  fiercely  and  cut  off  their  heads. 
These  evil  tendencies  would  drive  you  to  be  continually  asking 
privileges,  now  to  leave  the  house  to  hear  a  sermon,  again  to  go  to 
church  to  visit  the  blessed  sacrament — anything  to  enjoy  some  relaxa- 
tion from  solitude  and  recollection.  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let 
him  hear! 

Finally  St.  Paul  bids  us :  "Know  also  the  charity  of  Christ,  which 
surpasseth  all  knowledge."  This  is  that  knowledge  with  which  our 
Lord  overcame  the  devil  by  His  bitter  death  and  thereby  redeemed 
us.  And  yet  in  that  He  became  the  most  utterly  forsaken  of  all  men 
on  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  at  the  same  time  the  most  perfectly 
acceptable  to  His  Father  that  He  possibly  could  be.  Did  He  not 
exclaim:  *'My  God!  My  God!  Why  hast  Thou  forsaken  me?"  (Mark 
XV,  34),  being  more  utterly  abandoned  by  His  Father  than  any  saint 
has  ever  been.  Before  this  He  had  felt  this  abandonment  during  His 
agony  and  bloody  sweat  in  the  garden,  although  in  the  highest  part 
of  His  soul  He  was  joined  to  the  Godhead  as  truly  as  He  is  today  in 
heaven.  This  is  the  knowledge  and,  as  it  were,  the  skill  Christ  would 
teach  us,  surpassing  all  other,  namely  that  one  should  be  stripped 
of  all  consolation;  and  becoming  miserable,  being  wholly  without 
support,  should  abide  in  total  self-renunciation,  in  imitation  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Whosoever  does  this  becomes  most  pleasing  to 
the  heavenly  Father. 


534  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

God  rules  and  reigns  in  snch  a  soul.  In  its  innermost  depths  essen- 
tial peace  is  born:  if  thou  hast  been  granted  it,  let  neither  man  nor 
angels  nor  devils  ever  take  it  from  thee.  And  yet  thou  must  continue 
to  hold  thy  outward  man  in  check,  wholly  subjecting  him  to  thy 
inward  man,  and  continually  suppressing  and  grieving  him,  never 
trusting  him,  never  crediting  him,  lest  he  place  any  hindrance  to  the 
progress  of  thy  spirit  by  his  various  devices,  most  especially  by  his 
sinful  inclinations.  To  be  sure,  as  long  as  we  are  in  this  life  we 
cannot  be  wholly  without  comfort;  but  place  thy  reason  in  supreme 
control  of  thy  appetites,  that  all  satisfaction  of  natural  cravings  may 
be  taken  in  God  and  through  God,  and  to  this  end  constantly  pray  for 
God's  guidance  in  such  things.  Our  Lord  always  strengthens  those 
who  frequently  beg  His  aid,  enlightens  them  with  His  wisdom,  and 
perfects  their  work  by  His  goodness.  May  God  help  us  to  follow  St. 
Paul's  blessed  counsels  in  such  wise  that  we  may  attain  to  the  posses- 
sion of  essential  truth.     Amen. 


ofjohn  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


535 


Synopsis-Remarks  on  the  vocation  to  a  devout  life-Beginners  are 
absorbed  m  keeping  the  comnmndments-How  the  love  of  one's 
neighbor  weighs  heavy  in  the  balance  of  newly  formed  piety- 
Proficients  are  led  into  the  Emngelical  counsels-How  this  voca- 
cation  IS  related  to  religious  orders-Penalty  for  rejecting  this  vo- 
cation^The  perfect  are  totally  absorbed  in  imitation  interiorly 
and  exteriorly  of  the  life  and  passion  of  Christ-Remarks  on  the 
different  states  of  souls  in  purgatory. 


FIKST  SERMON  FOR  THE  SIXTEENTH  SUNDAY 
AFTER  TRINITY. 

supporting  one  another  ircharufcarefulT?./^^.^"^^^^^  ^'^^  P«"«°^^' 

the'^'v^rtL'T/wV^      '"  ''  ''  '^°^^'^^^'  '^^  "^^'^-^  "--^^^^  Of 
tne  vocation  in  which  you  are  called:"     First    who  has  p-iIIpH   „c. 

TlLTmZfT'  "'^•^°""  ""-^  «<""'--'  --  butt  can 

reacner  says  All  that  God  ever  did,  all  that  He  now  does  is  only  t„ 
brmg  the  soul  of  man  to  hear  the  divine  call,  and  to  lovr^i    »^er» 

SoTrt'  R  "k"'  ""  °"''  '''"''  "^-  "  '«  '«  "»'»■'  with  His  tTne 
Son  to  be  His  brother  and  His  co-heir.  He  is  the  highest  amonrffis 
brethren;  He  is  by  nature  the  Heavenly  Father's  heir;  and  God  cf^ls 


536  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

us  to  be  His  Son's  co-heirs  by  grace.  Hence  our  vocation  or  calling. 
We  are  invited  to  follow  His  example  and  to  pattern  on  His  character; 
for  He  is  the  way  we  must  tread,  the  truth  to  guide  us  in  our  journey, 
the  life  that  shall  be  our  end.  All  this  according  to  our  ability,  yet 
not  in  mere  good  will,  but  in  a  victim's  life  and  patient  suffering. 

Third,  what  is  the  voice  that  calls  us,  and  how  is  it  uttered?  God's 
voice  is  manifold.  In  our  soul's  depths  God  calls  us  by  His  inspira- 
tions, warnings  and  admonitions  day  and  night,  and  sometimes  with 
severe  inner  visitations.  Outwardly  He  calls  us  by  every  happening  of 
life,  now  in  joy,  again  in  sadness.  These  are  all  strong  voices  of  God 
calling  us  to  Him.  O,  if  a  man  will  but  be  led  by  these  sweet  divine 
tones,  he  will  not  need  God's  harsher  measures. 

The  fourth  is  that  a  worthy  following  of  God's  vocation  is  to  go 
onward  in  all  patience,  and  humility,  and  mildness. 

God  calls  three  sorts  of  men,  beginners,  proficients,  and  the  perfect. 
Let  none  of  us  repine  on  account  of  the  place  he  is  given,  for  God  is 
the  Lord,  and  He  allots  to  every  one  his  right  degree;  and  He  wills 
that  all  of  us  shall  be  conformed  to  His  only  begotten  Son.  Some 
things  are  commanded,  some  forbidden.  The  highest  commandment 
is  to  love  God  above  all  things.  Many  a  one  says  he  does  this,  and 
meanwhile  will  not  give  up  certain  things  that  stand  in  the  way  of 
his  love  of  God,  and  in  which  he  has  more  joy  than  in  God ;  this  shows 
how  he  loves  God. 

Another  commandment  is :  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself, 
namely,  desiring  him  to  enjoy  the  same  good  fortune  that  thou  de- 
sirest  for  thyself.  Thou  shalt  honor  thy  father  and  mother;  and  this 
precept  includes  all  who  are  placed  over  thee.  Thou  shalt  not  take 
God's  name  in  vain.  Thou  shalt  keep  Sundays  holy  and  all  feast 
days.  Such  are  the  commandments  we  must  observe  if  we  would  be 
saved. 

What  is  forbidden  is  this:  Thou  shalt  do  thy  neighbor  no  injury, 
in  body,  goods,  or  reputation,  neither  by  words  or  works;  nor  shalt 
thou  covet  anything  that  is  his;  and  thou  shalt  commit  no  impurity. 
There  are  still  other  commandments,  but  they  are  all  included  in 
these. 

Now  be  well  assured,  children,  that  any  man  who  goes  straight 
along  this  way,  and  is  obedient  in  the  true  faith  to  the  holy  Christian 
church,  leading  an  orderly  life,  such  a  one  is  in  the  lowest  class  of 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  537 

those  who  hear  the  vocation  of  God  and  obey  it.  He  is  sure  to  come 
finally  to  God,  after  the  fires  of  purgatory  have  cleansed  him  of  all 
defects  in  the  divine  service. 

The  second  degree,  that  of  the  proficient,  is  the  practise  of  the 
evangelical  counsels,  and  is  much  higher  than  the  first,  being  the  way 
of  chastity,  poverty  and  obedience.  That  we  may  follow  this  vocation 
rightly  and  perfectly,  holy  Church,  guided  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  has 
formed  various  orders  and  communities,  well  adapted  to  aid  us  to 
this  end,  and  they  are  provided  with  appropriate  rules.  When  men 
and  women  undertake  the  obligations  of  this  state  of  life,  and  then 
violate  them,  holy  Church  sits  in  judgment  on  them.  But  if  one  feels 
called  to  this  life  of  the  counsels  outside  of  an  order  and  without  its 
obligations,  and  then  rejects  the  call  (as  when  a  woman  has  made  a 
private  vow  of  chastity  and  yet  gets  married),  such  a  one  holy  Church 
does  not  call  before  her  public  tribunal,  but  leaves  that  case  to  God's 
secret  judgment  in  the  tribunal  of  confession.  But  as  to  those  living 
in  community,  it  is  a  gross  perversity  if,  having  an  appearance  of  high 
spirituality,  they  yet  have  only  a  worldly  heart  in  their  bosoms.  It 
is  of  these  that  St.  Augustine  speaks:  "Cursed  is  the  man  who  goes 
astray  in  the  way  of  the  Lord."  This  is  God's  way;  He  has  called 
these  souls  to  walk  in  it  according  to  His  evangelical  counsels.  Let 
every  one  having  this  vocation  take  heed  to  himself  how  he  walks  in 
it;  let  him  take  heed  lest  he  shall  be  found  at  the  marriage  feast 
without  a  wedding  garment,  and  be  thrust  forth  into  the  outer 
darkness. 

Each  one  should  consider  interiorly  and  settle  in  his  mind  what  is  his 
vocation  from  God.  Otherwise,  thou  shalt  today  try  one  way  of  life, 
and  tomorrow  want  to  change  it  and  try  another,  according  as  thou 
seest  and  hearest  things  round  about  thee.  Know  thy  own  place 
well,  and  pay  no  attention  to  any  other,  for  it  concerns  thee  not. 
What  is  one  man's  meat  is  another  man's  poison.  Look  to  thyself 
carefully;  let  nothing  cause  thee  to  neglect  thyself.  I  declare  to  you 
that  there  are  many  men  living  in  the  world  with  wife  and  children, 
sitting  in  the  shop  and  making  shoes,  having  only  God  in  mind  and 
heart  and  the  decent  support  of  their  family;  and  there  are  many 
poor  peasants  who  earn  their  daily  bread  with  hard  toil,  thinking 
only  of  God:  and  it  may  well  happen  that  these  souls,  following  their 
humble  calling  in  all  simplicity  of  heart,  shall  fare  better  at  the  last 


538  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

day  than  many  members  of  orders,  who  are  not  true  to  their  vocation. 
These  simple  laymen  stand  in  fear  of  God,  their  souls  are  poor  and 
humble,  and  they  go  steadfastly  forward  in  their  divine  vocation. 
And  thou,  lifted  up  so  much  higher,  see  to  it  that  thou  be  not  self- 
blinded;  diligently  meditate  on  the  vocation  wherein  God  hath  called 
thee,  follow  it  straight  on,  go  not  astray  in  it. 

The  third  and  highest  vocation  is  the  imitation  of  the  blessed  ex- 
ample of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  all  respect*,  actively,  passively,  and 
in  contemplation,  with  purest  motives,  in  entire  detachment  of  spirit, 
thereby  attaining  the  loftiest  point  of  perfection.  Search  your  hearts 
and  discover  how  near  to  this  divine  pattern  you  have  come.  Only  in 
our  innermost  souls  is  our  essential  life  to  be  found,  and  here  is 
where  we  are  to  be  entirely  conformed  to  Christ.  It  is  about  entering 
this  state  that  Jeremias  speaks:  "Thou  shalt  call  Me  Father  and 
Shalt  not  cease  to  walk  after  Me"  (Jer.  iii,  19).  And  as  Laban  said 
to  Abraham's  servant:  "Come  in,  thou  blessed  of  the  Lord,  why 
standest  thou  without?"  (Gen.  xxiv,  31),  so  can  I  say  to  a  soul 
faithful  to  this  call :  Thou  art  a  blessed  man,  true  to  God's  vocation, 
first  by  obeying  His  commandments,  then  in  following  the  counsels  of 
His  gospel,  and  now  in  walking  after  the  example  of  our  Lord  in  all 
humility  and  patience,  as  St.  Paul  teaches.  Such  a  one  must  go  deep 
into  the  interior,  sometimes  by  means  of  forms  and  images,  at  other 
times  in  the  stillness  of  his  spirit  without  any  forms  or  any  works, 
"careful  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,  one  body 
and  one  spirit"  in  the  new  forming  of  the  created  spirit  by  the  un- 
created Spirit.  Now  the  spirit  of  man  is  all  the  more  newly  formed, 
in  proportion  as  he  has  walked  the  more  exactly  in  the  adorable  foot- 
steps of  our  Lord,  in  all  patience,  humility  and  mildness  The  careful- 
ness with  which  one  keeps  the  unity  of  the  Spirit,  that  is  to  be 
measured  by  the  diligence  of  one's  inward  faculties,  daily  and  hourly 
observing  one's  thoughts  and .  affections ;  and  meanwhile  outwardly 
practising  zealously  all  the  virtues  of  one's  state  of  life.  Sometimes 
one  should  exercise  himself  in  works  of  holy  charity  as  opportunity 
offers ;  again  he  will  be  drawn  backward  into  very  interior  prayer  with 
the  images  of  a  devout  imagination;  and  sometimes  his  soul  will  be 
engaged  with  God  without  any  figures  of  his  imagination.  St.  Anselm 
says:  "Draw  thy  soul  away  from  the  multiplicity  of  external  things, 
and  fall  asleep  to  the  stormy  thoughts  of  thy  mind :  sit  down  and  rest 
and  be  lifted  up  above  thyself."    When  this  silent  peace  is  established 


of  John  Taulcr,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


539 


in  the  soul,  then  comes  the  Lord  as  He  did  to  Ellas,  "in  the  whistling 
of  a  gentle  air"  (III  Kings  xix,  12).     In  this  the  Lord  only  castg  a 
glance  into  the  soul's  depths.    But  when  such  a  man  becomes  aware  of 
His  presence,  then,  like  Queen  Esther  in  the  presence  of  King  Assue- 
rus,  his  spirit  faints  away  within  him.    And  yet  the  soul's  mantle  ia 
still  drawn  over  its  face  as  it  follows  the  divine  presence  in  an  ecstacy. 
It  was  thus  that  Esther  sank  down  before  the  King,  who  then  raised 
her  up  again.    When  the  Spirit  enters  this  man's  soul,  all  support  is 
drawn  away,  all  that  was  his  own  has  gone  from  him,  and  he  sinks 
into  his  own  nothingness  in  all  things  and  in  all  ways.    And  were  he 
not  upheld  in  the  mighty  arms  of  God,  he  would— so  it  seems  to  him— 
vanish  out  of  existence.     This  man  now  deems  himself  less  than  all 
creatures,  more  miserable  than  any— corrupt  as  a  corpse,  beastly,  void 
of  reason  or  sense,  yea,  worse  even  than  Satan  himself.    The  King, 
perceiving  that  the  soul  is  thus  emptied  of  self,  then  takes  it  and  raises 
it  up  and  gives  it  His  kiss  of  love.    And  this  is  due  to  the  soul's  lowli- 
ness—the lower  its  self  estimate  the  higher  its  elevation.    Then  God 
and  the  spirit  exchange  ineffable  greetings,  and  both  are  made  as  one; 
for  God's  sovereignty  looks  downward  with  especial  favor  into  the 
deep  valley  of  humility. 

Presently  this  happens:  when  the  soul  has  attained  to  so  high  a 
state  of  blessedness,  the  evil  one  comes  and  assails  it  with  tempta- 
tion to  spiritual  pride.     Besides,  it  may  be  that  God  will  allow  the 
soul  to  fall  into  some  venial  fault,  as  for  example  wilful  anger;  and 
this  is  permitted  to  cause  the  soul  to  sink  yet  deeper  into  the  con- 
sciousness of  its  own  nothingness,  whereupon  God  can  elevate  to  a  yet 
higher  degree  of  union.    Or  perhaps  it  happens  that  bitter,  reproach- 
ful words  are  spoken  against  that  man  in  the  presence  of  others,  and 
God  allows  him  to  be  overwhelmed  with  anguish  and  shame  on  that 
account.     If  this  has  happened  to  thee,  be  not  shocked:  thou  hast 
learned  a  new  and  a  better  lesson  of  thy  own  nothingness— all  goes 
well;  thou  Shalt  now  walk  more  worthily  in  the  way  of  ''the  unity  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace."    Whatever  man  thus  walks,  following 
the  example  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  all  mildness  and  humility 
according  to    his  lot  in  life,  in  him  shall  God's  peace  be  born,  a  peace 
that  passes  all  understanding;  and  a  light  has  dawned  in  that  soul's 
life  that  will  shine  within  it  for  all  eternity.     May  the  eternal  God 
help  us  all  to  this  holy  state.    Amen. 


540  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — Patience  a  very  interior  virtue — Meekness  closely  allied  to 
patience — Peace  with  Ood  is  won  ty  absolute  abandonment  to  Him 
— This  is  sometimes  an  exceedingly  hard  trial. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  SIXTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

As  a  prisoner  in  the  Lord,  I  beseech  you  that  you  walk  worthily  of  the  voca- 
tion in  which  you  are  called,  with  all  humility  and  mildness,  with  patience, 
supporting  one  another  in  charity,  careful  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  In 
the  bond  of  peace.  One  body  and  one  Spirit,  as  you  are  called  in  one  hope  of 
your  calling. — Eph.  iv,  1-5. 

These  holy  words  should  be  constantly  before  every  man's  eyes. 
We  should  never  forget  the  apostle's  admonition  to  realize  the  sanctity 
of  our  vocation,  and  we  should  be  true  to  it  in  all  humility,  mildness, 
and  patience,  meanwhile  bearing  with  one  another's  shortcomings  in  ali 
brotherly  love.  I  exhort  all  of  you  by  the  love  you  bear  to  God,  to 
cultivate  these  virtues  with  great  earnestness;  for  all  good  works 
depend  on  them,  even  those  attached  to  receiving  the  adorable  sacra- 
ment; namely,  humility,  mildness,  patience  and  brotherly  love. 

But  one  will  never  acquire  them  except  by  suffering  contraJictions. 
If  a  man  meditates  on  how  humble  he  would  be  if  he  were  oppressed, 
and  if  he  imagines  how  patient  he  would  be  if  he  were  persecuted — 
that  amounts  to  nothing,  it  easily  drops  out  of  the  soul,  it  is  artificial 
virtue.  But  when  one  is  actually  shamed  and  dishonored  by  works 
and  deeds,  and  forthwith  in  all  affection  and  meekness  looks  about 
to  do  some  special  favor  to  the  one  who  has  injured  him:  and  when 
in  return  for  his  gentle  kindness  his  enemy  spits  in  his  face,  and  yet 
he  continues  to  serve  him — this  is  indeed  meekness.  Meekness  and 
patience  must  be  won  by  hard  fighting;  for  how  am  I  to  be  patient  if 
no  man  reviles  me?  And  as  patience  mostly  concerns  our  bearing 
outward  injuries,  so  is  meekness  rooted  mainly  in  interior  self  denial. 
Suppose  that  I  am  proclaimed  a  lying  teacher,  and  that  I  am  covered 
with  reproach  and  shame  and  my  teaching  condemned  as  false,  and  a 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  541 

friend  of  mine  should  be  deeply  pained  at  this;  should  not  bis  sym- 
pathy seem  to  me  like  doing  me  a  wrong?  For  does  he  not  seek 
to  lessen  my  good  fortune  in  having  the  opportunity  to  practise 
patience?  I  ought  not  to  love  him  the  better  for  his  condolence  but 
rather  the  less.  How  unworthy  a  Christian  should  I  not  be,  if  I  were 
not  willing  to  walk  in  the  footsteps  of  my  Lord  and  God,  whose  whole 
life  and  teaching  was  so  shamefully  falsified  and  brought  to  nought  in 
the  hearts  of  men.  Hence  my  earnest  entreaty  to  you  that  you  should 
suffer  gently  and  patiently  all  shame,  and  tribulation,  and  all  painful 
inflictions  of  what  kind  soever,  bearing  with  one  another's  faults  in 
universal  love. 

Now  St.  Paul  says:  Be  "careful  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in 
the  bond  of  peace."  And  the  virtues  we  have  been  praising  are  a  true 
bond,  binding  all  into  oneness  of  spirit  in  holy  peace.  And  how  shall 
we  attain  to  oneness  with  God's  spirit?  The  exercises  of  religion  for 
that  end  are  best  placed  in  the  later  hours  of  the  night  when  the 
winter  season  prolongs  the  'time  of  darkness.  Go  to  thy  rest  early  in 
the  evening,  if  thou  wilt  seriously  endeavor  after  this  holy  state,  so 
that  being  refreshed  with  sleep  thou  mayst  be  able  to  rise  after  mid- 
night, search  thy  innermost  motives  in  holy  prayer,  making  manifest 
to  thy  conscience  every  love  thou  dost  cherish,  revealing  to  thyself 
every  habit  of  thy  mind;  and  then  directing  all  thy  life  into  con- 
formity with  the  life  of  our  Lord.  And  if  thou  findest  no  special 
grace  in  this,  then  in  God's  name,  renounce  once  more  all  sense  of 
ownership  in  thy  spiritual  practices,  and  devote  thyself  earnestly  to 
meditating  on  the  passion  and  death  of  our  Lord,  adoring  His  precious 
blood  and  His  sacred  wounds.  By  this  shall  one  endeavor  to  arouse 
his  love,  and  herein  shallihis  inner  life  be  made  manifest  to  him;  for  as 
a  great  heap  of  coals  or  wood  blazes  up  into  a  great  fire,  so  shall  this 
pious  practice  inflame  one's  heart.  But  let  a  man  soon  dispense  with 
the  figures  of  his  imagination,  and  with  fiery  love  penetrate  through 
the  middle  ground  of  his  spirit  into  its  hidden  interior.  Such  a  man 
now  works  not  but  God  works  within  him,  God  alone,  in  whose  hands 
he  rests  passive.  And  yet  his  former  good  pious  practices  still  profit- 
ably linger  in  his  soul,  and  light  shines  upon  him  from  our  Lord'a 
passion ;  he  feels  the  bitterness  of  sorrow  for  his  sins ;  he  prays  as 
before  for  the  living  and  the  dead;  but  all  this  must  now  be  cast  deep 
into  God  in  great  nudity  and  singleness  of  spirit.  And  when  the  rays 
of  divine  light  have  broken  a  way  into  this  soul,  thus  all  noble,  almost 


542  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

passive  under  God,  then  comes  essential  Truth,  namely,  God,  and 
draws  the  spirit  into  Himself.  And  His  beams  are  swift  as  lightning, 
yea,  swift  as  angels'  flights  between  earth  and  heaven,  whose  speed  is 
above  that  of  the  lightning.  Nor  does  even  this  rightly  tell  how 
swift  and  bright  are  the  rays  of  God's  love  and  truth  in  the  soul's  inner 
life,  winning  and  absorbing  the  soul,  which  must  refer  all  back  again 
to  God,  and  be  at  one  with  Him. 

Here  is  indeed  the  true  adorer,  that  adores  God  in  spirit  and  in 
truth  (John  iv,  23).  Here  true  peace  is  born,  and  those  virtues  that 
lead  to  it,  of  which  we  have  been  discoursing,  and  now  a  struggle 
commences.  For  poor  human  nature  is  so  wasted  and  weakened  as  to 
seem  to  have  lost  itself.  Then  the  soul  feels  like  saying  to  itself :  God 
have  mercy  on  thee,  what  has  become  of  thy  good  pious  practices? 
Why  is  thy  psalm  singing  silenced?  This  poor  man  would  have  some- 
thing, know  something,  love  something  of  created  existence;  and  ere 
these  three  somethings  have  faded  from  his  mind,  his  natural  forces  are 
exhausted.  All  this  does  not  happen  in  a  day;  the  long  combat  must 
be  patiently  fought  out;  the  soul  must  exert  continually  an  eager 
zeal  for  its  sanctification  and  gradually  grow  accustomed  to  conflict; 
and  so  win  its  new  spiritual  strength ;  until  at  last  it  becomes  like  the 
saints,  happy  and  triumphant  in  its  trials:  "Afflicted  in  few  things,  in 
many  they  shall  be  well  rewarded"  (Wis.  iii,  5).  And,  as  St.  Bernard 
tells  us,  when  nature  is  at  last  put  totally  to  de^th,  the  soul  shall 
address  our  Lord  words  of  tenderest  love:  O  love,  only  love  of  my 
heart!  Would  that  I  were  worthy  of  a  place  among  Thy  best  loved 
and  could  embrace  Thee  fast  and  firm  in  my  soul's  embrace,  and 
Thou  me  in  Thy  deepest  Spirit,  and  that  I  might  never  lose  Thee 
more! — words  uttered  from  the  innermost  consciousness  of  the  heart. 

Dear  children,  turn  to  God  with  all  your  heart,  and  do  it  in  any 
approved  way  whatsoever,  for  the  way  that  is  given  thee  by  God's 
providence,  that  is  the  way  that  leads  to  Him.  Whatever  devotion 
attracts  thee,  follow  it  faithfully,  noting  carefully  beforehand  whatso- 
ever gives  thee  the  most  grace.  Be  sure  that  a  single  sweep  of  thy  mind 
upon  the  wings  of  love,  into  the  wounds  of  Christ,  is  worth  more  to 
God  than  all  bell  ringing  and  organ  playing  and  fine  singing  and 
gorgeous  vestments  in  the  world.  Dear  children,  if  you  will  but  tuni 
to  God  earnestly,  and  with  your  inmost  soul,  then  will  your  tempta- 
tions cease,  and  with  them  will  cease  your  scrupulous  pestering  of  your 
father  confessor.    All  will  soon  be  well  ordered  by  your  more  interior 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


543 


devotional  spirit,  which  gives  a  clear  knowledge  of  our  imperfections 
and  a  humble  avowal  of  them  to  God;  so  that  when  one  goes  to  con- 
fession, one  can  hardly  think  of  anything  to  tell.  May  God  help  us  to 
all  this,  so  that  we  may  devoutly  follow  our  Lord  in  the  practise  of 
virtue.    Amen. 


544  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — Spiritual  self-interest  is  the  root  of  Pharisaism — The  differ- 
ent grades  of  this  vice — Warnings  about  sensible  devotion — St. 
Bernard's  three  qmlities  of  love:  sweet,  toise  and  strong — Unselfish 
love  embodies  these  qualities — How  this  is  perfect  in  a  very  super- 
natural decree  of  self-annihilation. 


SEKMON  FOR  THE  SEVENTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

And  behold  a  certain  lawyer  stood  up  tempting  Him,  and  saying:  Master, 
what  must  I  do  to  possess  eternal  life?  But  He  said  to  Him:  What  is  written 
in  the  law?  how  readeth  thou?  He  answering,  said:  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  thy  whole  heart,  and  with  thy  whole  soul,  and  with  all  thy 
strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind;  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  And  He  said 
to  Him :     Thou  has  answered  right ;  this  do  and  thou  shalt  live. — Lulie  x,  25-28. 

Children,  our  Lord's  questioner  thought  not  of  God  or  of  eternal  life 
for  his  purpose  in  asking  was  treacherous.  O  how  comes  it  that  such 
a  Pharisaical  spirit  prevails  among  men,  that  in  word  and  work  they 
regard  outward  things  exclusively;  as  long  as  an  outward  show  of 
piety  is  observed,  they  go  on  with  all  liberty  in  their  greed  for  money 
and  honors  and  pleasures  of  all  sorts.  Now  everything  that  men  do 
for  the  sake  of  show,  all  that  they  would  have  held  for  great  and 
wonderful,  such  works  God  makes  no  account  of,  no  matter  how  high 
they  may  seem.  Who  caused  this  or  that  work  to  be  done?  That 
question  decides  whose  the  work  is. 

The  inward  pharisaism  is  this :  No  matter  what  a  Pharisee  does  he 
always  has  himself  in  view.  Some  spiritual  men  are  thus  infected, 
even  though  they  are  not  aware  of  it ;  for  thinking  that  they  do  things 
for  God's  honor,  yet — if  only  you  could  read  their  hearts — they  do 
them  out  of  self  love;  and  this  includes  even  their  prayers.  This 
fundamental  fault  is  deeper  in  some  than  in  others;  but  once  made 
habitual,  it  is  seldom  entirely  overcome.  Men  ostentatiously  do  great 
things;  they  endeavor  to  gain  indulgences,  they  beat  their  breasts, 
they  pray  before  pious  pictures,  here  they  kneel  and  there  they  run  in 
their  showy  devotions;  and  throughout  it  all  they  do  not  consider 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  545 

God ;  for  their  love  and  their  purpose  is  not  given  to  God  but  is  bent 
downward  to  creatures.  Created  things  minister  to  them;  these  are 
their  joy,  a  joy  wilfully  and  knowingly  received.  Their  own  inward 
and  outward  comfort  and  profit  is  the  end  they  have  in  view.  This  is 
not  according  to  this  gospel :  "Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
thy  whole  heart;''  and  therefore  God  makes  no  account  of  it. 

Then  we  find  other  men  who  are  a  little  better;  they  are  cured  of 
this  delusion,  and  they  have  turned  away  from  earthly  things  as  much 
as  they  can.  But  their  pious  methods  smack  too  much  of  the  life  of 
the  senses,  and  their  souls  are  absorbed  too  much  in  gross  mental 
pictures  of  Christ's  holy  humanity,  the  scenes  of  His  birth,  the  events 
of  His  life,  sufferings  and  death.  All  this  is  in  their  soul  in  a  manner 
far  too  material.  These  feelings  journey  through  the  soul  as  a  ship 
upon  the  waters  of  the  Khine.  This  is  called  by  preachers  a  fleshly  love 
of  God,  but  I  would  prefer  to  call  it  a  sensible  love — a  love  dominantly 
of  the  senses,  thinking  only  of  our  Lord  as  known  by  the  senses,  and 
viewing  Him  thus  from  head  to  foot.  These  men  draw  from  their 
devotions  a  pleasurable  love  rather  than  a  divine  love,  and  it  must 
be  reckoned  as  savoring  of  the  pharisaical.  Such  men's  souls  dwell 
more  intently  on  the  things  they  do  than  on  the  end  for  which  they 
should  do  them.  Spiritual  contentment — that  instead  of  God,  is  what 
they  strive  after.  It  is  not  the  essential  but  the  accidental,  not  the  goal 
but  the  way  to  it,  not  the  inner  meaning  but  the  outer  act,  that  engages 
their  mind :  and  God  has  the  least  possible  to  do  with  their  religious 
existence.  Natural  love  and  divine  love  seem  so  much  alike,  that  we 
cannot  easily  distinguish  one  from  the  other.  It  were  better  for  such 
a  man  to  have  no  devotional  sweetness,  if  he  could  but  manage  to  do 
all  his  pious  actions  without  it.  In  this  way  he  would  learn  to  read 
his  own  heart  far  more  truly.  And  yet,  although  the  way  of  sensible 
devotion  is  thus  by  no  means  the  most  perfect,  nevertheless  would  to 
God  that  we  had  more  men  willing  to  follow  even  that  low  method. 

Children,  St.  Bernard,  speaking  of  the  love  that  is  commanded  us, 
says  that  it  is  threefold :  a  sweet  love,  a  wise  love,  and  a  strong  love ; 
which  I  can  explain  by  a  comparison.  The  first  is  a  wooden  statue' 
gilded  all  over,  the  second  a  silver  statue  gilded  all  over,  and  the  third 
is  a  statue  of  solid  gold :  the  wooden  one  is  sweet  love,  the  silver  one  is 
wise  love,  the  gold  one  is  strong  love. 

Now  if  the  wooden  statue  is  well  made  and  finely  gilded,  every 
particle  of  it  being  well  hidden  with  gold  leaf,  we  prize  it  highly;  but 


546  The  Sennons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

when  the  gold  begins  to  peel  off  and  the  poor  wood  shows  out  we  would 
faardly  give  twelve  pennies  for  it.  So  it  is  with  out  devotional  sweet- 
ness in  good  works  and  prayer;  it  is  the  fine  appearing  gold  leaf;  peel 
it  off,  and  our  religious  life  is  of  small  value  to  us,  however  much 
it  may  once  have  delighted  our  natural  sensibility.  But  by  means  of 
sensible  devotion  God  leads  and  entices  a  man  onward  to  a  better  love, 
which  is  gradually  developed  in  the  soul  amid  these  sweet  sentiments, 
until  at  last  He  extinguishes  the  natural  enjoyments  which  have  min- 
gled with  pure  love.  Let  us  not  cast  away  sensible  devotion;  let  u^ 
receive  it  with  all  reverence  and  humility.  But  we  should  ascribe  to 
our  pettiness  and  meanness  that  the  Lord  must  thus  allure  us  onward 
from  the  religion  of  imagination  to  that  which  is  so  far  above  it, 
through  outward  to  inward  things,  even  unto  His  own  divine  self  in  the 
depths  of  our  souls,  where  He  would  establish  His  Kingdom  of  ever- 
lasting truth.  We  meet  with  many  who  have  much  sensible  joy  in 
their  devotion,  and  whose  interior  hearts  are  shut  in  as  tight  as  a 
mountain  of  iron — nothing  can  come  forth  from  them.  This  is  due 
to  want  of  proper  spiritual  training.  Their  souls  rest  upon  the  forms 
and  maps  of  the  mind ;  they  are  unconscious  of  that  light  of  eternal 
truth  that  shines  in  their  inmost  souls: — they  never  penetrate  those 
holy  depths.  But  no  man  can  serve  two  masters,  namely,  his  senses 
and  his  spirit. 

Then  we  must  consider  St.  Bernard's  second  kind  of  love,  which  he 
calls  wise  love.  This  is  seated  in  the  reason;  and  it  is  wonderfully 
elevated  above  the  first  kind.  We  have  likened  it  to  the  silver  gilt 
statue,  which  is  intrinsically  very  precious,  and  if  it  were  a  large 
statue  might  be  the  chie?  adornment  of  a  church.  So  is  this  wise  love, 
seated  as  it  is  in  the  understanding,  a  precious  thing  and  exceedingly 
lovely.  Now  mark  how  thou  mayst  attain  to  it.  Thou  must  turn  thy 
spirit  to  eternal  things.  As  thou  hast  been  wont  to  dwell  on  sensible 
images  in  the  mind,  as,  for  example,  mental  pictures  of  our  Lord's  life, 
consider  now  the  eternal  meaning  of  each  and  all  of  the  events  of  His 
life.  Think  on  the  eternal  birth  of  the  infinite  Word  of  God  in  the 
bosom  of  the  Father;  how  He  was  born  to  us  and  yet  remained  with 
the  Father;  consider  how  the  Holy  Ghost  proceeded  in  unspeakable 
love  from  the  Father  and  the  Son ;  and  consider  the  divine  life  of  the 
blessed  Trinity,  one  only  God  in  three  distinct  persons.  Draw  into 
that  divine  sanctuary  thy  own  nothingness,  and  thy  manifold  dis- 
tracted life ;  look  deep  into  the  hidden  recesses  of  the  Eternal  God-head ; 


of  John  Tauler,  the  lUiuninated  Doctor  547 

think  that  to  Him  there  is  no  past  and  no  future,  but  only  an  ever- 
lasting present,  possessing  in  an  infinite  way  all  things  whatsoever, 
embracing  them  in  the  divine  unchangeableness.  Place  all  this  in  con- 
trast with  thy  own  variableness  in  this  life  of  fleeting  time,  with  thy 
changeable  and  fluctuating  spirit.  Thus  it  will  happen  that  thy 
sensible  love  will  be  elevated  above  its  forms  and  images  in  a  state  of 
self-renunciation  and  will  approach  to  a  wise  love  of  the  understand- 
ing, thereby  using  these  lower  forms  as  helps  to  pass  through  and 
beyond  into  a  higher  state  of  holiness. 

Children,  this  wise  love  leads  a  man's  spirit  so  far  beyond  these  alien 
figures  of  outward  things,  that  he  presently  is  in  a  state  of  forgetful- 
ness  of  them.  In  his  first  state,  it  was  a  laborious  task  to  turn  away 
from  worldly  things,  and  now  they  drop  out  of  his  mind  of  their  own 
weight.  He  despises  them  and  feels  a  downright  aversion  for  them  and 
for  all  that  is  not  rightly  ordered  in  his  affections.  This  grace  raises 
the  mind  above  all  transitory  things  far  more  effectually  than  strenu- 
ous external  observances:  one  is  now  more  entirely  regenerated.  His 
soul  gazes  into  the  divine  obscurity;  for  God  the  infinitely  incompre- 
hensible, is  dark  to  the  created  understanding,  just  as  the  noon  day 
sun,  if  looked  at  directly,  dazzles  and  blinds  the  human  eye  by  its  very 
brightness. 

Dionysius  says:  "God  is  above  every  name,  or  existence,  or  figure 
that  man  can  attribute  to  Him :  He  is  superessentially  above  all 
things."  As  soon,  then,  as  a  man  is  granted  to  know  something  of 
what  God  essentially  is,  the  knowledge  sinks  him  downwards:  it  melts 
and  dissolves  him  into  his  own  nothingness.  And  the  clearer,  the 
more  nakedly,  God's  infinitude  beams  upon  him,  the  better  he  under- 
stands his  own  littleness,  his  very  nothingness.  It  follows  that  the 
reality  of  this  inner  divine  illumination  cannot  be  known  in  any 
mental  forms  and  figures,  nor  by  any  action  of  tiie  mental  faculties; 
it  can  only  be  verified  in  the  inmost  essence  of  the  spirit,  and  in  the 
sinking  of  the  spirit  downiward  into  the  sense  of  its  own  utter  noth- 
ingness. 

This  is  against  the  error  of  those  overbold  spirits,  who  are  led 
astray  by  false  inner  illumination.  They  imagine  that  they  have  found 
the  infinite  truth,  and  they  are  puffed  up  with  self-complacency.  Their 
heads  are  turned  with  their  false  mortification;  they  dishonor  our 
Lord  by  their  evil  treatment  of  other  men,  whom  they  deny  to  hav« 
reached  a  state  of  prayer  which  is  beyond  that  of  the  figures  of  the 


548  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

imagination.  You  may  be  sure  that  a  really  devout  man  never  thinks 
himself  too  good  to  practice  the  least  act  of  piety,  however  simple  and 
even  contemptible  it  may  seem  to  proud  spirits.  And  when  he  does 
arrive  at  a  state  where  he  feels  he  can  rightly  dispense  with  certain 
ordinary  devotional  practises,  he  by  no  means  despises  them — he  loves 
them  as  much  as  ever  he  did  when  he  followed  them :  in  fact  he  rates 
himself  below  all  things,  and  deems  that  he  has  attained  to  no  per- 
fection. It  is  men  of  a  different  spirit,  men  of  a  proud  spirit,  who  come 
to  you  with  their  heads  in  the  air,  and  who,  if  they  hear  some  wild 
sermon  that  has  neither  dovout  method  nor  living  truth  in  it,  proclaim 
it  the  highest  doctrine  ever  taught.  As  to  the  living  truth  of  God,  all 
plain  and  simple,  for  that  they  have  no  taste  whatever.  As  a  matter  of 
fact  these  souls  are  stagnated;  they  bask  in  their  own  natural  light, 
parading  idly  about.  They  have  never  broken  through  their  weakness, 
being  regardless  of  the  lessons  of  our  Lord's  adorable  life.  They  have 
never  subdued  nature  by  the  practise  of  virtue:  the  true  way  of  love 
is  unknown  to  them.  They  trust  to  a  false  inward  recollection  which 
flatters  their  natural  pride,  and  which  blinds  them  to  the  deep  rooted 
defects  of  their  spirit,  inducing  a  counterfeit  state  of  repose.  This 
evil  is  very  obstinate,  and  we  may  well  pray  a  merciful  God  to  pity  it 
and  reform  it. 

In  these,  our  evil  days,  I  would  be  loath  to  make  men  miserable  by 
my  complaints,  for  it  is  well  nigh  a  hopeless  task  to  wean  them  from 
their  almost  universal  self  love.  But  this  I  will  aflfirm:  If  any  one 
will  attain  to  this  degree  of  wise  love,  he  must  practise  self-denial,  he 
must  make  little  of  himself,  and  he  must  exactly  follow  the  gospel  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Such  a  man  falls  into  no  false  state  of  recol- 
lection, nor  is  he  infected  with  a  false  spirit  of  liberty — he  cares  noth- 
ing at  all  for  himself.  And  that  is  the  reason  why  he  is  very  dear 
to   God. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  third  degree,  namely,  the  strong  love, 
as  St.  Bernard  calls  it.  We  have  compared  this  essential  love  to  a 
statue  of  pure  and  solid  gold.  Now  some  of  this  pure  love  all  must 
have:  if  any  man  feels  his  soul  totally  devoid  of  it,  his  state  is  a 
perilous  one,  and  he  may  well  weep  day  and  night.  This  gold  is  so 
brightly  polished  that  it  dazzles  the  eye: — one  can  hardly  gaze  straight 
at  it,  for  it  is  the  brightness  of  God  shining  upon  the  soul:  He  is 
present  there.  The  spirit  is  too  weak  to  endure  this  brightness,  which 
threatens  to  melt  it  away  into  its  original  helplessness.     And   the 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  549 

spirit  has  no  relief  but  to  be  lifted  into  the  divine  being,  and  lose 
all  knowledge  of  self-existence.  This  peculiar  divine  presence  is  simply 
overpowering.  Then  the  soul  does  as  Elias  the  prophet  did  in  God's 
presence  in  the  mouth  of  his  cave.  The  soul  wraps  its  mantle  of  help- 
lessness about  its  eyes  in  an  ecstacy;  all  mental  activity  seems  still. 
God  appears  to  assume  every  act  and  thought  and  affection.  In  this 
strong  love  the  spirit  is  immersed  in  its  Beloved,  as  a  litle  drop  of 
water  in  the  deep  sea.  The  spirit  is  made  one  with  God  almost  as  the 
air  with  the  sunlight  at  midday.  But  how  all  this  is,  can  be  better 
known  by  experience  than  told  by  words. 

And  what  afterwards  remains  in  the  spirit?  Only  a  sense  of  utter 
self-annihilation,  total  giving  up  of  all  proprietorship  in  will  and  in 
mind  and  in  life.  The  soul  sinks  to  the  bottom:  and  if  it  could  sink 
yet  lower  into  actual  nothingness,  this  it  would  (if  such  a  thought 
were  lawful  or  possible)  be  overjoyed  to  do  out  of  love  and  out  of 
humility.  This  self-annihilation  comes  into  existence  as  if  newly  born 
within  the  soul.  Such  a  man  deems  himself  unworthy  to  be  a  man,  to 
enter  a  church,  to  look  at  a  crucifix :  he  is  persuaded  that  he  is  worse 
than  the  evil  one.  But  never  before  were  our  Saviour's  sufferings 
so  well  loved,  never  did  that  man  love  His  Lord's  blessed  humanity  so 
devotedly.  It  seems  to  him  that  now  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  he 
has  begun  to  love.  And,  indeed,  he  seems  only  to  be  beginning  to 
practise  virtue,  and  rightly  to  go  through  spiritual  exercises.  All  such 
things  from  least  to  greatest,  he  now  performs  in  a  spirit  essentially 
sincere.  Indeed,  as  God  is  present  to  Him  in  everything,  so  the  sim- 
plest and  the  highest  acts  of  piety  are  now  all  alike.  The  highest 
heavens — as  the  soul  now  plainly  understands — work  with  the  lowest 
earth  in  God's  undivided  unity  of  purpose;  the  highest  works  at  its 
best  when  it  fructifies  the  lowest.  So  the  soul  perceives  clearly,  that 
God's  mightiest  influence  is  displayed  in  sanctifying  man's  deepest 
lowliness  of  humility. 

As  the  sun  absorbs  unto  itself  the  moist  vapoij  of  the  deep  hidden 
valleys,  so  God  seems  to  absorb  this  soul  into  Himself.  It  is  drawn  into 
God  and  thinks  and  feels  as  if  it  were  now  even  as  God ;  and  presently 
it  sinks  down  back  again  into  itself,  and  thinks  and  feels  as  if  it  were 
even  less  than  man.  The  soul  is  like  an  iron  vessel  half  full  of  water 
set  over  a  hot  fire :  it  boils  up  and  down  and  sometimes  boils  over  the 
sides:  taken  off  the  fire,  the  water  sinks  down  silently  to  the  bottom. 
Thus  does  the  fire  of  this  strong  love  affect  the  spirit,  lifting  it  up  into 


550  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

God,  the  overflowing  point,  as  if  it  were  about  to  be  thrown  out  of 
itself  into  divine  oblivion ;  and  then  it  drops  back  into  the  consciusness 
of  its  own  nothingness. 

This  strong,  free  love  has  three  qualities.  The  first  is  that  it  forcibly 
lifts  the  spirit  up  and  casts  it  into  union  with  Him  who  is  its  beloved, 
far  above  the  working  of  its  faculties  of  knowing  and  remembering, 
and  beyond  the  reach  of  understanding  and  the  action  of  the  senses. 
The  second  is  that  it  sinks  the  soul  down  into  a  fathomless  sense  of  its 
own  nothingness,  in  a  state  of  humiliation  wholly  incomprehensible, 
so  that  it  seems  to  have  lost  its  place  and  name  in  all  existence.  The 
third  quality  is,  that  this  strong  love  marvellously  changes  a  man's 
soul  into  a  most  peaceful  state  of  contentment;  he  is  entirely  restful 
no  matter  what  happens;  he  stirs  about  only  very  little,  remaining 
tranquil  in  his  place,  awaiting  the  Lord's  will  to  lead  him  hither  or 
thither.  He  has  become  like  a  servant  standing  beside  his  master 
sitting  at  table,  looking  quietly  for  a  signal,  ready  to  do  or  not  to  do, 
just  as  he  is  bidden. 

Yet  after  all  this  great  progress,  it  is  quite  possible  that  the  evil  one 
will  assail  him,  and  even  with  the  most  violent  temptations.  But  in 
vain :  these  but  offer  him  occasion  for  an  immeasurable  increase  of  love. 
He  stands  as  firm  as  a  rock,  he  yields  not  a  single  step.  When  ail  this 
is  gone  through  with,  the  spirit  stands  like  a  newly  ordained  priest 
before  the  altar :  all  that  he  is,  all  that  he  has,  all  that  he  does  is  holy. 
In  his  daily  conduct  he  has,  as  it  were,  the  blessed  body  or  the  Lord 
in  his  keeping,  to  lift  it  up  and  to  set  it  down  where  he  will.  And  yet 
his  humility  ever  abides  with  him.  He  dare  not  say  a  Pater  Noster, 
without  humbly  prefacing  it  with  the  words  holy  Church  bids  her 
priests  utter  in  the  mass:  "Admonished  by  Thy  saving  precepts,  and 
following  Thy  divine  institution,  we  make  bold  to  say :  Pater  Noster." 
The  soul's  littleness  is  ever  before  its  eyes  in  contrast  with  the  Father's 
sovereign  holiness,  which  it  contemplates  and  petitions  with  fear  and 
trembling.  Indeed,  children,  every  one  of  us  should  thus  acknowledge 
that  it  is  a  marvellous  thing  that  his  weakness  and  misery  should 
dare  to  address  God  and  call  Him  Father. 

And  now  what  is  yet  wanting  to  this  man  thus  transformed  in  God? 
This  condition  is  waiting,  namely,  a  soul  full  of  God,  a  body  full  of 
pain.  And  when  that  state  comes  upon  him,  God  looks  often  into 
him,  casting  a  lightning  flash  of  love  into  the  inmost  depths.  Then  all 
pain  seems  too  little  to  that  soul.     And  another  effect  of  these  quick 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  55j 


visits  of  the  Holj  Ghost,  is  that  in  them  the  soul  is  taught  what  it  must 
now  do,  for  what  intention  it  must  suffer  pain,  or  what  it  shall  proclaim 
m  Its  preaching.  Maj  God,  who  is  true  and  essential  love,  grant  us 
thus  to  love  in  this  life,  grant  too  that  the  divine  light  may  shine  thus 
within  us.    Amen. 


552  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


S^itrtual  of  Spirit 

Synopsis — Lying,  anger  and  stealing  briefly  considered — The  higher 
and  loicer  faculties  of  the  human  spirit  described — How  God 
unites  our  spirit  to  His  own  for  our  renewal — Times  and  other  cir- 
cumstances which  favor  the  process  of  this  union — Outwfird  good 
works,  how  related  to  this  inward  process — The  relation  of  out- 
toard  suffering  to  it. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  EIGHTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

Be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind ;  and  put  on  the  new  man.  who,  accord- 
ing to  God,  is  created  in  justice,  and  holiness  of  truth.  Wherefore,  putting  away 
lying,  speak  ye  the  truth,  every  man  with  his  neighbor:  for  we  are  members 
one  of  another.  Be  angry,  and  sin  not.  Let  not  the  sun  go  down  upon  your 
anger.  Give  not  place  to  the  devil.  He  that  stole,  let  him  now  steal  no  more, 
but  rather  let  him  labor,  working  with  his  hands  the  thing  which  is  good,  that 
he  may  have  something  to  give  to  him  that  sufifereth  need. — Eph.  iv,  23-28. 

The  epistle  of  St.  Paul,  read  at  mass  today,  is  full  of  meaning  and 
rich  in  doctrine.  Particularly  should  we  hearken  to  the  apostle's  ad- 
monition :  "Be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind."  And  he  tells  us 
things  to  do  and  things  to  avoid.  Three  things  especially  must  we 
avoid,  namely,  lying,  anger,  and  stealing:  these  three  must  first  be 
gone  from  us  ere  we  shall  be  renewed  in  God. 

And  what  is  lying?  Saying  something  or  showing  some  sign  con- 
trary to  one's  mind:  the  heart  and  the  mouth  are  thus  against  each 
other.  And  there  are  some  men  who  make  a  show  of  spirituality,  and 
yet  their  hearts  are  anything  but  spiritual,  being  altogether  worldly 
and  possessed  by  love  of  created  things.  I  am  not  speaking  so  much  of 
men  placed  in  a  worldly  state  of  life;  I  speak  of  worldly  hearted  men 
in  a  higher  spiritual  state  of  life,  and  yet  who  enjoy  their  fill  of  worldly 
pleasures,  not  being  loyal  to  God.  Even  such  things  as  dress  and 
ornaments  engage  their  affections  rather  than  God.  But  if  you  tell 
them  this,  they  blaze  up  in  anger,  they  instantly  find  false  excuses: 
they  are  (so  they  say)  young  and  they  must  enjoy  themselves;  or 
they  do  thus  and  so  that  God  may  be  all  the  better  served.  And  all 
this  is  a  foul  lie.    Is  God  better  served  by  introducing  things  into  thy 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  553 


affections  that  lead  thee  away  from  Him?  Shall  not  the  blessed  God 
make  thee  happier  than  miserable  creatures?    It  is  all  a  base  lie. 

Then  there  are  other  liars,  men  who  do  certain  good  spiritual  works, 
but  who  even  in  their  piety  ever  keep  themselves  in  mind  more  than 
God.  Some  of  them  will  be  thirty  or  forty  years  in  this  state,  and 
never  find  themselves  out.  Nor  is  this  ignorance  guileless,  for  they 
should  have  searched  their  motives.  They  should  have  carefully  con- 
sidered whether  it  was  self-interest  or  God's  glory  that  actuated  them  — 
the  reward  of  heaven  alone,  or  God's  honor.  Children,  it  needs  an 
earnest  endeavor  to  clearly  unveil  one's  motives.  Day  and  night  must 
one  study  himself,  imagining  himself  in  various  ways,  investigating 
deeply  what  it  is  that  presses  him  on  in  his  pious  deeds.  And  in  all 
this  he  must  direct  every  motive,  he  must  expend  every  force  directlv 
for  God  and  God  alone.  Then  one  tells  no  lie  in  externally  leading  a 
devout  life.  Every  good  work  that  is  diverted  from  God  is  a  lie.  Every 
good  thing  I  do  that  is  not  done  for  God  is  idol  worship. 

And  St.  Paul  forbids  anger,  hereby  quoting  from  the  Psalmist:  "Be 
angry,  and  sin  not."  This  means  that  we  must  bridle  our  irascible 
faculty,  constantly  mistrusting  it.  Meanwhile,  when  we  feel  an  aver- 
sion against  what  is  not  for  God,  we  must  show  it  only  by  our  efforts 
to  change  it  for  the  better,  if  that  be  within  our  power.  But  we  meet 
with  men  who  seek  to  change  other  men  for  the  better,  and  in  doing 
so  make  themselves  worse.  These  are  hotheaded  men,  bitter  minded 
men,  full  of  scornful  words,  threatening  gestures,  and  black  looks, 
enemies  of  their  own  peace  as  well  as  that  of  others.  Such  a  one  ex- 
cuses himself  by  saying:  "I  have  a  bad  temper."  But  why  should  thy 
neighbor  suffer  on  that  account-?  If  thy  temper  is  bad,  take  pity  on 
thyself  as  well  as  on  thy  neighbor  and  bridle  thy  irritability.  If  thou 
canst  not  restrain  thy  temper,  then  be  silent.  It  is  a  great  achieve- 
ment, to  be  ''angry  and  sin  not.''  Wilt  thou  put  out  the  fire  in  thy 
neighbor's  house  and  meanwhile  let  thy  own  house  burn  down?  Thou 
triest  to  heal  thy  neighbor's  trifling  wound,  and  givest  him  two  or  three 
heavy  ones  in  the  process. 

St.  Paul  says :  "Let  not  the  sun  go  down  upon  your  anger."  This 
means  that  if  you  have  quarreled  with  your  neighbor,  you  should  do 
your  best  to  be  reconciled  to  him  before  sunset  that  very  day.  And  he 
means,  too,  that  the  sun  of  Christian  prudence  should  not  be  obscured 
by  angry  passions.  Be  sure  of  one  thing,  dear  children,  by  disobedi- 
ence to  this  precept  and  by  thereby  gravely  injuring  your  neighbor,  you 
lose  God's  love  and  forfeit  all  the  graces  vou  have  received. 


554  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

And  the  apostle  says :  "He  that  stole,  let  him  steal  no  more."  Steal- 
ing is  unjustly  taking  and  keeping  what  does  not  belong  to  us,  and  it 
may  refer  both  to  spiritual  and  material  things.  Spiritual  men  steal 
by  appropriating  in  many  ways  to  their  own  use  and  profit  what  be- 
longs to  God  alone,  using  spiritual  offices  and  emoluments  differently 
from  what  God  wills.  They  interpose  themselves  between  God  and 
what  belongs  to  Him  alone.  Let  no  one  presume  to  do  this.  Let  every 
one  accept  the  emoluments  of  a  clerical  office  with  real  fear  of  heart,^ 
for  not  only  may  God  be  offended  by  self-interested  conduct  in  office, 
but  such  a  transgressor  is  liable  to  be  disgracefully  deprived  of  hi^ 
office.  For  myself,  I  will  confess  that  now  for  these  many  years,  I 
have  not  been  able  to  consider  myself  worthy  to  be  called  a  son  of  our 
father,  St.  Dominic  or  a  preacher  in  his  order. 

Stealing  may  also  be  connected  with  accepting  alms,  which  is  a 
matter  very  easily  disquieting  to  an  enlightened  conscience.  One 
should  carefully  consider  why  he  accepts  them  and  how  he  has  merited 
them.  It  is  true,  children,  that  both  the  old  and  new  testament  allow 
me  to  accept  alms  on  account  of  my  priesthood,  (for  he  that  serves 
the  altar  should  live  by  the  altar) ;  and  yet  I  dread  them.  If  at  the 
beginning  I  had  known  as  much  as  I  do  now,  I  had  rather  have  chosen 
to  be  supported  by  my  family  inheritance  than  by  alms. 

St.  Paul  says :  "Be  ye  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind."  A  man's 
spirit  has  various  names,  according  to  its  activities,  and  according  to 
one's  point  of  view  in  considering  it.  Sometimes  our  spirit  is  called 
a  soul,  inasmuch  as  it  gives  life  to  the  body,  dwelling  in  every  limb, 
and  imparting  all  movement.  Sometimes  it  is  distinctively  named  the 
spirit;  and  in  this  sense  it  has  a  close  kinship  with  God,  who  dwells  in 
it  by  ineffable  union.  For  God  is  a  spirit  and  the  soul  is  a  spirit  sprung 
from  the  divine  Spirit.  And  our  spirit  is  ever  inclined  to  contemplate 
God's  spirit,  and  to  return  again  to  union  with  its  divine  origin :  this 
tendency  of  return  to  God  is  never  absent  from  our  soul.  Sometimes 
our  spirit  is  called  the  mind,  a  beautiful  being  indeed,  the  assemblage 
of  all  the  faculties  of  will,  memory  and  understanding.  And  above 
and  beyond  the  working  of  these  faculties,  it  has  an  interior  and  essen- 
tial object;  namely,  God.  For  if  the  mind  be  but  rightly  directed  to 
God,  all  its  other  activity  is  rightly  ordered;  and  when  it  is  directed 
away  from  God,  all  goes  wrong  with  it,  whether  one  is  aware  of  this 
or  not.  The  mind  is  also  said  to  be  the  soul's  depths,  in  which  the 
holy  Trinity  lies  hidden  in  its  true  form ;  and  in  this  the  mind  is  noble 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  555 

beyond  power  of  words  to  describe.  Sometimes  the  spirit  is  called  the 
center  or  crown  of  the  soul :  and  as  God  can  have  no  name  that  rightly 
tells  of  Him,  neither  can  this  inner  sanctuary  of  God  be  rightly  named. 
Whosoever  can  behold  how  God  dwells  in  the  soul's  deepest  depths,  is 
made  blessed  by  the  sight.  But  this  kinship  of  God  and  the  nearness 
of  God  to  the  soul  is  too  wonderful  for  man  to  presume  to  discourse 
of   it. 

"Be  rtoewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind."  Now  we  have  said  that 
the  spirit  is  superior  to  the  mental  faculties,  for  they  are  to  it  but  a 
drop  of  wine  compared  to  a  whole  cask;  and  it  is  in  this  supreme 
spirit  that  the  apostle  bids  us  to  be  renewed.  This  is  accomplished 
by  an  energetic  penetration  into  the  inner  life,  associated  with  a  prac- 
tical and  very  direct  love  of  God,  viewing  all  things  in  Him  only.  It  is 
an  attribute  of  the  spirit — considered  apart  from  its  faculties — that  it 
is  able  to  adhere  to  God  steadfastly  and  without  intermission;  while 
the  faculties  can  have  no  uninterrupted  union  with  God.  And  the 
renewal  of  a  man  must  be  effected  in  his  spirit.  God  is  a  spirit  un- 
created, and  hence  it  must  be  man's  created  spirit  that  shall  be  united 
to  Him,  man  being  elevated  to  Him  and  absorbed  in  Him  in  a  wholly 
purified  spirit.  Before  creation  man  was  in  the  divine  Spirit  in 
Eternity,  as  God  foresaw  his  existence;  and  now  in  his  created  life  it 
must  be  by  the  spirit  that  he  shall  be  united  again  to  God. 

The  learned  ask  this:  If  a  man  wilfully  gives  himself  up  to  things 
that  pass  away,  does  not  his  spirit  pass  away  with  them?  And  com- 
monly they  answer  yes,  as  long  as  he  thus  remains.  But  a  great 
teacher  says :  "As  soon  as  a  man  returns  again  to  God  with  his  spirit 
and  with  his  whole  will,  and  directs  his  spirit  into  God's  spirit  as  He 
dwells  in  eternity,  so  shall  all  his  spirit's  dignity  be  restored  to  him, 
and  that  instantaneously — all  that  was  lost  is  recovered."  A  thousand 
perversions  of  the  spirit  may  thus  be  remedied  over  and  over  agaiur  in 
this  work  of  God's  love,  ending  in  a  true  renewing  of  the  spirit  and 
reunion  with  God.  And  to  this  reunion  may  be  applied  the  Psalmist's 
words:  "This  day  have  I  [newly]  begotten  thee,"  (Ps.  ii,  7).  When 
the  spirit  is  thus  mingled  with  God's  being  and  melted  into  Him  in  its 
innermost  life,  it  is  re-formed  and  renewed.  And  that  transformation 
of  human  spirit  is  perfected  in  God's  spirit,  in  proportion  to  the  fidelity 
and  purity  of  intention  with  which  the  soul  has  persevered  in  this 
kind  of  spiritual  life,  ever  keeping  God  in  view.  And  as  the  air  ie  so 
lighted  up  with  the  sun's  rays  that  one  cannot  distinguish  air  from 


556  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

light,  so  it  is  in  the  union  of  the  spirit  of  man  with  the  Spirit  of  God. 
"Who  can  ever  behold  this  union,  so  far  transcending  all  natural 
union — this  union  all  divine,  in  which  the  human  spirit  is  immersed  in 
the  abyss  of  its  infinite  origin  ?  If  a  conmaon  man  could  see  the  human 
soul  thus  united  to  God's  spirit,  he  would  without  doubt  think  that  he 
saw  God  Himself.  Never  did  eagle  fly  towards  the  sun  in  the  sky  so 
swift  as  does  the  soul  of  man  fly  to  God,  in  this  renewing  of  the  spirit 
of  his  mind.  And  yet  in  this  flight  the  soul  goes  onward  into  a  divine 
obscurity,  as  Job  says :  "To  a  man  whose  way  is  hidden,  and  God  hath 
surrounded  him  with  darkness"  (Job  iii,  23).  He  knows  now  the  deep 
things  of  God  that  are  far  above  all  that  may  be  described;  nameless 
and  formless  is  this  knowledge  of  God  and  super  essential. 

Children,  that  turning  to  God  is  the  essential  one;  and  the  stillness 
of  night  is  the  most  favorable  time  for  effecting  it.  When  one  has  had 
a  sound  sleep  before  matins,  let  him  then  abstract  all  his  senses  and 
powers  as  if  stealing  them,  and  right  after  matins  let  him  sink  them 
away  from  him  and  place  himself  beyond  all  the  forms  and  images  of 
these  faculties,  and  lift  himself  above  their  activity.  But  let  him  not 
in  his  littleness  aspire  to  that  supernal  obscurity  of  which  a  certain 
saint  said:  "God  is  darkness  to  the  sharpest  eyes  and  in  the  clearest 
light  because  in  His  essence  He  is  unknowable  in  any  human  fashion." 
Abandon  thyself  in  all  singleness  of  mind  to  God,  and  ask  no  further 
questions,  thinking  God  and  living  God — that  alone.  Cast  everything 
upon  the  unknown  God,  even  thy  failings  and  thy  sins;  give  him 
charge  of  all  thy  affairs  in  a  very  practical  spirit  of  love,  placing  all  in 
the  obscure,  and  divine  will.  Beyond  this,  such  a  man  must  think  of 
nothing,  desire  nothing,  neither  devotional  methods,  nor  tranquility, 
nor  activity,  nor  anything  whatsoever,  but  only  to  be  given  over  entirely 
to  the  will  of  God. 

And  now  suppose  that  while  a  man  be  thus  engaged  in  this  blessed 
interior  occupation  God  guides  him  to  give  it  up,  and  to  do  an  outward 
good  work,  as  to  visit  a  sick  person.  In  that  case  let  him  do  it  with 
much  joy.  If  I  were  one  of  those  favored  men,  and  God  called  me  out 
of  this  deep  recollection  of  spirit  to  preach,  it  might  well  happen  that 
God  would  be  especially  present  with  me  in  my  busy  work,  in  which, 
perhaps,  he  would  de  me  more  favor  than  in  the  highest  contemplation. 
Therefore,  after  some  hours  of  the  night  and  early  morning  have  been 
given  to  this  interior  absorption  in  God,  then  as  the  day  opens  and 
God's  will  places  thee  in  outward  labors,  do  them  gladly  and  in  all 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  557 

peace  of  soul.    If  thou  meanwhile  keepest  God's  presence  in  mind,  thou 
mayst  perhaps  receive  more  graces  than  in  the  still  prayer  of  the  night. 

St.  Paul  bids  us  labor  with  our  hands,  for  the  maintenance  of  our- 
selves and  our  neighbor.  Now  the  truly  poor  in  spirit  are  the  men 
we  have  been  considering;  for  they  deny  themselves  the  bliss  of  con- 
templation, for  their  neighbors'  sake,  following  God's  will  in  either 
the  quiet  of  recollection  or  the  active  care  of  others.  But  young  and 
eager  souls  need  to  give  God  much  longer  time  in  the  interior  life; 
for  otherwise  when  they  go  forth  to  outward  cares  they  will  be  in 
danger  of  remaining  outside  altogether.  And  if  one  has  no  savor 
of  God's  deep  interior  working,  let  him  stand  his  ground  patiently  in 
faith;  in  this  state  of  pain  and  desolation  he  will  advance  more  in 
perfection  than  in  outward  exercises  of  religion. 

Children,  you  cannot  conceive  what  great  progress  such  a  soul 
makes,  a  progress  extending  into  every  thought,  word  and  act,  even  the 
most  trifling.  All  that  he  does  is  meritorious.  To  these  men  long 
life  on  earth  is  a  great  boon ;  for  every  day  advances  them  in  the  renew- 
ing of  their  spirit,  if  they  are  faithful  in  all  points  as  I  have  explained. 
To  be  sure  they  are  not  conscious  of  their  blessed  state,  and  live  in 
great  simplicity  of  spirit  and  suffer  much.  This  is  because  nature 
might  easily  be  inflated  with  pride,  and  so  God  hides  the  work  of  love 
He  is  doing  in  them.  Sometimes,  however,  God  selects  a  deeply  humble 
spirit  to  whom  He  manifests  it  all.  Alas,  those  who  can  bear  this  are 
few  in  number ;  for  the  more  a  thoroughly  humble  soul  learns  of  God's 
love  for  him,  so  much  the  more  does  he  refer  it  all  to  God's  honor;  the 
deeper  does  he  sink  into  his  interior  depths,  and  the  less  he  attributes 
anything  to  himself. 

It  is  mostly  in  enduring  sufferings  that  such  men  make  progress,  for 
our  Lord  tries  them  in  every  possible  manner.  And  they  are  sorely 
tried  by  all  those  who  are  associated  with  them.  If,  for  example, 
there  are  one  or  two  of  these  holy  souls  in  a  community,  all  the  others 
turn  upon  them  and  by  words  and  deeds  afflict  them,  as  if  they  were 
beating  them  with  strokes  of  a  hammer.  Of  old  the  heathen  and  the 
Jews  martyred  the  Christians ;  but  now,  poor  child,  thou  shalt  be  mar- 
tyred by  those  who  seem  very  holy,  and  who  do  more  good  works  than 
thou  dost.  They  say  to  thee  that  thou  hast  gone  wrong;  that  they  have 
heard  and  studied  much  and  know  much,  and  that  thou  knowest  noth- 
ing; the  like  of  this  they  say  to  thee,  till  thou  canst  not  tell  whither  to 
turn  or  what  to  try  for  thy  relief.    All  this  cuts  thee  to  the  marrow : 


558  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

and  now  is  the  time  to  be  on  thy  guard,  and  to  suffer  in  silence,  yield- 
ing meekly  to  all.  Say  interiorly :  Beloved  Lord :  Thou  knowest  well, 
that  I  mean  nothing  but  Thee  in  all  I  am,  or  do,  or  suffer.  The  fault- 
finders would  sit  in  judgment  on  these  interior  souls,  and  force  them 
to  stiff  uniformity  with  the  common  practices  of  devotion.  But  this 
is  not  to  be  done,  for  it  is  not  possible,  and  everyone  must  be  allowed 
liberty  to  follow  his  own  special  calling  from  God. 

And  so  must  we  all  be  renewed  in  holiness  of  truth,  and  in  justice. 
Holiness  and  justice  that  is  our  own,  children,  is  all  nothing  but  lack 
of  justice,  spiritual  uncleanness,  a  nameless  thing  before  God's  eyes. 
Children,  it  must  all  be  according  to  God's  justice  that  we  shall  be 
made  holy,  not  in  our  self-chosen  ways  or  words  or  anything  else  of 
ours,  but  all  of  Him  and  in  Him.  May  we  sink  deep  into  Him  and  be 
poured  out  into  Him.  And  may  He  grant  that  we  shall  all  be  found 
renewed  in  Him  in  all  truth.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  559 


Attiring  tl|^  Vtxht  fat  tlje  »ribrgr0om 

Synopsis — Our  soul  is  called  to  nuptial  union  with  God — First  comes 
the  souVs  cleansing  from  even  the  pettiest  sin — Then  it  must  re- 
nounce favorite  devotions,  if  Ood  calls  for  this — A  very  interior 
sense  of  abandonment  to  God's  tcill  next  must  follow — All  this  is 
accompanied  hy  the  ordinary  virtues  of  its  state  of  life. 


FIRST    SERMON    FOR    THE    NINETEENTH    SUNDAY    AFTER 

TRINITY. 

Feast  of  St.  Cordula,  Virgin  and  Martyr. 

The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  likened  to  a  king,  who  made  a  marriage  for  his 
son. — Matt,  xxii,  3. 

This  is  the  feast  of  the  holy  virgin,  St.  Cordula.  Left  by  God  to 
her  own  feebleness,  she  sank  below  all  into  the  lowest  place,  and  over- 
come with  fear  of  men,  she  would  have  escaped  from  martyrdom  by 
flight.  But  God,  by  her  interior  suffering,  gave  her  the  highest  degree 
of  sanctity,  surpassing  all  her  companions.  All  the  tortures  that  St. 
Ursula  and  her  virgins  endured,  wounds  and  scourgings  and  death,  she 
suffered  interiorly,  for  she  was  martyred  in  her  heart  and  spirit:  she 
may  be  said  to  have  died  the  death  of  each  and  all  of  those  martyrs, 
dying  indeed  many  deaths  for  each  of  their  single  deaths.  And  then 
finally  she  delivered  herself  up  to  the  power  of  her  enemies,  and  fell 
by  their  sword. 

Children,  children,  let  ijs  wonder  at  the  marvellous  fidelity  of  God 
to  us,  let  us  be  amazed  at  the  hidden  ways  by  which  He  leads  us  to 
Himself,  manifesting  to  our  souls  the  deepest  secrets  by  means  the  most 
astonishing.  God  leaves  a  man  to  himself  amid  frightful  temptations, 
oppressed  with  every  dire  calamity,  abandoned  to  poor  human  weak- 
ness. But  if  one  will  only  recognize  God's  guidance  in  this  visitation 
and  follow  Him  obediently,  he  will  thereby  attain  to  a  degree  of  holiness 
a  thousand  times  higher  than  if  he  had  had  no  bitter  conflict  to  sustain. 
Let  him  but  earnestly  cleave  to  God  in  all  trustfulness,  never  despair- 


560 The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

ing  of  His  help,  never  indulging  in  unlawful  liberty  of  action;  and 
then  no  temptation  can  be  so  vile  or  so  strong  as  to  do  him  harm. 

In  this  Gospel  we  read  of  a  king  setting  a  supper  for  his  son's  mar- 
riage, and  inviting  many  guests.  Now  the  king  is  the  heavenly  Father, 
the  bridegroom  is  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  bride  is  your  soul  and 
mine.  We  are  all  invited,  all  things  are  ready  for  the  union  of  God 
with  our  soul,  that  bride  He  loves  so  tenderly.  This  union  is  so 
sweet,  so  close,  so  interior,  so  conlBding,  so  affectionate,  as  to  surpass 
all  comprehension.  The  loftiest  professor  of  the  university  of  Paris 
with  all  his  science,  could  never  understand  this : — would  he  prepare  to 
lecture  on  this,  he  must  first  of  all  rest  dumb  and  amazed;  and  the 
more  he  would  desire  to  speak  of  it  the  less  should  he  find  that  he 
understood  it.  Not  only  does  natural  light  fail  in  this,  but  all  the 
riches  of  grace  are  incapable  of  describing  God's  union  with  the  soul ; 
for  all  angels  and  saints  would  lack  words  to  tell  what  they  know  of  it. 
It  is  only  a  simple  hearted  soul,  wholly  given  up  to  God  in  deep  humil- 
ity—only such  a  one  can  experience  something  of  this  spiritual  es- 
pousals, and  that  in  the  inmost  recesses  of  his  soul's  life.  Even  he  can- 
not comprehend  it,  least  of  all  describe  it,  for  it  far  transcends  all 
created  intelligence. 

This  bride  of  God,  our  soul,  we  must  now  get  ready.  We  must  wash 
it  clean,  we  must  array  it  in  new  garments,  adorn  it  with  all  splendor : 
as  to  the  old  clothes  and  ornaments,  these  must  we  throw  away,  even 
if  they  happen  to  be  good.  What  the  washing  means  is  purifying  the 
soul  from  sins  and  imperfections.  The  stripping  off  of  the  old  clothing, 
that  means  purging  out  the  corrupt  tendencies  of  our  fallen  nature, 
every  evil  habit  and  natural  weakness.  The  new  garments,  these  are 
the  new  virtues  that  we  shall  acquire  in  a  heavenly  newness  of  life, 
formed  on  the  model  of  Christ.  But  one  might  enquire  about  his  former 
devout  practices, — must  these  be  all  cast  aside? — as  being  good  clothes 
indeed,  but  not  good  enough  for  these  high  espousals?  Is  it  right  to 
say  (what  I  will  not  say)  that  one  must  now  be  dispensed  from  prac- 
tising these  ordinary  virtues,  as  not  being  good  enough  raiment  for  the 
heavenly  nuptials?  To  that  I  answer  yes  and  no.  For  no  man  dare  say 
that  he  shall  be  above  practising  any  virtues,  or  loving  them.  And  yet 
it  is  also  true,  that  whilst  the  soul  is  rapt  into  ecstactic  union  with 
God,  he  is  not  engaged  in  the  practise  of  any  particular  moral  virtue, 
for  example,  that  of  patience  or  pity.  But  the  moment  he  returns  to  an 
ordinary  state  of  consciousness,  then  he  has  to  practise  all  virtues, 
according  to  time,  place  and  opportunity. 


ofjohn  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  5g| 

Aiiothei-  way  we  can  say  that  one  is  unclothed  of  his  virtues,  namelv 
by  turning  them  all  over  to  God  in  entire  self-renunciation.    One  nuiv 
long  to  have  the  grace  to  practise  acts  of  much  holiness-  to  be  so 
poor,  for  instance,  as  not  to  know  where  he  shall  find  the  next  nioht's 
shelter;  to  be  so  enlightened  as  to  know  all  God's  truth;  to  feel"  the 
deepest  confidence  in  God;  and  to  enjoy  divine  consolations;  or  to  be 
like  this  or  that  holy  friend.    From  all  this  must  one  be  unclothed,  and 
m  all  nakedness  of  abandonment  to  God's  good  pleasure,  stand  ab- 
solutely subject  to  His  will,  absorbed  entirely  in  obedience  to  the  divine 
choice  in  all  such  matters.     For  however  desirable  thev  mav  be  in 
themselves  and  however  intrinsically  good,  there  is  a  depiivity 'lurking 
in  our  nature  which  tends  to  pervert  all  the  good  that  comes  to  us 
It  IS  like  good  food  spoiled  by  the  filthy  dish  it  is  served  in,  or  good 
wme  soured  by  a  foul  cask.     Our  loving,  faithful  Bridegroom  knows 
this,  our  weakness,  full  well;  and  sometimes  He  allows  us  to   fail 
miserably  by  this  self  choice  of  virtues,  so  that  we  may  learn  first  of 
all  to  correct  this  evil  tendency.     Unclothing  of  virtue   (understood 
in  this  sense),  often  results  in  acquiring  higher  virtue  more  quickly 
than  would  be  the  case  in  assuming  the  practise  of  great  good  thin-s 
prematurely.  " 

Ah,  children,  whosoever  has  any  self-knowledge  and  learns  his  own 
incapacity,  gives  up  self-guidance  and  follows  God  in  whatever  method 
and  by  whatever  way  He  points  out.  Such  a  one  comes  through  pros- 
perously and  quickly.     Let  him  accept  whatever  befalls  him  as  sent 
him  by  God's  appointment,  whether  in  his  outer  or  his  inner  life;  let 
him  submit  to  the  divine  judgment  upon  him  and  to  all  divine  happen- 
ings  with   deep    thankfulness   of   heart.      This   wav   may   seem   very 
strange  to  thee,  and  yet  thou  shalt  thus  be  more  splendidly' clothed  with 
virtue  than  by  the  highest  appearing  good  works,  if  thou  dost  them 
by  thy  own  choice,  dreaming  that  great  results  shall  follow     The  soul 
has,  as  It  were,  said  to  God:    O  my  Lord,  I  greatly  wish  to  manage 
or  myself,  and  I  long  to  enjoy  interior  peace,  and  am  desirous  to  be 
like  tins  one  and  that  one.     But  He  answers :     No,  child,  it  mu.st  be 
otherwise  with  thee;  thou  must  be  stripped;  thou  must  be  thrown 
back  on  thy  nothingness,  and  learn  what  is  hidden  in  thv  own  soul  • 
stay  at  home  with  thyself.  ^ 

I  once  «^l^ed  a  man  of  very  high  sanctity,  what  it  was  that  most 
commonly  absorbed  h.s  spiritual  endeavors.  He  answered-  "Consider- 
ing my  sins;  and  by  that  occupation  I  come  to  mv  God  "    In  that  he 


562  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

was  entirely  right.  Let  God  and  all  God's  creatures  sit  in  judgment 
upon  thee  for  thy  sins ;  then  sit  in  judgment  on  thyself;  and  God  will  no 
longer  judge  thee;  as  St.  Paul  teaches.  But  this  must  be  in  thy  soul 
without  any  explanations  and  interpretations  but  in  all  sincerity.  It 
must  not  be  a  feigned  humility,  for  that  is  a  sister  of  pride.  And  it 
must  be  deep  seated  in  thy  soul,  not  a  sudden  tempest  of  zeal  for  per- 
fection; there  must  be  no  head  breaking  recklessness.  It  is  a  quiet, 
gentle,  resigned  submission  to  God,  in  all  humble  fear  of  His  sovereign 
majesty. 

Therefore  do  thou  lay  open  to  God's  eyes  thy  deep  seated  evil  inclina- 
tions in  most  hearty  prayer  in  thy  inmost  spirit.  Freedom  from  these 
thou  must  seek  wholly  from  Him.  Whatever  running  about  for  help 
thou  dost  will  amount  to  nothing.  Following  after  this  leader  or 
that — that  is  all  foolishness.  They  may  be  all  very  good  men ;  but  inas- 
much as  men  differ  from  one  another,  so  do  their  ways  to  God  differ. 
What  is  life  to  one  is  death  to  another.  According  to  a  man's  mental 
characteristics,  and  according  to  his  other  natural  traits,  so  are  his 
graces  alotted  by  God.  Therefore  do  not  look  about  thee  at  men's 
methods  and  observances  to  pick  and  choose  what  suits  thee;  nor  at 
their  peculiar  virtues.  But  everywhere  observe  such  things  as  their 
mildness  and  their  humility  as  something  to  imitate.  However,  thou 
shouldst  follow  their  methods  and  their  observances,  if  thy  vocation 
makes  it  incumbent  on  thee.  Always  and  above  all  things  bear  in  mind 
thy  vocation  and  thy  state  of  life,  and  go  forward  along  that  road. 
If  thou  wilt  but  advert  carefully  to  that,  thou  shalt  soon  find  what  thou 
art  looking  for  in  the  nature  of  external  guidance,  and  shalt  know  it  as 
plain  as  thy  right  hand. 

But  alas,  thou  dost  not  remain  at  home  in  thy  own  heart ;  thou  dost 
not  seek  God's  leadership  faithfully  and  loyally  in  thy  interior.  Thou 
lookest  for  everything  on  the  outside,  and  that  is  why  thou  remainest 
unknowing  both  of  self  and  of  God.  Twenty  or  thirty  years  of  life  is 
passed  as  in  one  leap,  and  what  is  the  outcome?  Thou  mayest  have 
led  a  life  of  seeming  holiness,  but  as  a  mater  of  fact,  thou  art  no  closer 
to  God  at  the  end  than  at  the  beginning.  What  a  misery  is  this! 
Dig  down  for  the  roots  of  thy  vices  and  strike  those  roots  dead;  nor 
should  this  be  the  destruction  of  thy  nature.  Whosoever  does  not 
follow  this  course,  will  lose  in  one  hour  the  store  of  virtue  that  he  has 
gathered  by  perhaps  a  year  of  hard  striving  by  outward  words  and 
works — spoiled  by  being  tainted  by  the  growth  upwards  of  the  roots 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  563 

of  imperfection,  unknown  and  undestroyed,  hidden  in  the  depths  of  the 
soul.  As  long  as  a  multiplicity  of  self-assumed  pious  practices  holds 
possession  of  thy  will,  these  are  on  thy  soul,  which  is  the  Lord's  spouse, 
like  very  unacceptable  garments.  While  they  enwrap  thee  He  can- 
not clothe  thee  with  the  splendid  raiment  of  His  love,  as  He  so 
ardently  desires  to  do.  Make  account  of  no  spiritual  exercises  and 
no  good  works  except  as  they  are  in  some  plain  way  His  divine  will.  If 
I  had  followed  all  the  approved  spiritual  methods  I  should  be  a  dead 
man  long  ago.  Keep  God's  will  in  view;  love  God's  will  ardently; 
have  nothing  of  thy  own  will  in  view,  nor  of  thy  own  spiritual  pleasure 
or  gain;  pray  to  God  enchained  in  the  prison  of  the  divine  darkness 
and  unknowingness,  of  deep  retirement  of  spirit  in  the  hidden  depths; 
then  let  Him  guide  thee  by  whatsoever  methods  or  spiritual  exercises 
He  will.  Thus  it  is  that  He  will  array  thee  in  the  most  lovely  bridal 
robes  that  eye  has  ever  seen.  And  thy  soul  shall  chant  a  bridal  canticle 
more  ravishing  than  ever  hath  been  heard  or  heart  ever  enjoyed.  May 
the  loving  Bridegroom  grant  that  all  this  shall  be  our  happy  lot. 
Amen. 


^^^  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Ea^ttig  ll|?  Ak?  in  tl)r  l&ootB  of  SmpnUttwn 

^Synopsis—The  depths  of  our  evil  tendencies  little  understood— True 
Christians  are  never  without  anxiety  concerning  hidden  iceak- 
nesses— These  often  take  the  form  of  excuses— Also  slwun  hy  self- 
imll  in  choosing  devotions— Rules  for  alternating  prayer  and  icork. 
Why  inner  joy  should  always  be  suspected— Danger  of  indulging  a 
critical  spirit. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  NINETEENTH  SUNDAY 
AFTER  TRINITY. 

Behold,  I  have  prepared  My  dinner. — Matt,  xxii,  4. 

After  speaking  yesterday  of  how  God  pre])ared  His  Son's  marriage 
feast,  I  am  now  to  furtlier  explain  how  the  bride,  that  is  to  say  our  soul, 
is  to  be  unclothed  of  all  its  old  garments  so  that  it  may  be  adorned  with 
new  ones.  We  shall  consider  how  God  gives  and  takes  all  things, 
arranges  and  adjusts  all  things,  for  the  purpose  of  this  unclothing  of 
His  beloved  bride  so  that  he  may  newly  array  her  with  appropriate  and 
divine  nuptial  robes.  It  is  much  more  necessary  to  attend  to  this 
unclothing  than  to  the  reclothing  of  our  souls,  for  the  unclothing  Js 
as  far  as  our  part  extends.  We  may  not  doubt  but  that  God  will  do 
His  part  perfectly  in  the  reclothing,  once  the  soul  is  fitted  for  it. 

I  must  further  explain  my  teaching  that  the  root  of  our  imp(-rfec 
tions  must  be  dug  out.  For  when  one  has  weeded  his  garden,  there 
may  remain  unnoticed  a  root  or  two  deep  set  in  the  ground,  wl.idi 
will  spring  up  with  the  good  seed  and  spoil  the  crop.  By  this  I  mean 
that  the  deep  lying  defects  of  our  soul,  which  too  often  get  little  notice, 
are  not  destroyed,  and  are  only  touched  on  the  surface  by  our  con- 
fessions. Over  these  the  plow  of  good  spiritual  exercises  passes  leav- 
ing the  evil  tendencies  still  there,  rooted  in  our  nature.  It  may  be 
secret  pride,  or  some  subtle  form  of  impurity,  or  some  deep  aversion 
for  others  joined  with  scorn  and  envy.  These  spring  up  in  due  time 
amid  apparently  admirable  virtues,  defiling  the  fruit  of  a  good  life. 

Be  sure  that  what  ever  else  God  does  or  intends  for  us.  He  insists 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  565 

peremptorily,  that  we  shall  uncover  these  harmful  roots  of  sin  and  cast 
them  forth  from  the  soul.  For  as  long  as  they  are  there,  thou  shalt 
have  no  rest:  they  Avill  spring  up  again  when  thou  least  expectest. 
Such  was  plainly  the  case  with  many  even  of  the  fathers  of  the 
desert,  who  having  lived  in  solitude  for  thirty  or  forty  years  in  all  holy 
exercises  without  destroying  the  roots  of  vicious  inclinations,  finally 
were  ruined.  Be  watchful,  children.  The  enemy  may  sleep  long  and 
sound,  but  he  is  liable  to  attack  you  suddenly,  whether  by  pride,  or 
self  love,  or  inordinate  love  of  creatures.  Search  your  interior  soul 
diligently:  and  if  you  find  these  root-weaknesses,  destroy  them  relent- 
lessly by  humility  and  self-condemnation,  appealing  to  God  very 
fervently  for  His  assistance.  Follow  this  course;  and  rely  wholly 
on  God,  for  the  cause  is  entirely  His  own ;  persistently  persevere. 
For  some,  as  soon  as  they  find  relief  in  their  prayers,  give  over  their 
efforts  at  purification  of  heart.  For  thy  part,  never  be  without  anxiety 
concerning  these  obstinate  evil  tendencies;  never  fall  into  self-trust. 
The  man  who  is  on  his  guard  about  his  interior  weaknesses,  is  never 
caught  unprepared;  when  the  storm  of  temptation  breaks  upon  him,  he 
instantly  takes  refuge  in  God,  who  is  to  him  like  a  safe  harbor  within 
his  soul.  Those  who  are  careless  in  this  matter,  are,  when  overtaken 
by  death,  in  an  awful  state  of  misery.  Thej'  have  Avilfully  cherished 
sinful  inclinations,  and  are  now  justly  condemned  to  purgatory. 

What  if  this  painful  search  and  this  hard  repression  of  nature  does 
afflict  thee?  Does  it  not  reveal  thee  to  thyself  plainly  and  honestly? 
And  the  pain  that  thou  sufferest  will  .serve  thee  for  thy  purgatory. 
Dear  children,  there  is  no  blemish  of  the  soul  so  trifling  (for  I  speak 
not  now  of  gross  sinfulness),  but  that  it  may  be  a  serious  obstacle  to 
God's  divine  work  in  thee,  if  thou  cl ingest  to  it  wilfully.  And  it  will 
cause  thee  more  suffering  in  purgatory  than  the  martyrs  endured 
taking  them  all  together.  Thou  mayest  easily  languish  thirty  or  forty 
years  there  for  such  faults:  is  it  not  better  to  suffer  for  a  brief  period 
here  in  all  patience  and  humility? — to  say  nothing  of  the  wonderful 
increase  of  eternal  joy  to  be  thus  obtained. 

The  king  said:  "Tell  them  that  were  invited:  Behold,  I  have  pre- 
pared my  dinner;  my  beeves  and  fatlings  are  killed,  and  all  things 
are  ready."  You  know  how  the  invited  guests  refused  to  come,  offering 
various  excuses.  And  some  even  laid  hands  on  the  king's  servants, 
beat  them,  and  put  them  to  death.  So  that  at  last  it  happened  that 
though  many  were  called  but  few  were  chosen.     Dear  children,  the 


566  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

like  of  this  is  all  too  common  among  us  in  different  classes  of  people, 
both  secular  and  religious;  for  when  God  calls  to  perfection,  objections 
and  excuses  are  everywhere  heard  on  the  score  of  worldly  occupations 
and  even  of  mere  slothfulness.  It  puzzles  the  brain  to  calculate  the 
marvellous  excess  indulged  in  as  to  clothing  and  food  and  furniture. 
In  many  cases  not  a  tenth  part  of  what  is  provided  is  really  necessary. 
Yet  this  miserable  age  of  ours  leads  straight  (m  to  eternity ;  and  it  is 
as  true  today  as  ever  before,  that  what  keeps  soul  and  body  together 
should  content  us.  A  man  should  be  willing  to  perish  with  want, 
rather  than  to  wallow  in  such  gross  excesses. 

Children,  lay  it  to  heart  that  God  has  called  you  away  from  this 
wretched  world  to  His  faithful  service.  Let  us  relentlessly  cut  off 
all  that  is  not  of  real  necessity,  let  us  avoid  every  sort  of  multiplicity 
and  all  idleness  whatsoever.  Turn  inward  and  harken  to  the  call  of 
God  in  your  various  vocations,  one  to  the  contemplative  state  of  life, 
another  to  that  of  active  charity  or  religion,  and  a  third  to  that  state 
which  is  far  above  both,  namely  the  quiet  stillness  of  the  spirit  in 
union  with  God  in  divine  obscurity.  And  even  these  last  God  some- 
times calls  to  outward  activity  but  in  due  time  returning  them  again 
to  their  interior  repose,  just  as  He  wills.  For  if  when  God  calls  me  to 
His  outward  work  and  I  turn  inward,  then  the  inner  life  avails  me 
nothing ;  and  if  He  would  lead  me  inward  and  I  yet  go  outward,  then 
my  outward  labor  for  Him  comes  to  naught.  Stay  at  home  with 
thyself,  therefore,  intently  listening  for  God's  call :  there  can  be  no 
doubt  but  that  He  will  sound  it  plainly  in  thy  soul's  ears.  Whither- 
soever it  may  direct  thee,  there  shouldst  thou  go  and  nowhere  elst. 

When  one  is  called  to  the  inner  life  of  stillness  and  divine  darkness, 
and  then  insists  on  never  resuming  outward  works  of  charity — an 
unfaithfulness  too  common  nowadays — much  harm  ensues.  A  man 
must  under  all  circumstances  do  those  works  of  charity  that  Provi- 
dence has  assigned  to  him.  He  must  leave  the  interior,  in  a  spirit  of 
self-denial,  not  choosing  this  or  that  state  or  work  according  to  his 
natural  disposition,  as  many,  alas,  are  accustomed  to  do.  All  must  be 
done  from  motives  of  unmixed  love  of  God's  will,  and  in  real  detach- 
ment from  self.  A  really  detached  spirit  is  keen  enough  to  detect 
danger  of  injurious  multiplicity  of  mind  in  devoting  himself  to 
external  duties;  no  one  knows  so  well  what  multiplicity  is.  Hence 
he  avoids  what  is  dangerous  to  his  recollection,  even  though  it  be 
the  companionship  of  ordinary  good  people;  for  their  conversation  is 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


567 


only  too  often  light  and  trivial  and  concerning  an  infinity  of  affairs. 
Turn  thou  away  from  all  this,  and  enter  into  thyself  as  soon  as  possible, 
lest  thy  soul  shall  swarm  with  a  multiplicity  of  useless  forms  and 
images. 

Once  thy  work  of  external  charity  be  done,  then  hasten  inward 
again.  And  if  entire  recollection  be  not  granted  thee  immediately, 
then  occupy  thy  mind  with  deep  thoughts  of  God's  unspeakable  good- 
ness, such  as  His  overflowing  bounty  in  giving  us  His  divine  Son's 
blessed  humanity,  and  in  our  Saviour's  life,  passion  and  death;  as  well 
as  the  glorious  virtues  of  God's  saints.  Thus  may  one  be  absorbed 
very  profitably  in  God,  in  all  love  and  gratitude.  Presently  this  lights 
up  one's  soul,  revealing  one's  faults,  and  it  moves  one  to  deep  sorrow. 
All  this  is  good  and  spiritually  stimulating.  But  better  still  is  interior 
quiet— as  much  better  as  the  interior  is  better  than  the  exterior  life. 
And  one  greatly  errs  if  he  would  disturb  this  restful  calm  by  introduc- 
ing forms  and  figures  of  the  imagination — in  the  same  way  as  one 
would  cripple  necessary  works  of  charity  by  over  much  of  the  restful 
spirit. 

And  now  a  caution  :  Sometimes  men's  heads  are  turned  with  the 
favors  of  the  inward  rest,  and  self-gratulation  results;  true  poverty 
of  spirit  is  forfeited,  and  the  soul  enjoys  the  sweetness  of  divine  grace 
with  the  gluttony  of  a  bear  devouring  honey.  The  inner  of  joy  con- 
templation should  have  no  place  in  us  except  as  a  way  to  the  love  of 
God  and  God  alone.  One  should  seek  naught  of  self,  clinging  only  to 
the  divine  honor,  lest  one's  fate  should  be  that  of  the  wicked  servant 
in  the  gospel,  who  having  appropriated  his  master's  goods  to  his  own 
use,  was  stripped  both  of  them  and  of  his  own,  and  then  put  to  death. 

From  this  right  relation  of  the  inward  and  outward  spiritual  life, 
is  born  interior  peace  amid  the  silence  and  obscurity  of  God's  presence 
in  the  spirit.  About  this,  much  is  said  in  both  the  old  and  new  Tes- 
taments, as,  for  example,  how  Moses  was  led  by  God  into  darkness; 
and  in  the  Book  of  Kings,  how  God  was  not  in  the  stormy  wind  but  in 
the  whistling  of  a  gentle  air ;  and  as  we  read  in  the  book  of  Wisdom : 
"While  all  things  were  in  quiet  silence,  and  the  night  was  in  the  midst 
of  her  course.  Thy  almighty  Word  leaped  down  from  heaven"  (Wisdom 
xviii,  14,  15).  All  our  spiritual  exercises,  all  our  good  works,  should 
serve  this  holy  silence  of  the  spirit,  our  attention  never  wandering  from 
it,  every  effort  bent  on  deepening  it. 

But  some  confuse  this  supernatural  quiet  of  soul  with  mere  natural 


508 


The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


interior  peace.  Be  on  your  guard ;  stand  in  sincere  fear  of  God,  be  hum- 
ble, making  nothing  of  self,  suspecting  self  love  in  all  things,  flying  inces- 
santly to  God's  protection.  True,  this  course  means  a  sharp  anguish 
of  soul;  it  is  painful  in  the  extreme  to  be  tormented  with  unceasing 
yearnings  after  self-renunciation  and  simplicity:  but  it  is  the  anguish 
of  purgatory,  whose  cleansing  fires  are  thus  endured  before  their  time. 

Perhaps  one  may  not  be  able  to  withdraw  his  mind  from  the  multi 
plicity  and  distraction  caused  by  external  works  of  charity  as  quickly 
as  he  would  like.  But  that  should  not  distress  him.  If  all  is  done  for 
God's  sake,  He  will  shortly  abate  the  hindrance  it  would  otherwise 
cause :  God  needs  no  long  time  to  work  His  purpose  in  our  soul.  Turn 
quickly  inward  as  soon  as  occasion  serves.  When  thou  hast  estab 
lished  the  Unnamable  in  thy  soul's  depths,  all  that  may  be  named  will 
be  gathered  to  it,  for  all  must  respond  to  the  divine  summons  within 
thee.  If  entire  recollection  is  slow  in  coming,  then  exercise  thyself 
briefly  and  regularly  in  the  interior  ways  already  treated  of,  till  the 
greater  gift  of  quiet  in  God  shall  be  granted  thee.  If  a  man  will  but 
reject  self  and  place  God  as  the  only  object  of  thought  and  act,  without 
doubt  God  will  guide  him  in  whatsoever  way  he  treads. 

Now,  when  simple  hearted  men  hear  all  this,  they  directly  resolve  to 
make  a  beginning,  and  to  do  it  strictly  in  this  manner:  always  to 
begin,  over  and  over  again  to  begin,  such  is  their  whole  ambition,  such 
their  life.  But  men  of  a  critical  spirit  act  otherwise :  they  take  what 
is  taught  them  in  their  own  meaning  of  it,  and  carry  it  out  after  their 
own  natural  devices  and  methods.  But  when  death  is  approaching 
they  find  their  souls  void  of  God,  and  are  in  much  distress.  They  have 
not,  to  be  sure,  departed  from  holy  faith,  they  are  not  in  a  state  of 
mortal  sin,  but  they  are  to  be  cast  into  purgatory  to  atone  for  grave 
venial  sins:  either  that  or  the  eternal  tiies  of  hell,  if  they  have  unhap- 
l)ily  died  in  mortal  sin. 

When  our  Lord  says  that  His  beeves  are  killed.  He  may  be  taken  to 
mean  outward  works  of  religion;  when  He  says  His  fatlings  are  killed, 
we  can  apply  the  term  to  interior  works,  namely  holy  contemplation; 
and  the  wedding  sup}:er  itself,  represents  the  interior  quiet  of  spirit, 
which  the  soul  enjoys  in  God  as  God  does  in  Himself.  Finally  God 
the  King  "went  in  to  see  the  guests,  and  He  saw  there  a  man  that  had 
not  on  a  wedding  garment.  And  He  saith  to  him :  Friend,  how  earnest 
thou  in  hither  not  having  on  a  wedding  garment?  But  he  was  silent. 
Then  the  King  said:  Bind  his  hands  and  feet,  and  cast  him  into  the 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  569 

exterior  darkness."  The  wedding  garment  is  divine  love  and  a  divine 
intention  in  all  things.  This  excludes  all  other  love,  either  for  self  or 
for  any  creature:  God  alone  absorbs  it  wholly.  Now  we  meet  with 
men  who  claim  to  possess  this  love  and  this  purity  of  purpose:  they 
have  heard  it  explained,  they  have  read  of  it  in  books,  they  know  the 
meaning  of  it.  But  this  is  true  only  of  their  reasoning  powers,  for 
they  have  not  worked  it  out  in  act.  They  possess  it  in  knowledge  and 
not  in  essence.  It  is  not  in  their  soul's  depths  that  this  love  abides- 
all  love  for  God  alone,  every  purpose  for  God  alone ;  no,  what  they  have 
is  self  love  in  disguise.  For  as  a  matter  of  fact  what  they  have  in 
view  and  what  they  love  is  God's  gifts  and  not  God  alone.  Hence  the 
question  :  ''Friend,  how  camest  thou  in  hither  not  having  on  a  wedding 
garment"  of  real  love?  A  man  should  indeed  use  all  of  God's  gifts,  but 
he  must  not  rest  upon  them  with  joy.  but  only  on  God  alone.  Hence 
the  King's  words :  "Bind  him  hands  and  feet,"  that  is  to  say  fetter  all 
the  powers  of  his  soul,  and  cast  him  for  a  further  trial  in  God's  cleans- 
ing processes,  amid  darkness  and  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 
Therefore,  dear  children,  think  of  God  alone  amid  all  His  gifts,  love 
Him  alone,  lest  your  fate  should  be  the  same.  May  God  grant  us  His 
true  light  to  this  end.    Anicn. 


570  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — In  dealing  with  temptations  the  cardinal  rule  is  trust  in 
God — NoMlity  of  God's  call  to  conflict — How  God  grants  us  favors 
through  and  amid  temptations — And  principally  hy  bestowing  hu- 
mility— Temptations  that  are  peculiar  to  the  devils — Spiritual 
pride  is  the  worst  of  all — Eow  a  certain  kind  of  divine  faith  resists 
this. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  TWENTIETH   SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

Finally,  brethren,  be  strengthened  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  might  of  HH 
power.  Put  ye  on  the  armor  of  God,  that  you  may  be  able  to  stand  against 
the  deceits  of  the  devil.  For  our  wrestling  is  not  against  the  rulers  of  the 
world  of  this  darkness,  against  the  spirits  of  wickedness  in  high  places.  There- 
fore take  unto  you  the  armor  of  God,  that  you  may  be  able  to  resist  in  the  evil 
day,  and  to  stand  in  all  things  perfect. — Eph.  vl,  10-13 

Yesterday  we  spoke  of  the  stripping  of  the  soul  of  all  things  in 
preparation  for  the  coming  of  the  Bridegroom,  who  will  then  reclothe 
it  with  the  true  wedding  garment.  But  this  seems  an  awful  task ;  the 
soul  thinks  it  can  never  be  done,  and  naturally  falls  into  grievous 
doubt.  And  St.  Paul's  encouraging  words  are  therefore  applicable: 
"Be  strengthened  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  might  of  His  power."  As 
if  to  say:  What  thou  canst  not  do  by  thyself,  thou  canst  do  by  Him. 
Rely  no  more  on  thyself,  but  absolutely  on  Him.  Rest  all  thy  activity 
on  Him  as  on  a  foundation ;  and  thou  canst  then  do  all  things.  Look 
for  success  in  His  sovereignty,  His  power.  His  holy  humanity.  He 
will  do  all  things  for  thee,  if  thou  thus  cleavest  to  Him  in  deepest  sin- 
cerity and  in  all  steadfastness.  Draw  all  thy  force  from  His  hidden 
might,  for  His  almighty  power  is  secret  and  silent.  But  some  take  a 
perverse  view  of  this.  They  act  as  if  they  themselves  were  God;  they 
make  no  account  of  any  power  but  what  they  personally  possess,  and 
this  delusion  extends  to  both  the  interior  life  and  the  exterior.  They 
resent  the  exercise  of  authority  of  every  sort  over  them,  both  of  Church 
and  state,  and  meanwhile  they  strive  by  every  means  to  rule  over  one 
another.  But  you  may  be  sure  that  God  will  not  always  be  silent  nor 
hide  His  power. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


571 


St.  Paul  says  further :  "Put  ye  on  the  armor  of  God,"  which  is  at 
warning  that  we  have  a  battle  to  fight.  But  do  you  know  what  that 
armor  is?  It  is  the  splendid  nuptial  robe  of  the  bride,  made  for  her 
and  given  to  her  by  her  Spouse.  And  how  noble  a  conflict  is  this,  thus 
to  be  fought  in  the  Bridegroom's  armor.  But  just  what  are  these  holy 
robes?  Our  Lord  tells  us:  "Learn  of  me,  because  I  am  meek  and 
humble  of  heart"  (Matt,  xi,  29).  Thus  armed,  now  let  the  soul  prac- 
tise itself  in  that  most  necessary  of  all  the  arts,  how  to  fight  and  to 
overcome  in  the  Lord's  battle.  It  is  in  temptation  that  we  have  our 
conflict  for  God,  and  the  victory  is  that  a  man  learns  who  and  what  he 
is  All  the  great  ones  of  the  earth  who  have  been  vanquished  in  life's 
combat,  failed  only  from  lack  of  this  art  of  holy  warfare.  They  some- 
times have  done  great  things  for  as  long  as  thirty  or  forty  years;  thev 
seemed  to  be  wonderfully  virtuous;  but  when  assailed  by  violent  temp- 
tations, they  were  overcome  because  they  lacked  meekness  and  humility 
of  heart,  and  they  did  not  know  their  own  weakness. 

It  is  amid  temptations  that  we  discover  our  own  miserable  weak- 
ness. This  knowledge  taken  alone  is  worth  more  to  us  than  practising 
virtue  without  it.  Just  in  proportion  as  grace  is  necessary  to  us,  so 
are  temptations  necessary.  In  temptation  virtues  are  rightly  begun 
in  us,  and  in  the  same  are  they  perfected.  And  this  is  a  necessary  con- 
dition if  virtue  is  to  sink  deep  into  our  being.  No  matter  what  may  be 
one's  vocation,  whether  to  the  contemplative  or  the  active  state,  it  is  all 
one :  he  must  needs  be  sorely  tempted  if  he  is  to  become  perfect.  A 
great  spiritual  teacher  says:  "As  little  can  a  man  be  preserved  from 
degeneracy  without  temptation,  as  meat  can  be  saved  from  rottenness 
without  salt."  God  communicates  Himself  to  us  through  the  virtues 
and  through  the  sacraments ;  and  He  can  do  the  same  through  tempta- 
tions. Little  spots  are  cleansed  away  by  them ;  and  imperfections  are 
dug  out  by  the  roots;  by  them  holy  humility  is  generated  and  the  deep 
fear  of  God.  By  these  trials  God  admonishes  us  to  constantly  fly  to 
Him  for  help,  and  to  entrust  the  battle  to  His  direction. 

O  beloved  children,  put  on  this  noble  armor  of  God,  and  without 
doubt  you  will  conquer  in  your  battle  with  temptations.  Only  be 
humble  and  mild,  only  subject  yourselves  under  God  and  all  creatures, 
and  neither  man  nor  devil  can  ever  vanquish  you.  Let  all  of  God's 
enemies  conspire  together  to  overthrow  you,  you  will  put  them  all  to 
flight.  And  any  man  who  lacks  this  armor  of  humility,  will  never  be 
victorious.     Wrath  and   pride,   the  vices   opposed   to  meekness  and 


572  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

humility,  are  born  of  self-love  and  self-opinionatedness,  as  is  also 
self  will.  The  really  humble  man  has  no  self  will  nor  obstinate  opin- 
ions: he  is  detached  from  his  own  will,  is  poor  in  spirit,  and  has  God 
for  his  master  and  his  support  and  his  aim  and  purpose  in  all  things. 

O  children,  be  humbled  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God  and  He  will 
exalt  you.  Yield  thyself  meekly  to  be  condemned  by  God  to  do  penance, 
and  let  all  His  creatures  condemn  thee;  nay  condemn  thy  own  self. 
Gladly  suffer  oppression;  practise  self-renunciation  in  all  things  and 
turn  constantly  to  God:  do  all  this,  and  without  the  least  doubt  it  will 
turn  out  well  with  thee  in  thy  temptations.  But  O  children,  where 
shall  we  find  meekness  among  men?  If  any  one  hears  a  single  sharp 
word,  he  answers  back  hotly  with  ten;  immediately  evil  passions  are 
aroused,  and  men  are  suddenly  snarling  at  one  another  and  biting  one 
another  like  dogs.  Meekness?  It  has  vanished  away  from  their  souls. 
Thou  shouldst  rather  be  glad  to  suffer  from  men,  having  found  out  thy 
unworthiness  to  receive  any  other  treatment,  remembering  besides  that 
virtue  is  born  and  is  strengthened  only  by  such  trials.  When  one  assails 
thee  bitterly,  quickly  turn  inward,  and  hold  thyself  for  nothing;  look 
on  thyself  as  worse  than  thy  assailant  thinks  thee.  And,  besides,  thou 
shalt  thereby  cure  his  scorn  of  thee  by  thy  meekness,  curing  his  wounds 
and  suffering  none  thyself.  To  overcome  all  these  weaknesses,  children, 
practice  deep,  earnest  prayer  in  your  inmost  spirit,  and  stand  fast 
in  the  truth  unto  the  end. 

Once  Peter  the  Deacon,  a  disciple  of  St.  Gregory  the  Great,  said  to 
his  master:  ''This  is  a  hard  saying — that  a  man  must  be  always  en 
gaged  in  conflict."  St.  Gregory  answered  him:  "It  is  not  hard;  nor 
is  the  victory  doubtful,  if  a  man  will  but  place  the  combat  and  the 
victory  entirely  in  the  hands  of  God,  receiving  all  assaults  in  that 
spirit  arrayed  meanwhile  in  the  armor  of  humility  and  meekness." 
Such  a  man  does  not  strike  back,  but  he  quickly  turns  inward  and 
grasps  the  buckler  of  holy  faith,  and  receives  all  the  strokes  of  his 
enemies  on  that. 

('lad  in  this  armor,  we  are  ''able  to  stand  against  the  deceits  of 
the  devil.  For  our  wrestling  is  not  against  flesh  and  blood."  Let  all 
men  who  practise  severe  bodily  mortifications,  but  fail  to  mortify  the 
kinship  to  the  demon  that  lurks  in  the  bottom  of  our  souls,  lay  these 
words  to  heart.  What  evil  thing  has  their  poor  flesh  done?  These 
men  would  break  through  a  stone  wall  by  casting  themselves  against  it 
head  first.     Kill  your  vices  and  not  your  body. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  573 

St.  Paul  says  that  our  wrestling  is  "against  principalities  and 
powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  world  of  this  darkness."  He  means 
the  devils;  but  he  also  means  the  human  princes  of  this  world.  These 
should  be  the  very  best  of  men,  but,  alas,  they  are  the  very  horses  that 
the  demons  bestride,  causing  them  to  spread  disturbance  everywhere, 
and  to  oppress  the  people.  They  live  in  pride,  they  usurp  power,  they 
are  in  many  ways  wicked  men,  as  is  plain  to  be  seen  over  the  whole 
earth.  "Against  the  rulers  of  the  world  of  this  darkness,"  adds  the 
apostle.  What  awful  darkness  overspreads  the  Christian  world,  envel- 
oping both  clergy  and  laity.  We  can  measure  its  thickness  by  the  fact 
that  Jews  and  pagans,  with  all  their  blindness  of  heart,  live  up  to 
their  law  and  their  natural  reason  far  better  than  we  Christians  observe 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  the  teachings  of  holy  faith,  and  the  example  of 
the  saints.  Our  souls  are  blinded  by  vice,  we  are  full  of  vanity,  and 
we  are  preoccupied  with  thoughts  of  created  things.  We  do  not  sin- 
cerely love  God  nor  regard  God  in  our  daily  conduct.  In  the  end 
we  shall  be  judged  and  condemned  along  with  the  benighted  and 
infidel  nations. 

There  are  those  who  have  given  up  this  darkness,  turning  away  from 
all  selfseeking  and  walking  into  the  true  light  of  God.  They  are  im- 
mersed in  their  origin — God ;  they  are  melted  into  Him  amid  the  deep 
stillness  of  all  their  mental  faculties.  It  is  the  holy  darkness  of  the 
divine  solitude  that  they  have  sought  and  found,  transcending  all 
intelligence.  They  are  cast  away  so  far  from  self,  that  in  their 
union  with  God  they  have  lost  self  and  all  things  else,  and  are  conscious 
now  of  nothing  at  all  but  only  God,  in  whom  they  are  wholly  absorbed. 
And  because  they  are  thus  placed,  all  goes  well  with  them;  they  do  not 
go  astray.  Coming  out  of  this  state,  however,  and  resuming  their 
ordinary  activity  of  mind,  they  sometimes  do  not  comprehend  how 
it  all  happened,  for  it  is  beyond  and  above  reason's  grasp. 

And  then  demons  enter  this  paradise,  the  most  cunning  of  them  all 
and  the  most  malignant.  Well  do  they  know  that  these  godlike  men 
will  enjoy  the  places  in  heaven  that  they  forfeited;  hence  they  hate 
them  most  bitterly,  and  they  give  them  no  rest  from  temptation.  Among 
other  evil  thoughts,  they  suggest  to  them  that  they  are  actually  God 
Himself:  for  to  yield  to  this  illusion  were  the  deadliest  calamity  of  all. 
Now  let  the  soul  raise  the  shield  of  holy  faith  and  hold  it  firmly, 
exclaiming:  there  is  but  one  God;  there  can  be  but  one  God:  who  is 
like  unto  God?  Upon  these  acts  of  true  faith  as  upon  an  impenetrable; 
shield,  the  soul  receives  the  fiery  darts  of  the  enemy. 


574  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

The  apostle  continues:  "And  take  unto  you  the  helmet  of  salva- 
tion;" "  having  your  loins  girt  about  with  truth;"  "having  on  the 
breastplate  of  justice,"  which  is  made  up  of  all  the  virtues  welded 
together;  and  take  in  your  hand  "the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the 
word  of  God"  (Eph.  vi,  12-17).  Thus  armed  and  shielded,  go  forth 
gladly  to  the  conflict  with  your  enemies,  to  overthrow  them  and  to 
confound  their  treason  and  rebellion  against  God,  that  you  may 
"stand  in  all  things  perfect."  Thus  are  we  to  fight  in  what  St.  Paul 
calls  "the  evil  day."  We  must  all  prepare  for  the  evil  days  of  the 
judgment  of  God,  when  the  pillars  of  the  world  shall  be  moved  from 
their  place,  and  all  things  be  overthrown  and  cast  away.  Then  those 
who  have  built  on  this  deep  and  hidden  foundation  of  truth  and  of 
God,  stand  in  security,  liberated  from  all  slavery  to  self  or  to  other 
creatures,  victorious  over  all  enemies. 

Into  the  inner  sanctuary  of  their  spirit  these  souls  daily  enter,  draw- 
ing in  with  them  all  whom  God  has  committed  to  their  care;  nor  need 
these  latter  fancy  that  they  are  forgotten  by  such  holy  souls.  No,  O, 
no !  All  whom  they  love  enter  into  God  with  themselves,  yea,  and  they 
draw  in  all  Christendom,  fast  bound  to  them  in  interior  love.  And  they 
bring  them  out  again  into  their  external  life,  expending  on  them 
treasures  of  love  in  works  of  charity — to  return  with  them  back  again 
into  the  abyss  of  divine  love.  All  that  comes  to  such  souls  in  their 
outer  life,  they  draw  inward  and  place  with  God,  retaining  nothing 
for  self — all  is  for  God  alone.  Such  souls  are  the  strong  walls  of  God's 
Church;  had  we  them  not,  all  would  go  ill  with  us;  be  well  assured  of 
that. 

Therefore,  dearest  children,  grasp  firmly  the  shield  of  holy  faith, 
wield  manfully  "the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God." 
And  what  if  you  should  be  stricken  down?  let  it  be  but  for  an  instant; 
rise  up  quickly  and  fight  on  bravely.  Kenew  the  battle  a  thousand 
times  over,  and  stand  your  ground  to  the  very  end,  when  eternal  salva- 
tion shall  be  your  victory.    God  grant  us  all  that  victory.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  575 


Synopsis — The  truest  lesson  of  life  is  how  best  to  love — Love  works  up- 
wUrd  and  downward  in  our  soul — Love's  relation  to  keeping  the 
commandments — It  gives  favors  without  hope  of  return — When, 
directed  to  God  love  begins  with  self-condemnation — It  then  pro- 
ceeds to  entire  abandonment  to  God's  guidance — What  hinders 
love  is  any  form  of  selfishness — Before  this  is  fully  cured  painful 
trials  must  be  endured — The  more  mystical  states  of  love. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  TWENTY-FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 

For  God  Is  my  witness,  how  I  long  after  you  all  in  the  bowels  of  Jesus  Christ. 
And  this  I  pray,  that  your  charity  may  more  and  more  abound  in  knowledge, 
raid  in  all  understanding:  that  you  may  approve  the  better  things,  that  you  may 
be  sincere  and  without  offense  unto  the  day  of  Christ.  Filled  with  the  fruit  of 
justice  through  Jesus  Christ,  unto  the  glory  and  praise  of  God. — Phil.  1,  8-11. 

Notice  with  what  earnestness  St.  Paul  calls  God  to  witness,  of  his 
deep  love  for  his  digciples.  Had  we  a  return  of  such  love  to  the  apostle 
and  our  benefactors  generally,  it  would  greatly  stimulate  us  to  show 
ourselves  worthy  of  our  friends'  aflfection  for  us,  if  for  no  higher  motive 
than  to  satisfy  their  longing  for  our  perfection.  And  when  St.  Paul 
says:  "I  pray  that  your  charity  may  more  and  more  abound,"  he 
means  that  it  should  greatly  increase  till  it  overflows  and  passes  beyond 
every  lower  motive,  and  becomes  love  in  all  things  perfect. 

What  is  the  best  lesson  we  can  ever  learn?  Is  it  not  how  to  possess 
the  greatest  love  and  the  best?  God  demands  not  great  intelligence, 
nor  profound  penetration  of  mind,  nor  magnificent  methods  of  spiritu- 
ality, for  all  good  spiritual  practises  obtain  their  merit  from  love. 
But  what  God  requires  of  us  is  only  love,  for,  as  St.  Paul  tells  us,  love 
"is  the  bond  of  perfection"  (Col.  iii,  14).  As  to  greatness  of  intellect 
and  force  of  character,  these  are  common  to  us  and  pagans  and  Jews; 
splendid  achievements  are  common  to  the  just  and  the  unjust.  It  is 
only  the  possession  of  love  that  divides  the  false  hearts  from  the  true. 
"God  is  charity:  and  he  that  abideth  in  charity,  abideth  in  God,  and 
God  in  him"  (I  John  iv,  16).    Therefore  before  all  arts  have  the  art 


576  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

of  loving.  Inasmuch  as  God  hath  first  loved  us  with  an  unspeakable 
love,  so  shall  we  love  Him  in  return,  as  St.  Augustine  teaches.  And  let 
our  love  never  cease,  never  even  lessen,  but  always  grow  stronger.  By 
love  a  man  merits  love ;  and  the  more  a  man  loves  the  more  is  he  made 
capable  of  loving. 

Now  the  working  of  love  is  both  inner  and  outer.  The  outer  love 
is  given  to  our  neighbor,  and  the  inner  is  given  to  God  direct.  For  this 
latter  love  a  man  needs  knowledge,  as  St,  Paul  says:  "That  your 
charity  may  more  and  more  abound  in  knowledge,  and  in  all  under- 
standing." We  must  not  be  content  with  good  love;  the  apostle 
exhorts  us  to  win  the  very  best — he  wishes  that  we  may  overflow  with 
love.  Knowledge  is  one  of  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  goes  before 
love  as  a  handmaiden  before  her  mistress  to  do  her  service.  Now  true 
divine  love  thou  must  have  interiorly,  and  it  shall  be  a  mark  to  thee 
that  thou  hast  it,  if  thou  hast  exteriorly  a  love  for  thy  neighbor.  For 
thou  lovest  God  not,  unless  thou  findest  that  thy  heart  loves  thy  neigh- 
bor ;  as  it  is  written :  "He  that  loveth  not  his  brother,  whom  he  seeth, 
how  can  he  love  God,  whom  he  seeth  not?"  (I  John  iv,  20). 

Upon  love  depend  all  of  God's  commandments  and  both  the  old  and 
new  testaments, — that  thou  shalt  love  God,  and  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyself.  Thou  shalt  have  common  joy  with  him  in  his  good 
fortune,  common  sorrow  with  him  in  his  ill  fortune,  "one  heart  and  one 
soul"  (Acts  iv,  32)  with  him,  as  was  the  case  among  the  whole  multi- 
tude of  the  faithful  in  the  time  of  the  apostles,  when  all  things  were 
in  common.  And  if  thou  canst  not  exhibit  this  community  of  feeling 
outwardly  from  lack  of  means,  thou  must  yet  cherish  it  in  thy  deepest 
soul,  very  unfeignedly,  not  half-heartedly,  very  intelligently — "in  all 
understanding" — and  with  a  ready  good  will  to  do  what  lies  within  thy 
power.  And  when  thou  canst  do  no  more  for  thy  neighbor,  thou  canst 
at  least  say  a  kindly  or  a  gentle  word  to  him  out  of  a  full  heart. 

And  thy  love  must  extend  even  to  a  perverse  neighbor.  Thou  must 
lovingly  and  patiently  suffer  his  wickedness.  Do  not  fall  upou  him 
with  hard  words,  but  mercifully  bear  his  defects.  Remember  that  often 
enough  men  are  not  bad  from  rooted  and  habitual  malice,  but  from 
unwariness,  or  from  dullness  of  mind ;  or,  as  St.  Gregory  tells  us,  from 
God's  allowing  them  to  fall  into  sinfulness  so  that  they  may  be  deeply 
humiliated  and  thereby  learn  their  own  guilty  weakness.  As  to  those 
who  are  not  habitual  but  only  occasional  sinners,  these  thou  mayest 
easily  and  quickly  lead  to  consider  their  sad  state,  to  acknowledge  their 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  577 

wickedness,  and  to  do  penance.  The  others  obstinately  cling  to  their 
vices,  and  even  justify  themselves.  But  all  of  them  must  thou  bear 
with  affectionately,  and  thereby  prove  the  sincerity  of  thy  love.  If 
thou  quickly  sittest  in  judgment  on  thy  sinful  neighbor,  that  is  a  true 
sign  that  the  love  of  God  has  withered  up  in  thy  soul :  and  some  are  as 
hasty  in  judging  others  as  a  man  in  leaping  a  stone  wall.  ±>e  on  thy 
guard  against  rash  judgment;  if  things  look  bad,  cover  thy  face  with 
thy  mantel,  and  blind  thy  eyes  to  the  faults  of  others.  Examine  thyself 
very  closely,  and  hold  court  over  thy  own  shortcomings.  Every  thing 
is  going  wrong,  children,  because  no  one  will  bear  patiently  with  his 
neighbor?'  faults  for  love's  sake,  and  because  no  one  will  pity  his 
neighbor's  weakness,  little  considering  how  much  of  evil  in  men  i« 
due  to  feebleness  of  character,  lack  of  good  sense,  or  momentary  un- 
guardedness. 

Thus  must  our  brotherly  love  "more  and  more  abound,"  and  must 
be  directed  to  all  mankind  as  practically  as  lies  in  our  power.  And 
hereby  shall  we  discover  the  genuineness  of  the  love  that  is  turned 
inwards  towards  God,  the  source  and  origin  of  our  being.  The 
knowledge  and  understanding  in  love  mentioned  by  the  apostle,  is 
found  in  the  orderly  relation  between  these  two  loves,  the  inward  and 
the  outward:  for  the  interior  love  in  pregnant  of  the  exterior  love, 
which  is  continually  being  born  of  it :  this  is  the  kinship  between 
the  two. 

When  a  man  wishes  to  love  God,  he  looks  inward,  and  then  he  finds 
that  he  has  a  loveless  and  a  graceless  heart  towards  God.  But  he 
knows  he  must  love  God  with  all  his  heart:  therefore  he  rises  up  in 
fierce  condemnation  of  himself  and  he  loudly  laments  his  depravity. 
He  in  spirit  sinks  himself  deep  into  hell,  or  at  least  into  a  terrific  purga- 
tory; and  every  conceivable  misfortune  seems  to  him  to  be  due  to  him; 
and  as  a  matter  of  fact,  God  sometimes  sends  much  adversity  upon  him. 
Now  in  very  truth  this  is  all  just;  a  man  must  indeed  launch  this 
condemnation  against  himself.  But  what  shall  we  do,  we  poor  little 
worms,  crawling  about  in  the  dust  of  the  earth?  As  soon  as  we  feel 
this  deep  humiliation,  let  us  say  this:  O  merciful  God,  have  pity  oil 
me;  save  me  and  help  me;  inflict  such  and  such  judgments  on  me,  so 
that  in  spite  of  all  the  fires  of  purgatory,  I  may  at  last  attain  to  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  Well,  we  know  that  without  some  purgatory,  few 
saints  have  entered  heaven,  and-  yet  if  one  should  pray  thus  to  be 
favored,  I  do  not  condemn  him  for  it.    But  I  say  that  he  who  has  true 


578  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

love  for  God,  will,  while  he  judges  himself  harshly  and  knows  full  well 
his  own  defects,  yet  lovingly  sinks  down  into  the  abyss  of  God's  being; 
he  will  give  himself  up  entirely  to  God's  good  pleasure,  and  this  act  he 
will  accompany  with  a  perfect  abdication  of  all  will  of  his  own. 

Love  of  God  when  it  is  true,  causes  total  self-renunciation  and  the 
giving  up  of  all  self-will.  Thus  prepared,  let  a  man  fall  at  God's  feet 
and  beg  Him  to  sit  in  judgment  on  him  in  love,  so  that  God's  holiness 
may  be  given  him,  and  God's  will  be  done  in  him  and  in  all  creatures, 
according  to  His  eternal  decrees,  whether  it  may  condemn  him  to  pur- 
gatory or  not, — how  soon,  how  long,  how  bitter :  Lord,  let  all  be  ordered 
according  to  Thy  will ;  be  I  much  or  little  in  Thy  sight,  near  to  Thee 
or  far  away,  let  all  be  done  to  me  as  Thou  wiliest.  Thus  must  thou  be 
glad  that  God's  holiness  shall  be  vindicated  upon  thy  littleness;  and  if 
thou  seest  a  holy  man  treated  differently  from  thee,  and  God's  majesty 
is  shown  by  this  one's  virtue,  rejoice  in  his  good  fortune  as  if  it  were 
thine  own.    Children,  this  is  indeed  true  love. 

O,  if  one  has  committed  all  the  sins  in  the  world,  and  now  coming 
to  the  end  of  his  life  is  granted  such  a  conversion,  and  has  thus  given 
himself  up  to  God's  will  absolutely  and  in  perfect  love,  he  will  go 
straight  to  heaven.  But  no  man  can  bestow  this  grace  in  thee,  for  it 
is  God's  gift  alone.  And  as  there  can  be  no  better  death  than  one 
blessed  with  this  love,  so  there  can  be  no  more  blessed  life  than  one 
spent  in  such  a  love,  always  more  and  more  abounding  in  it,  the  lover 
finally  absorbed  in  the  Beloved. 

But  sins  and  temptations  stand  opposed  to  this  love.  As  to  tempta- 
tions, these  are,  taken  in  themselves,  not  sinful,  being  only  incidental 
to  our  fallen  nature's  evil  tendencies.  We  must  not  desire  them,  nor 
induce  them.  But  as  to  the  pain  they  bring  in  resisting  them,  that 
we  should  welcome,  lovingly  placing  our  shoulders  under  this  heavA' 
burden.  Would  God  have  thee  fight  temptations  till  the  day  of  judg- 
ment? Make  up  thy  mind  to  do  so  gladly — do  it  out  of  love  of  suffering, 
and  to  the  praise  and  honor  of  God.  Every  thing  that  one  is  thus  called 
on  to  suffer,  let  him  accept  it  as  from  God.  And  if  the  merit  of  it  be 
given  not  to  thyself  but  rather  to  some  poor  Jew  or  heathen  whom  thou 
hast  never  seen,  given  him  for  his  soul's  salvation,  then  shouldst  thou 
thank  God  for  it  most  sincerely,  and  be  glad  of  it  as  if  it  were  all 
bestowed  on  thyself. 

Another  enjoyment  of  love,  is  the  sensible  presence  of  the  Beloved, 
and  the  sweetness  of  devotion  overflowing  the  heart.     But  suppose  a 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  579 

man  had  all  of  that  joy  in  every  possible  fulness  he  could  desire,  and 
that  it  was  now  revealed  to  him  that  God  would  empty  his  soul  of  it 
all,  and  give  it  to  his  deadliest  enemy,  what  then?  He  must  be  glad  of 
it,  and  give  it  over  with  his  heart's  best  love.  Once  I  heard  a  great 
friend  of  God  say  this :  "I  cannot  do  otherwise ;  I  am  under  constraint 
to  more  heartily  wish  my  neighbor  to  go  to  heaven  than  myself."  And 
that  is  what  I  call  love. 

And  there  are  many  other  objects  of  a  loving  heart's  desire.  One 
would  be  glad  of  the  gift  of  divine  peace;  he  would  be  glad  of  a  state 
of  life  poorer  than  any  orphan  in  the  whole  world.  But  I  say  to  thee, 
leave  on  one  side  thy  own  plans  and  devices ;  let  love  do  thy  planning, 
and  do  thou  simply  go  out  of  thyself  and  all  that  is  thine  in  loving 
abandonment  to  thy  Beloved,  resting  in  humility  and  detachment  of 
spirit. 

One  must  have  love  abounding  "more  and  more  in  knowledge,  and  in 
all  understanding;"  and  that  does  not  mean  simply  a  good  way  or 
degree  of  loving  but  the  very  best.  In  knowledge  indeed :  for  the  prince 
of  this  world  has  everywhere  planted  weeds  among  the  roses,  so  that 
the  weeds  often  choke  the  roses  to  death,  or  at  least  greatly  stunt  their 
growth.  One  must  get  away  from  dangerous  company ;  separations  are 
inevitable,  whether  we  speak  of  persons  in  communities  or  those  who 
remain  outside.  And  this  does  not  mean  that  God's  friends  should 
become  little  sects  among  ordinary  people  in  the  world,  and  separated 
from  them.  No ;  but  they  should  be  only  separated  from  others  by  their 
love  of  God  and  their  virtuous  lives. 

The  love  so  far  treated  of  is  the  lower  powers  of  the  soul,  and  by  it 
nature  is  granted  the  enjoyment  of  many  sweet  spiritual  morsels  and 
many  drinks  of  the  wine  of  Cyprus.  Such  was  the  privilege  of  the 
disciples,  whilst  our  Lord  was  personally  present  with  them.  But  at 
last  He  said:  "It  is  expedient  to  you  that  I  go"  (John  xvi,  7).  That 
is  to  say :  If  you  would  enjoy  Me  in  the  noblest  manner,  then  you  must 
give  Me  up.  For  be  assured,  children,  that  this  love  in  abandonment  is 
as  much  higher  than  the  other  as  heaven  is  higher  than  earth.  And 
unto  this  love  the  apostles  were  now  introduced.  0  how  much  happier 
is  the  lot  of  those  who  are  granted  this  love.  Love  like  this  consists 
only  in  denying,  not  at  all  in  agreeing;  it  is  not  possessing  God  in  the 
way  the  apostles  had  possessed  Him  in  their  Master's  presence,  but 
possessing  Him  in  the  want  of  Him. 

This  is  a  kind  of  not  knowing  that  is  a  superessential  knowledge, 


580  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

lifted  far  above  reasoning — superessential  and  super-wise.  But  when 
this  process  of  elevating  love  is  going  forward,  the  soul  that  endures  it 
struggles  like  an  infant  being  weaned;  cowardly  nature,  flying  from 
God's  face  into  the  hidden  corners  of  the  soul  is  all  forlorn  and 
supremely  disturbed.  For  nature  is  wholly  unequal  to  this  trial.  To 
such  desolation  is  the  soul  reduced,  that  it  dare  not  look  at  itself,  it 
seems  to  itself  to  have  ceased  to  think,  ceased  to  desire.  Nor  is  the  soul 
able  to  offer  this  agony  to  God — so  at  least  it  feels — and  it  can  but  cling 
to  a  state  of  apparently  absolute  unknowingness.  And  yet  that  soul 
loves;  it  renounces  self  for  love ;  it  dies  to  all  objects  of  love  that  it  had 
in  those  introductory  steps  we  have  already  considered,  assuming  in  this 
obscurity  a  higher  love.  In  very  truth,  it  is  God  who  is  now  at  work  in 
the  soul ;  it  is  He  who  loves  Himself  there,  and  is  the  only  object  of  love. 
As  to  the  soul,  there  is  now  nothing  for  it  but  self-renunciation,  and 
enduring  that  process  of  new  formation  which  is  taking  place  in  the 
divine  obscurity,  as  we  find  it  described  in  St.  Dionysius.  Poor  human 
nature  is  now  led  in  a  very  different  way  from  the  former  one;  it  is  the 
way  of  perfect  denudation  of  self. 

And  this  is  not  only  in  the  interior  life,  but  it  extends  to  outward 
things  also — all  support,  all  consolation  is  withdrawn.  Even  the  sacra- 
ments are  often  directly  refused  to  such  a  soul,  or  they  are  somehow 
withheld,  and  this  is  done  by  God's  own  ordering.  Before  this  visitation 
I  would  have  given  such  a  one  hol^'^  communion  every  day — and  at 
present  would  by  no  means  do  so,  for  God  wills  otherwise.  The  soul 
must  now  tread  another  path,  leading  upward  in  deep  darkness.  That 
spirit  must  rest  in  God's  Spirit  in  a  hidden  stillness  as  if  absorbed  in 
God. 

Light  at  last  shines  in  that  darkness,  but  it  is  seen  only  when  the  soul 
finds  itself  in  complete  single-minded  resignation  of  self  to  God.  And 
in  that  state,  all  multiplicity  is  unified.  This  is  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ 
spoken  of  by  St.  Paul.  Now  for  the  first  time  is  Christ  rightly  received 
with  all  the  fruits  of  His  passion  and  death.  It  is  His  day  bright  and 
clear,  in  all  purification.  Not  that  there  is  to  Him  any  increase  of  the 
fruits  of  His  passion  and  death ;  but  in  us  the  gain  is  wonderfully  great, 
because  we  have  Him  in  this  high  and  noble  state  of  holiness  in  a  way 
far  above  forms  and  images  of  the  mind ;  in  a  hidden  way,  most  interior 
and  most  divine. 

And  our  Lord  offers  an  instructive  illustration  of  this  state.  Before 
His  death  He  allowed  himself  to  be  touched  by  Mary  Magdalene,  His 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  581 

feet  washed,  His  head  anointed.  Not  so  after  His  death :  "Jesus  saith 
to  her:  Do  not  touch  Me,  for  I  am  not  yet  ascended  to  My  Father" 
(John  XX,  17).  Thus  in  the  lower  spiritual  state,  He  allows  Himself 
to  be  touched,  washed,  anointed  by  the  soul  He  loves,  to  that  soul's 
intense  joy.  But  in  the  higher  spiritual  degree  it  is  not  so :  He  is  now 
known  to  the  soul  only  as  He  is  in  the  bosom  of  His  Father — He  is 
ascended,  He  has  disappeared  with  all  that  He  is.  This  is  what  the 
soul  finds  in  Christ ;  true  day. 

This  was  foreshown  in  the  generation  of  the  Son  by  the  Father  in  the 
divine  life,  and  the  procession  of  the  Holy  Ghost  from  the  Father  and 
the  Son  in  ever  fruitful  love.  This  is  indeed  the  true  day,  in  which  true 
love  is  born  in  its  proper  way  and  fitting  nobility  of  birth,  all  in  Jesus 
Christ;  as  St.  Gregory  has  described  it.  On  this  state  a  great  teacher 
of  our  order  thus  speaks:  "The  light  of  Jesus  Christ  shines  in  our 
interior  soul  clearer  than  the  sun  in  the  heavens,  and  His  light  is  from 
the  interior  outward,  and  not  from  the  exterior  inward."  Children, 
there  is  herein  experienced  a  wonderful  increase  of  holiness,  passing  all 
calculation.  It  goes  on  not  day  by  day,  but  every  hour  and  every  in- 
stant. But  one  in  this  state  must  watch  himself  very  carefully,  and  he 
must  labor  diligently  to  stand  his  ground.  That  we  shall  do  so,  all  of  us 
who  are  true  friends  of  God  earnestly  hope,  namely,  that  we  "may  more 
and  more  abound"  in  holy  love.  May  God,  who  is  true  love,  help  us  to 
all  this.    Amen. 


582  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — Sketch  of  a  true  conversion — It  carries  the  heart  upward 
through  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost — A  false  conversion  is  always 
tainted  with  self-trust — The  downward  course  of  this  soul  plainly 
traced  from  apparently  high  spirituality  to  open  wickedness — This 
contrasted  with  the  life  of  a  truly  converted  man. 


FIKST  SERMON  FOR  THE  TWENTY  THIRD  SUNDAY 
AFTER  TRINITY.* 

Who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  darkness,  and  hath  translated  us 
into  the  kingdom  of  the  Son  of  His  love. — Col.  i,  13. 

Dear  children,  love  of  God  is  the  beginning,  middle,  and  end  of  all 
Tirtue.  For  its  sake  must  all  that  we  do  be  done,  all  that  we  leave 
undone  be  left  undone,  all  that  we  suffer  be  suffered.  What  we  do  for 
the  sake  of  love,  be  it  ever  so  little,  is  great  before  God;  what  we  do 
without  love,  however  great  it  may  appear  to  us,  it  appears  quite 
otherwise  to  God.  Therefore  we  should  bend  all  our  energies  to  grow 
more  and  more  in  the  love  of  God  and  of  our  neighbor.  There  is  our 
blessedness  placed  and  nowhere  else.  We  should  beg  the  Holy  Ghost, 
who  is  essential  love,  that  He  would  light  up  His  love  within  us,  and 
make  it  penetrate  our  sinful  nature  with  its  power;  for  His  ''love  is 
strong  as  death"  (Cant,  viii,  6).  And  now  pay  attention,  children, 
to  this :  if  divine  love  shall  spring  up  and  flourish  in  any  man's  soul,  he 
must  mark  certain  steps  or  degrees  upward,  and  those  he  must  little 
by  little  learn  to  climb.  This  he  must  do  if  he  would  reach  the  height 
of  divine  love.  In  all  the  degrees  of  love — and  the  Holy  Ghost  has 
many, — "love  is  strong  as  death."  That  means  that  if  love  shall 
rightly  stand  in  a  man's  soul,  then  he  must  suffer  much  ere  he  can 
gain  possession  of  it.  And  this  is  true  in  turn  of  acquiring  each  par- 
ticular grade  of  love. 

The  first  degree  of  love  that  God  gives  His  friends  is  divine  fear. 
It  is  the  first  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  all  whose  gifts  are  love,  for  He 
is  essential  love.     This  gift  brings  a  man  to  the  point  at  which  tie 

♦We  have  no  sermon  of  Tauler's  for  the  Twenty-second  Sunday  after  Trinity. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  5S3 

loathes  all  his  sin  againt  God's  commandments  and  the  precepts  of 
holy  Church.  Now  this  fear  stays  with  a  man  to  the  very  end  of  his 
life.  It  is  mixed  with  bitterness,  for  doing  penance  is  a  bitter  task  to 
beginners. 

But  when  God  sees  that  a  man  is  willing  to  be  converted  to  Him 
no  matter  how  painful  it  may  be,  and  that  he  goes  on  steadfastly,  then 
He  takes  pity  on  him.  After  he  has  atoned  for  his  sins  with  some 
bitterness  of  suflfering,  God  puts  honey  in  his  mouth;  he  grants  him 
a  kindly  and  merciful  disposition,  a  sweetness  of  charity  towards 
others.  This  is  a  new  grade  of  love,  and  is  called  piety,  or  kindly 
love.  It  makes  a  man's  penitential  works  so  sweet,  that  they  no 
longer  are  a  burden  to  him.  He  is  now  able  to  observe  God's  com- 
mandments and  those  of  holy  Church  without  any  opposition  of 
nature;  he  lives  a  life  of  happiness. 

And  when  God  sees  this  joyous  courage,  this  willing  devotion  and 
love,  and  when  He  sees  that  this  man  is  humble  and  by  no  means 
thinks  that  he  has  become  perfect,  He  grants  him  the  gift  of  knowledge 
in  his  love.  This  is  the  third  love ;  by  means  of  which  a  man  is  given 
to  understand  that  he  must  turn  inward  to  his  intelligence,  and  that 
there  he  must  overcome  the  tendencies  and  desires  that  incline  him 
to  sin.  And  now  he  encounters  a  hard  task,  for  he  is  made  aware  nf 
what  is  meant  by  anguish  of  soul.  Be  sure  that  love  is  sweet,  but  the 
ordeal  of  gaining  it  is  a  hard  one:  "love  is  strong  as  death." 

It  happens  that  some  men,  when  they  discover  this  pain  of  heart, 
coming  both  from  without  in  the  battle  with  their  sins  and  from  within 
in  the  mortification  of  their  evil  tendencies,  they  act  right.  They 
renounce  everything  whatsoever  that  is  wrong  inward  and  outward; 
they  die  to  all  that  they  should  give  up,  cutting  it  totally  off.  They 
can  be  induced  by  nobody  to  give  up  this  fight.  They  regard  not  their 
own  pleasure  nor  anything  else,  resting  not  till  they  have  found  God 
in  all  things.  In  this  conflict  they  need  stronger  help  from  God  than 
in  any  former  one,  and  also  good  advice  from  men  as  well  as  God's 
interior  guidance.  They  fail  not  to  receive  this  exterior  assistance, 
for  God  never  forsakes  any  one  whose  good  will  is  given  Him.  His 
providence  provides  all  the  outward  aids  that  are  needful  for  their 
increase  in  virtue;  for  the  work  is  His,  and  it  behoves  Him  to  perfect 
it.  If  we  pray  to  Him  and  trust  in  Him — being  now  brought  to  a 
stand  still  in  our  progress  as  far  as  we  can  see, — then  it  is  that  in 
reality  we  are  climbing  higher  in  our  movement  towards  Him. 


584  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

When  God's  light  beams  in  the  understanding,  then  does  the  soul 
turn  to  Him  in  yet  greater  knowledge,  which  God  grants  with  divine 
savor.  Nor  does  the  soul  attribute  this  to  itself;  it  gives  God  the 
glory  in  all  its  service  of  Him  and  in  all  its  virtues,  and  it  offers  itself 
to  God  without  any  choice.  Occasionally,  however,  God  withdraws 
all  His  light  and  all  His  sweetness:  the  soul  finds  itself  devoid  of 
understanding,  and,  as  it  seems  to  it,  even  of  grace.  There  is  no  taste 
in  anything.  It  can  hardly  realize  that  it  ever  felt  God's  love.  It 
now  feels  altogether  forsaken,  and  can  only  throw  itself  in  blind 
faith  upon  God's  mercy,  waiting  sadly  and  patiently,  till  God  brings 
about  a  change. 

And  now  it  is  necessary  that  one  should  not  complain  to  men  of  his 
anguish,  unless  a  little  to  one's  superiors  and  that  only  to  show  con- 
fidence in  them,  and  submissiveness  to  the  authorities  of  holy  Church. 
And  a  man  must  continue  to  follow  all  his  spiritual  exercises  as  if 
they  were  as  sweet  as  ever  to  him.  Holy  Job  says:  "If  we  have 
received  good  things  at  the  hand  of  God,  why  should  we  not  receive 
evil?"  (Job  ii,  10).  This  visitation  the  soul  accepts  as  a  punishment 
for  its  sins.  By  this  hard  way  does  the  Holy  Ghost  lead  upwards  the 
soul  He  loves. 

But  all  ways  are  good  that  are  approved  or  permitted  by  holy 
Church,  when  followed  with  an  upright  intention.  Hence  let  no  man 
condemn  the  external  works  of  religion  saying  that  they  are  not  the 
best ;  for  a  loving  heart  and  a  right  intention  make  men  holy  in  what- 
ever good  work  they  do.  It  is  not  the  outward  character  of  the  work 
that  measures  it  holiness,  but  the  will  of  him  that  does  it.  Further: 
when  one  cannot  do  a  good  work,  and  yet  has  a  loving  desire  to  do  it, 
God  is  content  with  this  good  will,  however  late  we  may  be  in  making 
a  practical  beginning. 

Be  assured  that  whosoever  has  no  such  love  as  this,  will  go  astray. 
Soon  his  conscience  will  be  blinded,  his  sins  will  give  him  no  remorse, 
and  he  will  grow  lukewarm  and  then  cold  in  his  devotional  practises. 
He  at  last  disregards  lesser  sins,  is  quite  content  with  his  perilous 
state ;  he  is  guided  by  the  wisdom  of  the  flesh  and  by  his  sensual  appe- 
tites. If  he  holds  a  place  over  others,  he  neglects  to  chide  them  for 
minor  offences,  and  tolerates  their  shortcomings  out  of  false  tender- 
ness for  their  weakness.  He  yields  to  them  that  he  may  not  displease 
them;  he  allows  them  unlawful  relaxations  and  pleasures,  in  order 
to  win  and  hold  their  favor.     Thus  does  the  fear  of  God  recede  from 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  585 

that  heart.  Meanwhile  he  is  praised  as  a  man  of  discretion:  for  he 
has  sought  men's  praise,  and  he  has  found  popularity.  He  really 
believes  that  he  is  as  good  as  his  friends  rate  him ;  his  conscience  is  at 
peace;  he  even  increases  certain  outward  penances  bcause  they  win 
him  men's  approval.  But  knowledge  of  the  true  state  of  his  soul  he 
has  none.  He  has  quite  forgotten  that  he  is  obligated  to  die  to  his 
disorderly  inclinations.  And  he  finds  the  thoughts  of  God  and  holy 
things  very  tiresome.  He  is  zealous  for  those  external  works  that  gaiu 
him  applause,  because  all  that  he  does  is  for  men's  praise.  They  call 
him  a  good  man,  and  he  believes  them  to  be  right.  He  feels  quite 
secure  of  coming  to  a  happy  end.  He  dreads  the  hidden  life  and  avoids 
it,  for  it  distresses  him  with  its  sharp  interior  reprimand,  and  he  will 
not  give  up  his  high  name  for  holiness.  Thus  he  falls  into  a  treacher- 
ous calm  of  spirit,  neglects  thanking  God  for  His  favors,  and  fails  to 
do  penance  for  his  sins. 

Finally  he  lapses  into  a  state  of  self-trust;  he  relies  upon  his  pen- 
ance in  the  past,  he  meditates  on  his  good  works  and  exaggerates  their 
worth;  and  this  is  his  comfort  if  any  one  finds  fault  with  him  for  his 
occasional  transgressions,  or  if  his  popularity  begins  to  wane.  Vanity 
grows  stronger  in  him  every  day,  outward  relaxations  are  indulged  in. 
Even  in  God's  service  he  is  full  of  vanity;  and  he  does  penitential 
works  to  be  seen  of  men.  But  these  become  wearisome  after  a  while, 
pious  exercises  grow  irksome;  until  at  last  he  gives  them  all  up,  and 
falls  back  on  doing  some  good  works  of  religion  or  charity  to  safe- 
guard his  reputation. 

And  now  arise  against  him  those  powerful  temptations  that  used  to 
overthrow  him  before  he  undertook  a  pious  life,  and  conscience  is 
gnawed  with  remorse.  For  relief,  he  can  but  practise  some  external 
penances,  which  avail  him  but  little.  He  must  enter  into  the  depths 
of  his  soul;  he  must  learn  to  know  the  evil  tendencies  there  wholly 
uncorrected;  he  must  completely  reverse  his  ways  of  living,  and  devote 
himself  to  the  transformation  of  his  motives  of  conduct.  If  he  does 
not  follow  that  way,  he  falls  back  into  his  early  sinfulness  and  soon  is 
sunk  in  sensuality.  He  excuses  himself:  his  temptations  are  irresist- 
ible— this  is  his  language  to  his  own  conscience ;  he  is  sickly ;  he  must 
spare  himself  and  must  have  some  relaxation.  And  all  this  time  he 
manages  to  keep  up  his  good  name,  he  does  pious  things  out  of  habit, 
he  performs  some  works  of  penance. 

You  notice  how  clearly  he  gives  reasons  and  makes  excuses.    But  in 


586  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

reality,  he  has  lost  the  clear  knowledge  of  the  difference  between 
virtue  and  vice.  And  this  is  why  his  soul  is  not  anxious  nor  his  sorrow 
for  sin  sincere,  nor  even  his  confessions  really  valid.  The  man  who 
performs  good  works  of  penance,  seeking  thereby  to  be  praised  by  men, 
is  a  man  whose  conscience  is  blinded.  Let  him  go  on  teaching  and 
guiding  others,  let  him  be  busy  with  works  of  zeal  and  piety,  it  is  all 
profitless  to  himself  and  of  no  great  good  to  others.  But  suppose  that 
the  reproaches  of  his  conscience  grow  loud  and  threatening?  Suppose 
conscience  thunders  at  him  that  he  is  in  an  evil  state,  and  his  soul's 
salvation  is  in  peril  ?  What  then  ?  He  hushes  these  voices  by  quoting 
scripture,  perverting  its  meaning  to  his  own  purposes.  Soon  he  is 
quieted ;  and  he  returns  to  his  former  perilous  condition. 

But  what  if  Scripture  passages  assail  him  in  turn  and  disquiet  him, 
or  God's  light,  granted  him  in  prayer  with  interior  thereatenings, 
shows  him  his  danger?  What  if  his  self-sufficiency  is  thus  rudely 
broken  in  on,  and  conscience  again  begins  to  clamor  that  he  is  not 
what  he  ought  to  be?  What  if,  in  addition  to  these  warnings,  certain 
deadly  temptations  to  impurity  attack  him,  or  to  envy,  or  to  sloth? 
All  in  vain.  He  soothes  his  soul  by  saying  that  these  are  all  sent  him 
by  God  that  he  may  earn  more  crowns  in  heaven.  With  this  poor 
thought  he  struggles  with  his  inner  foes.  But  his  false  wisdom  deserts 
him  and  he  is  left  helpless.  He  indulges  in  bodily  relaxations,  lives 
in  luxury,  sleeps  and  eats  and  drinks  and  recreates  himself  almost  like 
an  ordinary  worldling,  avoiding,  however,  any  external  mortal  sin. 

Then  his  temptations  grow  stronger  than  ever  before,  and  he  is 
finally  vanquished,  falling  in  many  ways,  even  before  he  is  himself 
fully  aware  of  it.  And  now  he  is  in  anguish  lest  he  shall  lose  his  good 
name.  Interiorly,  his  conscience  is  so  bad  that  devout  practises  can 
no  longer  please  him ;  rather  they  disgust  him.  To  follow  divine 
service  is  intolerable  unless  associated  with  some  pecuniary  profit  or 
bodily  comfort. 

This  man  has  now  come  to  that  pass,  that  he  must  lapse  into  a  life 
of  open  sinfulness,  or  God  must  grant  him  a  new  grace  of  conversion. 
God  must  now  teach  him  to  understand  the  admonitions  of  conscience 
better  than  he  did  before.  It  is  because  he  would  not  barken  to  God's 
interior  warnings,  that  his  present  awful  state  has  come  upon  him. 
And  he  must  have  a  new  conversion,  or  fall  into  a  state  of  undisguised 
wickedness.  But  that  very  fall  is  often  God's  chosen  means.  Open 
shame  brings  such  men  to  their  senses  and  back  to  God's  friendship — 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  587 

that,  or  very  grievous  bodily  suffering  and  the  worst  kind  of  interior 
misery  are  necessary  to  restore  these  souls  to  God's  trust  and  love. 

God  reveals  to  them  their  sinfulness;  He  imparts  the  grace  of  con- 
fidence in  His  mercy;  that  of  courage  to  begin  their  spiritual  life  over 
again;  to  correct  all  evil  conduct  and  repress  evil  tendencies.  It  is 
not  now  the  contempt  of  men  that  they  dread — no,  they  are  only  full 
of  shame  on  account  of  their  misdeeds  against  God,  which  He  now 
grants  them  to  know  in  all  their  naked  wickedness;  and  these  holy 
inspirations  they  by  no  means  resist. 

Those  who  do  resist  them,  return  again  to  their  evil  ways ;  conscience 
indeed  makes  them  miserable,  and  yet  they  yield  to  their  weaknesses 
and  they  keep  on  doing  so.  These  follow  after  the  things  of  the  flesh 
and  after  worldly  goods,  seemingly  happy  enough,  for  God  gives  them 
up  to  their  own  devices.  But  you  know,  for  I  have  often  taught  it  to 
you,  that  before  God  finally  abandons  them.  He  sends  them  very  many 
warnings,  both  interior  admonitions  and  external  reminders.  If  they 
but  willed  it,  they  could  easily  enough  be  saved. 

And  how  is  it  with  the  sincere  soul  that  barkens  to  God's  warnings? 
He  is  first  of  all  shamed  and  grieved  for  his  wicked  ingratitude  to- 
wards God.  He  is  absorbed  in  the  consciousness  of  his  sinful  state 
He  is  amazed  to  discover  how  far  he  had  gone  astray  in  his  interior 
soul,  even  in  the  motives  of  his  good  works,  and  how  he  actually  dis- 
pleased God  while  seeming  to  serve  Him,  so  infected  with  vanity  and 
human  respect  had  been  all  his  conduct.  Full  of  thankfulness  for  his 
present  graces,  he  is  yet  at  a  loss  to  find  a  penance  great  enough  to 
atone  for  his  past  bad  conduct.  But  he  humbly  goes  back  to  the 
beginning;  he  acts  as  if  he  were  a  child  new  born  to  holy  Church.  He 
learns  how  to  fast  and  watch  in  all  prudence;  he  is  submissive  in  his 
choice  of  devotions,  and  very  humble,  guided  by  the  Church's  rules  and 
the  duties  of  his  state  of  life. 

Meanwhile  he  studies  the  life  and  example  of  Jesus  Christ  most 
thoroughly,  and  with  all  his  might  he  endeavors  to  imitate  Him, 
patiently  reading  of  Him  in  holy  Scripture,  in  all  things  obedient  to 
conscience  and  the  directions  of  his  spiritual  adviser.  To  the  best  of 
his  ability  he  conforms  his  spirit  to  that  of  Christ.  He  learns  to  die 
to  every  evil  inner  tendency,  and  to  totally  abstain  from  all  outward 
defects;  his  daily  task  is  to  learn  this  lesson  better  and  better.  One 
danger  he  dreads  above  all  others : — tepidity  in  fulfilling  the  spiritual 
duties  of  his  state  of  life;  for  he  knows  that  that  was  the  original 


588  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

cause  of  all  his  delusions  and  sins.  From  these  has  God  saved  him  as 
from  a  deep  pit,  for  to  save  himself  he  was  wholly  powerless.  He  thanks 
God  that  this  grace  was  granted  him  in  preference  to  so  many 
others. 

Nor  does  this  change  remain  a  secret.  On  the  contrary,  the  penitent 
soul  manifests  its  new  life  by  many  signs: — love  cannot  remain  idle. 
So  does  this  man's  love  of  God  now  come  into  notice ;  he  does  not  spare 
himself;  he  gives  himself  up  to  all  approved  penitential  practises,  yet 
striving  to  hide  them  from  the  eyes  of  others.  As  time  goes  on,  he  is 
bound  steadfast,  for  he  vows  to  God  that  to  the  end  of  his  days  he  will 
never  again  fall  into  lukewarmness.  And  his  love  is  a  prudent  one,  not 
striving  to  destroy  nature  but  rather  the  sinfulness  that  rules  nature 
and  corrupts  the  soul :  this  he  is  determined  totally  to  destroy. 

And  his  love  has  a  quality  of  freedom— freedom  from  creatures :  he 
will  tolerate  no  creature  near  God  in  the  love  of  his  soul  but  insists 
on  having  all  things  adjusted  to  God  and  His  will.  Again,  his  love  is 
a  speaking  love;  for  his  soul  cannot  be  silent,  but  addresses  all  and 
exhorts  all  who  are  out  of  God's  friendship.  Furthermore  this  love 
is  full  of  longing  or  yearning,  distressed  because  with  all  its  zeal  for 
God's  honor,  it  knows  not  how  it  can  win  souls  to  His  allegiance. 

Then  comes  to  him  a  burning  love,  tending  to  drive  the  soul  beyond 
all  bounds  of  moderation  in  its  zeal : — nay,  even  a  foolish  love,  despis- 
ing the  praise  of  men,  and  doing  things  for  God  that  seem  to  them  silly. 
Yet  again,  it  may  happen  that  there  is  granted  him  a  love  that  is  all 
sweetness  of  joy  in  the  depths  of  the  heart. 

Last  of  all  is  given  that  love  which  is  unitive;  it  comes  from  intimate 
union  with  God  here  and  hereafter;  this  may  well  be  the  love  spoken 
of  by  the  Bridegroom:  "Love  is  strong  as  death"  (Cant,  viii,  6).  To 
attain  to  this  divine  love,  one  must  love  very  painfully,  and  hence  the 
comparison  with  that  greatest  of  pains,  death.  But  can  a  man  ever 
serve  this  fleeting  world  or  sin  without  great  suffering?  Wherefore 
then  shall  he  not  willingly  suffer  to  obtain  divine  love,  which  never 
passes,  and  never  grows  less  in  its  sweetness?  May  God  grant  us  to 
win  this  His  love,  and  never  to  perish  in  everlasting  death.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  589 


(gnln  AUin^ 

Synopsis — Love  true  or  false  shown  hy  inner  motives — Also  love  selfish 
or  disinterested — Love  is  tested  dy  adversity — Also  by  seeming 
abandonment  by  God — TJie  keenest  pain  is  needed  to  show  the  best 
love — All  other  virtues  flow  out  of  love. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  TWENTY-THIRD  SUNDAY 
AFTER  TRINITY. 

I  sleep,  and  my  heart  watcheth. — Cant,  v,  2. 

The  more  that  a  loving  soul  is  loved  by  God,  the  more  restless  does 
it  become.  It  is  a  trait  of  love  never  to  be  content  to  be  inactive. 
Love  does  a  great  work  in  a  man;  and  if  it  does  not  work  it  is  not 
love.  The  noblest  part  of  a  man  is  his  heart,  and  of  this,  love  takes 
possession.  That  heart  will  know  no  rest  until  it  loves  God  and 
honors  and  thanks  and  praises  Him  perfectly.  Such  is  its  joy;  for 
loving  the  Beloved  is  dearer  to  it  than  its  own  self. 

Now  it  is  necessary  to  distinguish  between  true  love  and  false  love. 
This  is  shown  by  the  three  traits  of  a  true  living  and  growing  love. 
These  are  observed  in  the  will,  in  the  intention,  and  in  the  desires  of 
the  soul.  For  a  man  must  will  and  intend,  and  desire  nothing  whatso- 
ever, interiorly  or  exteriorly,  except  that  he  love  God  purely  and  exclu- 
sively. He  must  refer  all  that  he  has,  all  that  he  does,  to  God  alone; 
and  for  the  reason  that  God  is  good,  and  that  out  of  His  goodness  He 
made  us  and  redeemed  us  by  His  blood.  And  he  must  thank  God  for 
the  many  other  good  things  He  has  done  us  and  daily  continues  to  do 
us,  yea,  and  will  forever  continue  to  do  us — which  spirit  of  thanksgiv- 
ing is  a  yet  better  gift.  Behold  how  love  can  have  no  rest  or  respite, 
but  incessantly  goes  on,  watching  every  chance  to  thank  God  and  to 
praise  Him,  wishing  to  respond  to  His  love  for  us,  in  however  feeble  a 
manner. 

But  this  is  not  all.  Our  loving  servitor  will  not  only  always  keep  God 
in  view  and  love  Him,  but  all  creatures  will  be  dear  to  him  for  God's 
sake.   Besides,  for  God's  sake  he  suffers  all  kinds  of  oppression  and  oppo- 


590  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

sition.  He  forsakes  all  irregularities  of  life  and  conduct  for  God's  ever- 
lasting honor ;  himself  alone  he  never  seeks  under  any  pretext,  whether 
in  matters  temporal  or  external.  And  by  temporal  things,  we  mean 
all  desires  likely  to  lead  to  sinful  pleasures ;  for  by  nature,  a  man  holds 
beautiful  things  dear  and  those  that  attract  the  senses,  or  in  any 
wise  minister  joy  to  us.  Mark  well,  that  a  loving  soul  is  bounden  to 
overcome  all  this  with  an  eager  zeal.  The  need  of  doing  so  is  soon 
learned,  if  one  will  but  carefully  consider  his  life  in  the  activity  of  the 
bodily  senses,  and  in  what  things  his  affections  are  likely  to  go  beyond 
his  control. 

The  lover  of  Christ  who  aspires  to  be  perfect,  must  differ  from  begin- 
ners in  this  holy  love.  For  beginners  many  spiritual  comforts  are 
lawful,  such  as  sweetnesses  of  devotion,  and  a  smooth  course  of  spiritual 
experience.  Not  so  the  more  perfect  soul ;  for  he  must  seek  nothing  for 
self,  no,  not  even  what  comes  to  him  in  spiritual  guise.  Pure  love 
accepts  nothing  whatsoever  for  self  alone;  it  will  rest  in  no  interior 
joy,  nor  cleave  to  any  spiritual  comfort.  For  this  would  be  to  put 
one's  trust  more  in  God's  gifts  than  in  God  Himself,  which  is  straight 
against  upright  and  clean  and  perfect  love.  And  it  is  because  some 
men  fail  to  practise  this  rightly  ordered  love,  that  God  often  withdraws 
these  same  gifts  from  them.  Their  souls  are  presently  left  dry,  they 
can  no  longer  think  of  God  or  spiritual  things,  and  a  miserable  dull- 
ness settles  upon  them.  This  happens  in  order  that  they  shall  learn  to 
fly  to  God  in  perfect  abandonment  of  all  spiritual  joy,  serve  Him  alone 
in  faith,  hope,  and  love,  putting  self  to  death.  They  must  learn  to 
suffer  the  loss  of  all  spiritual  taste.  They  must  rely  upon  God's  self 
alone,  resting  wholly  in  His  goodness,  thinking  only  of  His  boundless 
mercy;  for  out  of  that  comes  forth  His  gift  of  virtue  to  us  and  our 
power  to  accept  it. 

It  is  also  a  quality  of  purified  love,  that  a  soul  shall  have  as  faithful 
a  love  for  God  in  this  state  of  desolation  as  in  the  time  of  sensible  grace. 
If  this  be  not  the  case,  then  it  is  manifest  that  one  sets  greater  store  by 
the  gift  of  God  than  by  God  Himself:  this  is  to  commit  gluttony  with 
God's  grace.  It  is,  to  be  sure,  for  our  own  gain  that  we  are  practising 
self-denial  of  joy  in  God's  gifts ;  but  nevertheless  this  must  be  without 
consciousness  of  self-interest.  We  must  seek  God's  graces,  His  sweet 
ness.  His  goodness,  for  an  end  beyond  themselves,  namely,  to  arrive  by 
their  means  at  the  possession  of  the  interior,  spiritual  good  that  is 
God's  very  self.     He  dwells  in  our  inmost  soul;  and  once  we  have 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  591 

gained  Him  there,  we  can  come  forth  to  the  outward  life  of  truest 
virtue,  practising  it  in  a  spirit  of  detachment.  Thus  it  is  that  one 
first  gains  possession  of  God, 

Yet  we  must  not  forget  that  a  good  man  may  lawfully  desire  devo- 
tional sweetness,  according  to  his  needs,  or  for  God's  honor,  or  to  fit 
him  the  better  for  the  salvation  of  other  men's  souls;  for  these  gifts 
make  one  more  zealous  for  virtue.  That  is  a  motive  of  reasonable  self 
love;  and  a  reasonable  enjoyment  of  any  good  thing,  spiritual  or 
bodily  is  not  to  be  blamed. 

You  must  also  know  that  for  a  beginner  in  the  way  of  love  it  is 
lawful  to  seek  for  devotional  sweetness,  so  that  he  may  the  sooner  die 
to  all  the  sweetness  of  sin.  He  thus  learns  how  good  and  sweet  it  is  to 
seek  God  and  Him  alone,  to  cleave  to  Jesus  alone,  to  renounce  all  the 
vanity  of  this  earthly  life,  and  all  its  sinful  desires.  Thus  does  he 
learn  to  relish  God  in  his  devout  practises.  But  when  God  has  thus 
gifted  these  souls  with  spiritual  joy,  after  a  while  He  lessens  it;  and 
then  the  time  has  come  to  enter  on  the  way  we  have  herein  previously 
treated  of.  For  while  men  still  hanker  after  the  devotional  sentiments 
which  are  withdrawn  from  them,  treating  them  as  they  do,  as  if  they 
were  the  truest  spiritual  good,  they  can  never  attain  to  what  is  in 
very  deed  the  truest  spiritual  good.  Nor  can  they  in  that  way  advance 
a  single  step  in  true  virtue.  They  are  under  self-deception;  they  do 
not  really  know  themselves  nor  their  sinfulness;  they  cannot  appreciate 
what  is  or  what  is  not  permitted  them ;  nor  can  they  detect  and  resist 
the  temptations  incident  to  the  spiriual  life.  Wih  some  of  these  souls 
the  end  is  falling  helplessly  into  grave  sins.  Now  all  this  concerns 
those  transitory  spiritual  favors,  which  pure  and  watchful  love  of  God 
must  not  allow  itself  to  seek  after. 

Listen  to  this:  pure  love  must  not  over  eagerly  seek  after  certain 
eternal  good  things,  such  as  the  glory  which  shall  be  the  heavenly 
reward  of  our  good  works.  It  is  unbecoming  pure  love  of  God,  it  is  un- 
becoming perfect  virtue,  to  seek  anything  for  itself  but  God  alone.  It 
loves  and  desires  everything,  all  work,  all  rest,  all  suffering,  with  a 
single  mind  for  God's  glory.  God  gives  heaven.  He  takes  heaven  away ; 
He  saves.  He  damns:  pure  love  has  nothing  to  do  with  all  this,  only 
hoping  to  be  saved.  Pure  love  has  God's  honor  at  heart  and  God's  will : 
He  knows  best  what  to  will  and  to  do.  Whatsoever  He  wills,  that  He 
loves,  and  His  love  is  the  best  love.  Yea,  this  loving  soul,  if  it  stand 
right  in  this  case,  would  not  cease  to  love  God,  to  advance  His  glory. 


592  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

to  practise  His  highest  virtues,  even  if  it  thought  (if  such  a  thing 
were  permitted  or  possible,  which  it  is  not),  that  He  would  condemn 
it  to  hell,  there  to  punish  its  vices,  never  to  forgive  its  sins.  This 
thought  (however  practically  impossible),  would  but  stimulate  it  to 
greater  virtue,  for  it  seeks  itself  in  nothing,  it  thinks  only  of  God's 
eternal  glory  in  all  things :  such  a  one  thus  rightly  observes  God's  first 
and  greatest  commandment. 

The  contrary  is  the  case  with  beginners,  for  their  love  is  that  of  the 
hireling,  and  is  mixed  with  anxious  thoughts  about  the  future,  saying : 
If  I  could  hope  for  no  reward  for  my  labors  and  penances,  I  would  not 
do  them.  To  beginners  this  is  allowed,  but  not  to  genuine  lovers. 
God's  first  commandment  says  that  we  must  love  God  above  all  things, 
even  above  ourself.  Whosoever  will  acquire  this  love,  let  him  search 
his  inner  soul,  let  him  scrutinize  his  outward  conduct.  In  whatsoever 
thought,  word  or  deed  he  finds  himself  falling  short  of  this  pure  love, 
let  him  heartily  set  about  his  improvement.  Let  him  aspire  constantly 
to  attain  to  love  true  and  pure.  In  due  time  thou  shalt  have  good  fruit, 
thou  shalt  practise  many  virtues.  Act  otherwise,  and  thou  shalt  re- 
main in  thy  defective  love  until  God  brings  thee  out  of  it,  and  leads 
thee  to  watchful  and  living  love,  lest  thou  fallest  asleep  in  guilty 
ignorance.    God  guide  us  to  true  love.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  593 


Synopsis — Christ's  dwelling  is  His  school — Its  lessons  are  hard  but  yet 
sweet — Every  creature  yearns  for  this  teaching — Discontent  with 
created  things  is  the  divine  beginning  of  the  lesson  of  life — Kind 
feelings  towards  men  is\another  divine  teaching — How  Elias  found 
God  in  the  whistling  of  a  gentle  breeze. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  ST.  ANDREW,  THE  APOSTLE. 

The  next  day  John  stood,  and  two  ol  his  disciples.  And  beholding  Jesus  walk- 
ing, he  saith :  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God.  And  the  two  disciples  heard  him  speak, 
and  they  followed  Jesus.  And  Jesus  turning,  and  seeing  them  following  Him, 
saith  to  them:  What  seek  you?  Who  said  to  Him:  Rabbi  (which  is  to  say,  be- 
ing interpreted,  Master),  where  dwellest  Thou?  He  saith  to  them:  Come  and 
see. — John  i.  35-39. 

Three  things  are  taught  us  by  these  words.  First,  the  overflowing 
wisdom  of  Christ  as  our  teacher;  second,  the  infinite  dwelling  place  of 
God's  being,  the  foundation  of  all  being;  third,  the  confidence  we 
should  feel  in  God's  invitation  to  seek  Him  in  spirit,  in  the  dwelling 
place  of  His  Godhead — "Come  and  see," — that  we  may  learn  wisdom 
at  wisdom's  fountain  head,  namely,  the  school  of  the  most  holy  Trinity. 
Therefore  does  the  Lord  say.  Come,  O  soul,  and  dwell  with  Me  and  in 
Me :  come  and  see  in  order  that  thou  mayst  learn ;  I  will  enclose  thee 
within  the  depths  of  My  divine  heart  as  in  My  dwelling,  in  which  thou 
shalt  contemplate  and  learn  all  thy  eternal  good. 

And  now  consider  this  Master's  school.  Ah,  my  Master,  (so  speaks 
the  soul)  teach  me  how  to  escape  the  fate  of  the  five  foolish  virgins. 
He  answers :  Learn  of  Me  to  be  meek  and  humble  of  heart,  as  I  once 
taught  St.  Andrew  and  My  other  disciples.  Then  the  soul  says :  But, 
Lord,  this  teaching  is  too  hard;  for  the  cares  of  life,  and  also  anger 
and  contention,  disturb  my  heart,  so  that  I  lose  meekness  of  spirit. 
And  our  Master,  Christ  insists:  ''What  doth  it  profit  a  man  if  he 
gain  the  whole  world,  and  sufifer  the  loss  of  his  own  soul?"  (Matt,  xvi, 
26).  It  is  from  thoughts  of  thy  self-interest  that  all  thy  pain  of  heart 
springs,  thy  tedium  in  spiritual  exercises,  thy  dullness  of  soul :  this  is 


594  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

why  thou  losest  meekness  of  spirit;  this  is  why  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
though  overflowing  with  sweetness  cannot  pour  comfort  or  joy  into  thy 
soul.  His  kindness  cannot  bear  with  thy  bitterness,  for  He  is  sweeter 
than  honey.  Only  a  man  that  will  not  be  beguiled  by  false  consolations 
of  men  shall  receive  the  sweetness  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Therefore,  dear 
child,  begin  manfully,  follow  this  Master  faithfully,  sink  down  under 
His  eyes  to  the  lowly  virtue  of  humility,  saying  in  thy  heart:  Lord, 
I  am  the  puniest  little  creature  that  ever  Thou  didst  create.  Place  thy- 
self thus  in  meekness  of  spirit,  and  thou  shalt  duly  appreciate  that  God 
is  a  short  word  but  a  long  meaning.  Diligently  pursue  this  devout 
practise;  for  if  thou  wilt  do  so  and  not  give  it  up,  thou  shalt  soon  be 
made  aware  of  a  wisdom  hitherto  quite  hidden  from  thee. 

The  second  teaching  is  about  the  way  the  soul  is  drawn  towards  the 
dwelling  of  the  divine  being,  our  Master.  The  longing  for  this  is  felt 
by  all  creatures.  They  desire  their  own  existence  only  that  they  may 
find  the  being  of  God.  All  the  activity  of  nature  is  nothing  else  than 
a  search  and  an  asking:  Where  is  the  dwelling  of  God?  Without 
this  the  heavens  and  the  earth  would  not  stand.  And  now,  dear  child, 
why  dost  thou  go  outside  thyself  in  this  search,  seeking  God  in  the 
strange  lands  of  perishable  things?  Thou  shalt  not  find  Him  there. 
They  all  deny  thee,  and  beckon  thee  to  go  back  and  away,  saying :  We 
are  not  God.  St.  Augustine  says :  ''Lift  up  thy  soul  above  thyself  into 
eternal  things,  for  God  is  there." 

And  mark  well  that  God  may  thus  be  found  in  many  ways,  all  vari- 
ously teaching  the  soul  about  Him.  First,  the  soul  finds  God  its 
creator  dwelling  in  holy  fear,  in  the  heights  of  penance  and  of  sorrow 
for  sin.  By  penance  a  man  freely  breaks  his  obstinate  will  into  sub- 
jection under  God's  will.  Learn  herein  to  give  up  everything  great 
and  little,  to  do  hard  penances,  to  chastise  thyself  for  having  yielded 
to  thy  unbridled  will.  The  more  the  soul  is  practised  in  this,  the  more 
does  it  find.  God  in  itself  and  itself  in  God.  Thus  speaks  the  lover — 
"I  will  go  to  the  mountain  of  myrrh,  and  to  the  hill  of  frankincense" 
(Cant,  iv,  G).  It  is  in  that  place  of  bitterness  that  God  speaks  to  His 
beloved.  It  is  the  high  place  of  an  elevated  spirit,  which  has  changed 
all  self  satisfaction  and  treacherous  sweetness  into  feelings  of  sharp 
regret  for  sin.  It  now  finds  only  bitterness  in  whatsoever  is  not  accord- 
ing to  God's  will.  Then  God  speaks  deep  in  the  spouse's  spirit:  "Thou 
art  all  fair,  O  My  love,  and  there  is  not  a  spot  in  thee"  (Cant,  iv,  7). 

But  if  anyone  lives  according  to  his  own  will  and  pleasure,  he  finds 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  595 

God  indeed,  but  not  as  does  the  faithful  soul ;  for  God  is  ever  against 
him  in  all  his  works.  All  that  he  does  hurts  him.  He  may  practise 
bodily  works  of  piety,  but  they  are  of  little  help,  unless  the  rebellious 
will  has  first  been  subdued.  One  psalm  sung  by  a  man  who  can 
conquer  his  own  will  is  many  psalms  sung: — that  is  to  say,  the  least 
work  that  such  a  man  does,  is  more  acceptable  to  God  than  the  greatest 
work  of  a  self-willed  man. 

Furthermore,  we  find  God's  dwelling  in  the  wilderness,  in  the  burn 
ing  bush:  there  did  Moses  find  Him.  The  burning  bush  means  that 
kind  of  a  spirit  in  a  man  which  withdraws  him  from  all  creatures,  and 
which  lives  only  in  the  remoteness  of  solitude,  in  the  loftiness  of  the 
eternal  Godhead.  As  the  divine  essense  embraces  the  three  distinct 
persons  of  the  holy  Trinity,  so  has  this  spirit  embraced  God  within  its 
three  powers  by  the  fires  of  divine  grace,  as  if  they  were  like  the 
flames  of  the  burning  bush  encircling  and  enwrapping  God  with  three 
branches  all  flowering  with  flames. 

The  soul  now  grows  in  fire  and  light,  it  waxes  strong  in  every 
virtue,  never  a  day  passes  without  steady  progress;  until  at  last  it 
beholds  God  in  the  heavenly  Sion  with  the  vision  of  an  angel.  Be  sure 
that  as  thou  findest  God,  thou  shalt  find  a  divine  method  of  prayer  and 
a  divine  power  of  virtue  within  thy  own  self,  ever  more  today  than 
yesterday.  But  whosoever  would  thus  find  God,  must  suppress  all 
animal  tendencies,  and  must  go  forward  with  Moses  guided  by  right 
reason  and  the  light  of  holy  prudence :  flesh  and  blood  shall  not  possess 
the  kingdom  of  God.  I  believe,  dear  children,  that  all  your  venial  sins 
are  the  sudden  uprisings  due  to  the  intrusion  of  outward  things  into 
your  heart,  causing  now  acts  and  again  words  uttered  and  done  before 
you  can  turn  on  them  the  light  of  holy  prudence. 

And,  again,  God  is  found  dwelling  in  the  mountain  within  the  cloud, 
where  His  finger  wrote  on  stone  the  glory  and  the  light  of  His  com- 
mandments. The  mountain  is  the  lofty  spirit  in  a  man,  and  the  great- 
hearted soul  in  him.  He  can  find  no  content  in  his  works  or  rest  in  his 
endeavors,  except  when  he  can  see  stamped  plain  upon  them  the  mark 
of  God's  will.  Then  it  is  that  the  human  soul  does  not  only  a  human 
work  after  human  ways,  but  a  divine  work  according  to  the  divinely 
prescribed  way  of  God's  will.  Thus  does  the  soul  sanctify  the  body's 
work,  whose  work  again  is  made  the  soul's  work.  And  thus  the  work 
of  God's  will -is  made  one  with  that  of  the  soul's  will.  Now  may  the 
soul  say  with  St.  Paul :    **I  live,  now  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  with  me" 


596  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

(Gal.  ii,  20).  As  if  the  apostle  said:  I  work,  now  not  I,  but  the 
power  of  the  divine  essence  worketh  in  me.  All  this  takes  place  within 
the  cloud,  and  the  everlasting  splendor  of  the  divine  light:  for  all 
created  light  is  as  dark  night  when  compared  to  the  divine  day. 

God  is  also  found  in  the  cave,  with  the  prophet  Elias,  to  whom  the 
Lord  came  in  the  desert:  "He  requested  for  his  soul  that  he  might 
die  *  *  *  And  he  cast  himself  down,  and  slept  in  the  shadow  of 
the  Juniper  tree.  And  behold  an  angel  of  the  Lord  touched  him,  and 
said  to  him :  Arise  and  eat.  He  looked,  and  behold  there  was  at  his 
head  an  ash  cake,  and  a  vessel  of  water.  And  he  ate  and  drank,  and  he 
fell  asleep  again.  *  ♦  *  And  he  walked  in  the  strength  of  that 
food  forty  days  and  forty  nights,  unto  the  mount  of  God,  Horeb.  And 
when  he  was  come  hither,  he  abode  in  a  cave"  (III  Kings  xix,  4-9)  :  and 
there  it  was  that  he  found  God.  But  not  in  the  "great  strong  wind, 
overthrowing  mountains,  and  breaking  the  rocks  in  pieces ;"  nor  in  the 
earthquake  and  the  fire  that  came  afterwards,  but  in  "the  whistling  of  a 
gentle  air:"  in  that  gentle  air  Elias  found  God. 

The  prophet  Daniel  saw  in  a  vision  the  turbulent  hearts  of  worldly 
men  tormented  as  the  sea  in  a  tempest :  tossed  about  with  foolish  fears 
and  hopes,  joys  and  sorrows.  These  fears  and  hopes  are  what  blind 
men's  eyes,  those  eyes  of  the  spirit  with  which  they  must  seek  and 
find  God.  The  stormy  wind  also  means  bitterness  of  heart  against 
our  fellow  Christians,  by  which  rocks  are  split  asunder,  that  is  to  say 
the  noble  hearts  of  good  men  are  broken  and  their  peace  of  soul  de- 
stroyed. Dear  children,  suppress  all  such  stormy  feelings  against 
others;  watch  your  unmortified  nature  closely  and  hold  it  down  in 
subjection,  lest  it  break  away  from  you  like  a  team  of  wild  horses. 
It  is  an  awful  sight  to  see  men  endowed  by  God  with  reason's  light, 
and  gifted  by  him  with  loving  dispositions,  act  so  uncharitably.  God 
has  given  you  the  power  of  taming  wild  beasts,  and  will  you  uot 
look  at  your  own  wildness  and  tame  it  down  to  reason's  guidance?  It 
is  a  shame  to  us  before  God  our  creator,  that  we  are  often  more  savage 
than  the  lions  and  bears  of  the  forest.  This  is  to  live  at  war  with  our 
own  nature ;  it  is  as  if  the  light  of  God's  countenance  had  never  shined 
upon  us  (Ps.  iv,  7).  I  say  to  you  in  all  truth,  that  for  whatever  harm 
we  work  by  these  stormy  passions  God  will  exact  heavy  reckoning, 
whether  the  ruin  be  worked  on  ourselves — as  often  enough  happens, — 
or  upon  our  neighbor,  who  besides  being  injured,  is  frequently  deprived 
of  many  graces  by  the  sin  of  anger  we  have  caused  in  him :  for  this 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  597 

we  shall  be  held  accountable.  We  have  our  excuses;  as  for  example: 
we  are  now  sorry  that  it  happened ;  we  are  naturally  hot  tempered ;  we 
were  provoked  to  do  it.  And  this  is  all  false  self-justification,  for 
nature  will  never  learn  without  hard  discipline  how  to  die  to  itself, 
and  must  constantly  be  repressed.  Let  us  act  quite  otherwise;  let  us 
turn  to  God  with  deeply  earnest  prayer,  very  humble  self-renunciation. 
Then  we  shall  find  that  this  evil  tendency  can  never  overcome  us. 

We  read  that  the  prophet  Elias  did  not  find  God  in  the  fire  that 
followed  the  earthquake.  Fire  is  a  thing  that  never  says: — Enough! 
This  figure  of  fire  may  signify  a  heart  that  can  never  get  enough  of 
this  world's  goods  or  of  God's  earthly  gifts.  That  heart  ever  burns 
to  amass  more  and  more  of  those  things  that  are  not  Godlike  nor 
pure — it  constantly  bums  with  the  desire  of  consolations  and  other 
transitory  things,  in  which  it  places  all  its  love  and  joy — a  plain  sign 
that  God's  spirit  is  not  within  it.  And  in  this  class  I  include  those 
spiritual  persons  who  repine  in  misfortune,  as  if  God  had  never  done 
them  any  good  thing.  They  seem  to  exclaim:  Why  did  God  create 
me,  since  I  am  stripped  of  every  enjoyable  spiritual  thing?  They  little 
dream  that  by  this  deprivation  God  has  saved  them  from  many  a  fatal 
fall,  withdrawing  them  with  special  favor  from  a  sinful  world.  Nor  do 
they  realize  that  if  they  would  but  live  up  to  the  standard  of  their 
holy  state  of  life,  they  might  well  become  the  solid  pillars  of  the  whole 
Christian  Church.  I  say  to  thee,  dear  child,  that  it  is  these  ungrate- 
ful thoughts  of  thine  that  dry  up  the  sweet  streams  of  God's  grace  in 
its  very  fountain  head.  I  implore  thee  by  the  everlasting  love  of  God 
not  easily  to  be  moved  from  the  holy  path  which  in  my  heart's  fervor 
I  have  shown  thee — as  God  is  my  witness.  If  anyone  of  a  different 
spirit  teach  thee  a  contrary  way,  I  affirm  before  God  that  is  only  to 
thy  Joss;  as  St.  Paul  says  to  the  Galatians:  "If  any  one  preach  to  you 
a  gospel,  besides  that  which  you  have  received,  let  him  be  anathema" 
(Gal  i,  9). 

There  came  at  last  to  Elias  the  "whistling  of  a  gentle  air,"  like  the 
sweet  breath  of  May :  God  came  in  that  gentle  air.  This  may  mean  to 
us  that  gentle  spirit  which  lives  a  sweet  spiritual  life,  following  God's 
words  with  holy  thoughts  and  speech,  by  which  the  yearning  soul  com- 
panies with  God  without  loud  outcry  or  noise  of  any  kind.  God  enters 
the  soul  with  a  gentle  whisper  of  love;  He  comes  with  the  happiness 
of  a  shining  light,  steadily  beaming  in  the  spirit.  Of  this  happiness 
the  souls  who  are  easily  allured  by  the  alien  forms  and  images  of 


598  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

the  mind  are  not  worthy,  caused  as  these  are  by  the  intruding  words 
of  men — aye  or  even  of  fallen  angels,  as  St.  Paul  said  to  the  Gala- 
tians: — allured  from  the  right  spiritual  way  into  which  God  had  led 
them. 

The  right  minded  soul  is  like  the  bride  in  the  Canticles,  who  bade  the 
north  wind  to  give  peace  to  the  south  wind:  "Come,  O  south  wind, 
blow  through  my  garden,  and  let  the  aromatical  spices  thereof  flow" 
(Cant,  iv,  16).  The  north  wind  is  the  rush  of  created  things  into  the 
soul's  garden,  sowing  seeds  of  evil  in  the  imagination.  Says  Jeremias : 
"From  the  north  shall  an  evil  break  forth  upon  all  the  inhabitants  of 
the  land"  (Jer.  i,  14) ;  an  evil  wind,  withering  all  the  spiritual  fruits 
of  God's  graces.  The  soul  becomes  an  intolerable  burden  to  itself 
when  it  has  lost  all  savor  of  interior  sweetness.  Hence,  from  amid  the 
desolation  of  the  north  wind  of  earthly  thoughts,  the  spirit  cries  out : 
"Come,  O  south  wind,  blow  through  my  garden."  This  life-giving 
breath  of  God  spreads  a  sweet  perfume  through  all  the  fruits  of  the 
soul's  life,  the  sweet  perfume  of  God. 

Finally,  the  soul  will  find  God  dwelling  above  the  angels.  For  al- 
though these  are  by  nature  above  us  men,  yet  we  must  soar  above  them 
if  we  find  God.  The  soul  finds  God  in  the  Eternal  Father,  by  lifting 
all  its  works  above  self,  as  the  Eternal  Word  is  joined  to  the 
Father.  Thus  did  the  high  gazing  soul  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist  see 
God,  as  he  wrote:  "In  the  beginning  was  the  Word"  (John  i,  1). 
Thus,  again  St.  Andrew  asks  very  yearningly — and  the  loving  soul 
asks  with  him: — "Master,  where  dwellest  Thou?"  St.  John  answers: 
"In  the  beginning  was  the  Word."  Therefore  the  soul  does  not  find 
God  in  any  words  that  do  not  introduce  our  spirit  into  the  beginning. 
We  must  penetrate  beyond  all  that  is  beneath  God,  and  transcend  all 
that  is  not  God,  and  earnestly  seek  that  beginning  from  which  we  have 
come  forth :  there  alone  is  our  dwelling  place,  and  our  place  of  refuge 
in  eternal  bliss.  But  this  can  only  take  place  by  a  quick  turning  away 
from  creatures  to  the  contemplation  of  the  divine  essence,  and  to  union 
with  Him. 

Jesus  said  to  the  two  disciples:  "Come  and  see."  Come:  turn 
away  from  all  things  which  entangle  you  with  inordinate  affection, 
which  hinder  your  interior  peace;  for  you  must  be  emptied  of  all 
activity,  all  understanding,  all  life  of  the  senses.  Come  and  see:  that 
is  to  say  turn  to  Me  that  you  may  know  the  purity  of  God  your  Lord, 
to  which  entire  purity  of  existence  your  spirit  must  be  joined;  the 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


599 


spirit  that  shall  comprehend  the  divine  hiddenness  must  indeed  be 
entirely  purified.  In  this  way  must  a  man  be  cut  oflf  from  everything 
that  he  feels  to  be  his.  St  Dionysius  speaks  to  Timothy  "Ah  dear 
friend,  we  must  no  longer  hear  the  sweet,  comforting  words  of  our 
beloved  master  Paul,  at  least  with  our  outward  hearing,  but  we  must 
give  up  everything,  and  go  naked  to  God."  This  we  cannot  do,  however 
except  with  darkened  eyes,  and  with  our  senses  inwardly  drawn  upward 
to  heaven,  and  until  we  come  far  above  all  knowledge  into  hidden 
unity  with  God.    May  He  help  us  all  to  this.    Amen 


600  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Be altng  il|0ttf Btig  tultli  (Sob 

Synopsis — No  parleying  toith  the  tempter — Eis  suggestions  not  to  be 
met  dy  arguing  hut  hy  praying — No  peace  nor  even  truce  with  bod- 
ily treachery — Upright  treatment  of  God  means  a  steadfast  striv- 
ing after  recollection — Curious  illustration  from  Albertus  Magnus. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  ST.  BARBARA,  OR  FOR  THAT 

OF  ANY  VIRGIN. 

Behold  my  beloved  speaketh  to  me :  Arise,  make  haste,  My  love,  My  dove,  My 
beautiful  one,  and  come. — Cant.  11,  10. 

If  any  one  would  know  whether  or  not  he  is  a  chosen  friend,  a 
l)eloved  spouse  of  our  Lord,  let  him  mark  well  the  signs  I  will  give: 
if  he  has  them,  then  without  doubt  he  is  the  elect  of  God. 

The  first  is,  that  he  is  at  peace  with  our  Lord  in  such  a  way  that  no 
■created  thing  can  give  him  interior  contentment.  The  psalmist  says : 
"His  place  is  in  peace"  (Ps.  Ixxv,  3).  The  chosen  bride  of  Christ  must 
have  renounced  all  things.  Things  may  come  and  go  round  that  soul : 
divine  peace  reigns  within  it.  It  feels  itself  able  by  Him  and  through 
Him  to  renounce  all. 

Thou  mayst  ask:  with  whom  must  I  have  peace?  I  answer,  with 
the  world,  with  the  evil  one,  and  with  thy  own  flesh.  And  how  ?  With 
the  world,  because  thou  carest  not  what  the  world  may  do  to  thee, 
give  thee,  or  take  from  thee:  herewith  comes  perfect  patience.  Peace 
with  or  rather  from  the  evil  one.  To  that  a  man  can  scarcely  ever 
come,  for  the  demon  strives  against  him  always;  he  meddles  with  all 
our  doing  and  our  not  doing,  for  he  would  hinder  us.  Now  a  man  can 
in  no  way  resist  the  fiery  darts  of  the  evil  one  so  efficaciously,  as  with 
interior,  fervent  prayer.  This  fights  fire  with  fire,  and  drives  the 
devil  out  headlong,  with  all  his  deceits.  Therefore,  as  soon  as  one  is 
aware  of  the  demon's  attempts  to  disturb  his  peace  of  soul,  let  him  give 
himself  up  instantly  to  earnest  prayer,  and  pay  no  heed  to  the  tempta- 
tions that  assail  him :  nothing  worse  can  happen  to  Satan.  Hereby  is 
the  soul  freed  from  his  hindrance.  It  is  related  that  the  devil  once 
cried  out  to  St.  Bartholomew :  "Ah,  thou  burnest  me  with  thy  prayer. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  601 

and  thou  hast  bound  me  with  fiery  bands."  The  third  peace  is  with  thy 
own  self.  Alas,  how  can  that  be?  I  answer  that  thou  must  subject  thy 
body  to  thy  spirit  in  all  things  whatsoever.  Thou  must  have  the 
mastery  over  thyself,  so  that  thy  bodily  appetites  shall  in  no  wise  be 
a  hindrance  to  thee  in  anything  that  God  requires  of  thee.  So  acted 
the  blessed  saints  of  God.  They  had  such  a  mastery  over  their  bodies, 
and  had  so  trained  them  to  obedience,  that  when  the  spirit  willed  to 
go  forward  the  body  sprang  out  of  the  way  instantly,  as  if  the  soul 
said:  Away  with  thee,  and  give  me  place:  for  so  it  is  related  of  the 
humble  St.  Francis. 

But  if  a  man  shall  obtain  this  mastery  over  his  body,  three  things 
are  needed.    The  first  is  to  mortify  thy  body  in  eating,  drinking,  sleep- 
ing and  lodging.     Watch  it  carefully,  and  when  thou  seest  it  evilly 
inclined  put  a  bridle  on  it,  and  scourge  it  with  a  sharp  discipline.    The 
second  is  this:  thou  must  wean  thyself  from  all  thirst  for  worldly 
affairs  and  cares  of  whatever  kind.    Let  the  dead  bury  their  dead,  and 
do  thou  follow  after  God.    Have  thy  friends  died?    Or  are  they  come 
to  thee— or  gone  from  thee?     Hast  thou  gained  honors?     Hast  thou 
been  given  riches?     If  thou  rejoicest  or  if  thou  mournest  over  such 
things,  then  thou  hast  not  gained  the  mastery.    A  certain  saint  says : 
"What  thou  rejoicest  over,  what  thou  mournest  over,  about  the  same 
Shalt  thou  be  judged."     St.  Paul  says :    "If  we  be  dead  with  Christ, 
we  believe  that  we  shall  live  also  together  with  Christ"  (Eom.  vi,  8). 
A  dead  man  cares  not  whether  thou  praisest  or  revilest  him,  whether 
thou  givest  him  or  takest  away  from  him.    A  dead  or  a  dying  man  will 
not  give  thee  a  penny  for  all  gold  and  jewels,  or  all  possible  glory,  joy, 
or  friends.     Once  there  came  to  an  old  father  of  the  desert  an  own 
brother  of  his,  and  said  to  him :    "Dear  brother,  I  am  iu  great  straits, 
for  my  wagon,  containing  valuable  goods,  has  fallen  into  the  water; 
help  me  to  draw  it  out ;"  and  he  wept  pitifully  and  begged  earnestly. 
The  old  hermit  said :    "Ask  thy  brother  that  still  lives  in  the  world  to 
help  thee."    But  he  answered :    "That  brother  is  dead  for  a  year  past." 
And  the  hermit  replied :    "So  am  I  dead  this  twenty  years  back."    And 
he  let  him  go,  and  concerned  himself  no  further  about  his  losses. 

The  third  necessary  thing  is  to  cultivate  an  upright  spirit  in  God, 
that  is  to  say  a  continual  sense  of  God's  presence,  and  realization  of 
His  sovereign  majesty.  In  very  truth,  if  thou  wilt  have  the  creator 
thou  must  surrender  the  creature— it  cannot  be  otherwise.  The  less  of 
creatures,  the  more  of  the  creator.     Is  not  that  an  advantageous  ex- 


602  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

change?  Thus  says  St.  Augustine :  "The  man  who  is  not  content  with 
possessing  God,  is  indeed  all  too  avaricious;  what  canst  thou  desire  that 
thou  mayst  not  find  in  Him?  Think  of  anything  that  heart  can  desire, 
thou  shalt  find  it  a  thousand  fold  in  Him — love,  confidence,  truth,  con- 
solation, unbroken  recollectedness,  all  this  is  supremely  in  Him,  sur- 
passing all  measure  and  manner.  Desirest  thou  beauty?  He  is  the 
all  beautiful.  Eiches?  He  is  a  divine  treasury.  Power?  He  is 
almighty.  All  thou  mayst  think  of  having  is  to  be  had  in  Him  in  simple 
perfection.  The  infinite,  and  Eternal  God."  Therefore  expel  every 
thought  of  creatures  with  all  the  comfort  they  may  give  thee.  Say 
this:  Away  from  me!  Thou  are  not  what  I  seek,  or  love,  or  think 
about.  Say  this  to  all  honors,  riches,  pleasures,  friendships.  Away 
with  all  of  you  out  of  my  soul;  fly  away  and  be  gone,  for  I  care  not 
at  all  for  you. 

How  does  it  happen  that  God  is  so  strange  to  thee?  Why  does  His 
blessed  presence  pass  so  quickly  out  of  thy  thoughts?  There  can  be  no 
other  reason  than  that  thy  spirit  is  not  free  and  empty;  thou  art  en- 
cumbered with  created  things,  and  thy  soul  is  full  of  their  images. 
Says  St.  Bernard:  "Contemplation  is  nothing  else  than  the  soul's 
cleaving  to  God  in  forgetfulness  of  transitory  things."  And  St.  Augus- 
tine: "Whosoever  is  free  from  earthly  thoughts,  cleaves  to  the  things 
of  God."  And  he  says  again :  "O  good  Jesus,  my  soul  longs  unspeak- 
ably for  Thy  love.  I  beg  that  I  may  be  rapt  away  into  contemplation 
of  Thee ;  that  I  may  be  absorbed  in  Thy  cross,  and  in  the  holy  sweetness 
of  Thy  humanity,  so  that  I  may  withstand  the  vanity  of  this  world  and 
its  allurements.  I  long  to  be  lifted  up  into  heaven,  to  comprehend 
the  holy  mystery  of  the  God-head ;  I  beg  to  increase  in  spiritual  gifts, 
so  that  I  may  contemplate  Thy  divine  Trinity;  that  I  may  see  Thy 
divine  will  in  all  my  works;  and  that  I  may  be  bound  to  Thee  in  Thy 
own  bands  of  love.  And  if  it  happens  that  I  am  now  and  then  dropped 
down  to  the  first  or  second  degree,  grant  that  I  may  not  have  too  much 
labor  to  rise  upward  again;  and  that  when  I  see  and  hear  earthly 
things,  I  may  not  dwell  in  them  but  instantly  die  to  them,  and  live 
to  Thee  alone." 

Be  sure  that  if  thou  wert  emptied  of  thoughts  and  images  of 
creatures,  thou  couldst  have  God  present  to  thy  mind  without  inter- 
mission :  He  could  not  keep  Himself  away  from  thee ;  neither  earth 
nor  heaven  could  hold  Him  back,  if  He  found  thee  emptied  to  receive 
Him.    He  has  sworn  it,  He  must  keep  His  word.  He  must  fill  thy  soul 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


603 


with  Himself.  But  so  long  as  creatures  linger  in  thy  soul,  do  what 
thou  wilt,  thou  must  make  up  thy  mind  to  lack  God.  That  thou  de- 
privest  Him  of  thyself  and  thy  love,  is  a  little  thing;  but  O  how  great 
a  thing  does  He  hold  back  from  thee,  namely  His  own  infinite,  divine 
self.  It  once  happened  that  a  beautiful  white  woman  gave  birth  to  a 
child  that  was  as  black  as  a  Moor,  and  this  great  misfortune  was  told 
to  Master  Albertus  Magnus.  Master  Albertus  searched  about  her 
house,  and  he  found  a  picture  of  a  Moor  that  this  woman  had  gazed 
intently  upon  while  pregnant  with  her  child.  "Woman,"  said  he,  "I 
have  found  the  father  of  thy  child."  He  proved  he  was  right;  for  he 
took  a  hen,  and  he  placed  it  and  kept  it  before  the  picture  of  a  hawk ; 
and  when  the  hen  had  hatched  out  her  chickens,  they  all  were  formed 
like  the  hawk.  Thus  from  divine  pictures  in  the  mind,  all  our  actions 
are  born  divine;  and  from  the  pictures  of  creatures,  all  are  formed 
after  this  pattern. 

The  fourth  is  this :  thou  shalt  keep  thy  senses  strictly  under  yoke, 
and  hold  a  stiff  restraint  upon  them.  Thou  shalt  see  things  as  if  thou 
sawest  them  not.  Thou  shalt  never  open  eye  or  ear  to  any  vain  sight 
or  sound;  thou  shalt  never  open  thy  mouth  except  to  benefit  thy  neigh- 
bor. Thou  Shalt  keep  hand  and  foot  and  every  member  in  strict  control, 
and  securely  guarded,  so  that  nothing  whatever  may  happen  except 
what  is  according  to  God.  Says  St.  Augustine :  "May  I  die  and  may 
I  not  die."  This  means  that  we  shall  crush  to  death  the  depravity  of 
nature  and  of  the  senses,  so  that  we  may  enjoy  the  true  life  of  the  soul 
in  God.  Thus  it  is  that  God  gains  the  mastery  over  us;  and,  without 
doubt,  that  gives  us  the  mastery  over  ourselves.  May  God  grant  us 
this  favor.    Amen. 


604  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — dross  tendencies  to  he  hewn  off  ty  heavy  strokes — More 
refined  ones  to  he  cut  off  as  if  with  a  razor — Always  search  for  the 
roots  of  vice — Recollection  is  a  test  of  true  spirituality — Alternat- 
ing thoughts  hetween  ChHst's  passion  and  His  father's  attributes. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  OUR  LADY'S  CONCEPTION. 

Come  over  to  me,  all  ye  that  desire  me,  and  be  filled  with  my  fruits. — EJccIi. 
xxiv,  26. 

These  words  are  applied  by  holy  Church  to  our  blessed  Lady.  Her 
dignity  can  in  no  wise  be  expressed  in  words,  for  it  surpasses  all 
human  sense.  Now  as  to  our  theme  today,  I  have  before  this  spoken 
of  the  means  and  methods  of  beginners  in  the  way  of  truth,  then  about 
those  of  proficients,  and  finally  of  how  a  perfect  man  may  reach  the 
goal  towards  which  he  strives. 

The  beginner  needs  to  cut  off  all  gross  sinfulness,  such  as  impurity, 
envy,  wrath  and  pride;  also  all  worldly  vanity,  all  silly  amusements, 
all  joy  in  creatures  animate  or  inanimate.  In  one  word,  unless  a  man 
shall  with  a  determined  spirit  and  with  his  whole  heart  turn  to  God,  so 
that  he  shall  love  Him  in  the  depths  of  his  soul  and  have  Him  in  mind 
above  all  things  whatsoever,  and  unless  he  shall  be  found  thus  minded 
at  the  end  of  his  days,  he  shall  never  come  to  God.  This  must  be  his 
way  and  none  other.  All  is  profitless  otherwise,  even  though  a  man 
had  all  knowledge,  spoke  with  angels'  tongues,  gave  all  his  goods  to 
the  poor  and  his  body  to  be  burned;  as  St.  Paul  teaches  us  (I  Cor. 
xiii).  Now  how  can  men  who  wilfully  enjoy  creatures  have  their 
hearts  turned  to  God?  for  they  introduce  creatures  into  the  place  that 
God  has  reserved  for  His  own  dwelling.  What  does  God  care  for  what 
a  man  does,  as  long  as  He  is  robbed  of  his  heart  and  his  love?  What 
cares  He  for  the  chaff  if  another  gets  the  grain? 

These  coarse  vices  are  to  be  cut  off  as  a  man  shears  away  his 
tangled  beard  with  a  sharp  shears.  After  that,  let  him  sharpen  up 
his  razor  very  keen  and  shave  his  soul  clean  and  pure,  so  that  no 
evil  word  or  evil  joy  shall  be  left.    What  follows  is  meditation  on  the 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  605 

secret  judgments  of  God,  for  no  one  knows  how  it  stands  with  him 
before  God's  face,  favorably  or  unfavorably.  Being  thus  shorn  of 
vices  and  humbled  and  terrified  in  God's  sight,  it  behooves  him  to  go 
on  further  and  search  for  the  secret  evil  tendencies  of  his  fallen  nature; 
for  these  linger  on  from  force  of  habit.  They  are  full  of  excuses ;  some- 
times they  would  parade  even  as  virtues;  for  pride  can  put  on  a  false 
show;  and  often  enough  a  defect  we  think  that  we  have  overcome 
still  lies  hidden  beneath.  Vanity  of  dress  takes  the  name  of  neatness ; 
sensual  indulgence  in  eating  and  drinking  is  tolerated  as  a  necessity ; 
fierce  anger  and  rash  judgment  are  called  zeal  and  keenness  of  judg- 
ment; utter  sloth  is  named  bodily  weakness.  Children,  beware  of  self- 
deceit  about  these  things;  for  if  you  are  herein  misled  by  self-conceit 
and  high  theories,  your  end  will  be  evil.  Then  the  devil  will  come,  and 
he  will  carry  you  away  with  him,  though  you  may  have  thought  that 
all  has  been  well  with  you. 

Especially  is  there  danger  in  hidden  pride,  masquerading  in  the 
guise  of  humility,  but  full  of  the  vanity  of  intellect  and  learning. 
In  very  truth  men  thus  affected  are  training  under  Lucifer's  standard,^ 
and  the  higher  they  are  in  their  own  conceit,  the  lower  in  all  reality 
have  they  fallen  down.  Children,  bear  in  mind  that  this  is  not  a 
matter  of  trifling  importance.  If  you  were  shut  up  day  and  night  in 
a  hot  room  you  would  think  it  a  hardship :  what  shall  be  the  misery 
of  many  years  in  purgatory,  or  alas!  the  eternal  woes  of  hell.  Chil- 
dren, turn  inward ;  for  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  within  you.  Diligently 
study  out  your  place  in  God's  judgment  hall.  Examine  into  the  roots 
of  vice,  find  out  the  whole  truth  about  your  old  evil  habits.  If  a  man 
continues  in  sinful  courses  one  or  two  years,  so  deep  do  the  roots  of 
vice  sink  into  his  nature  even  in  that  brief  period,  that  he  can  scarcely 
dig  them  out  with  all  the  zeal  he  can  command.  Young  people  should 
be  especially  careful  to  hinder  this  deep  rooting  of  sin  in  them.  Let 
them  begin  at  once  to  examine  and  to  root  out  these  tendencies,  for 
now  the  task  is  not  a  hard  one.  Especially  should  one  do  four  things 
with  all  diligence  against  four  kinds  of  poisonous  evil  weeds. 

The  first  of  these  are  pleasures  of  the  senses.  One  can  hardly 
describe  how  greatly  these  hinder  our  progress.  Good,  well-meaning 
men,  longing  to  be  perfect,  begin  by  absorption  in  devotional  joy  of  a. 
sensible  kind;  they  do  not  strive  for  the  simple  truth  of  spirituality. 
They  do  not  look  inward;  their  interior  life  is  a  closed  book  to  them.. 
Their  inner  soul  is  to  them  a  foreign  country  a  thousand  miles  offw 


606  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

External  practises  usurp  the  place  of  the  interior  life  and  are  to  them 
all  in  all.  They  mistake  their  own  selves,  and  know  not  where  they 
are  in  God's  sight- 
Then  comes  the  discipline  of  the  irascible  faculty,  which  is  too  often 
very  disorderly.  One's  anger  should  be  directed  exclusively  against 
what  is  opposed  to  God  in  oneself.  This  faculty  is  a  very  noble  one 
in  itself,  but  is  easily  led  astray  by  a  false  self-righteousness.  One 
longs  to  govern  others,  to  direct  the  good  works  and  the  devotions  of 
others;  and  in  doing  so  he  deceives  himself  and  others  by  an  appear- 
ance of  zeal.  He  is  full  of  hard  words  and  angry  looks,  and  he  has 
bullying  manners. 

The  third  harm  is  done  by  a  misuse  of  the  understanding,  and  this 
hinders  many  a  one's  progress.  For  some  rely  too  much  on  natural 
reason,  losing  thereby  the  reasonable,  living  and  essential  truth.  Un- 
less a  man  shall  confess  this  essential  truth  he  cannot  profit  by  it. 
A  man  fancies  he  has  full  knowledge,  whereas  his  soul  suffers  from 
delusions, — the  truth  of  things  is  far  off.  Such  a  one  loses  the  precious 
jewel  of  deep  seated  humility,  content  with  a  false  show  of  virtue, 
self-deceived  and  deceiving  others. 

The  fourth  obstacle  to  progress  is  pleasure  in  interior  devotional 
sentiments,  and  this  is  an  injury  that  many  suffer  from.  They  mistake 
joy  in  God's  gifts  for  joy  in  God's  own  love.  They  think  sweetness  of 
devotion  is  God's  own  self.  When  this  sweetness  goes,  their  zeal  for 
perfection  goes.  Children,  take  heed  to  this;  many  a  thing  seems  to 
come  from  God's  love,  which  in  reality  is  but  natural  feeling,  or  caused 
by  external  devotional  happenings.  We  are  often  much  more  influ- 
enced by  spiritual  self-satisfaction  than  we  fancy.  Such  feelings  are 
due  to  natural  emotional  excitability,  natural  fear  of  hell  or  hopes  of 
heaven.  Be  sure,  children,  that  whosoever  does  not  keep  God  upper- 
most in  his  heart's  purposes  shall  not  have  Him  for  his  end  and  his 
reward.  Children,  these  four  hindrances  must  be  removed;  we  must 
go  to  work  with  an  iron  resolve  to  cut  them  totally  away;  we  must 
consider  to  that  end  the  stern  judgment  of  God  that  awaits  us  and 
His  immovable  justice  in  inflicting  chastisement. 

But  when  these  great  outward  hindrances  have  been  shorn  away, 
there  yet  remain  in  our  inner-nature  the  roots  of  former  bad  habits, 
the  forms  and  images  of  evil ;  these  we  must  banish  from  the  mind  by 
the  sweet  form  and  image  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  poisoned 
arrow  must  be  extracted  by  sinking  deep  down  beneath  it  the  dart  of 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  607 

Christ's  love.  This  love  we  must  cultivate  in  our  inmost  souls  with 
great  devotion,  so  that  our  unworthiness  may  be  lessened.  If  God 
gives  healing  properties  to  herbs  and  minerals  for  bodily  cure,  what 
power,  think  you,  shall  not  the  Son  of  God  have  for  healing  all  the 
soul's  ills?  And  this  healing  is  applied  by  the  thought  of  His  blessed 
sufferings  and  death.  As  a  man  can  do  nothing  by  himself  alone,  so 
must  he  take  refuge  with  the  passion  of  Christ  in  holy  prayer.  Let 
him  prostrate  himself  at  the  feet  of  the  heavenly  Father,  and  implore 
His  aid  through  the  merits  of  His  well  beloved  Son.  Let  him  dwell 
upon  each  point  of  the  Lord's  agony  and  death,  begging  at  every  step 
the  Father's  pity:  for  without  Christ  we  can  do  nothing.  This  prac- 
tise should  become  habitual :  Christ's  passion  should  never  be  absent 
from  our  heart,  and  no  thoughts  alien  to  it  should  ever  enter  there. 

After  that,  a  man  should  lift  his  very  spirit  on  high  to  the  company 
of  the  glorious  God-head,  gazing  upon  Him  with  humble  fear  and 
unspeakable  longings.  When  one  has  thus  placed  his  darkened  and 
ignorant  soul  with  God,  the  words  of  the  book  of  Job  come  true  in 
him :  "When  a  spirit  passed  before  me,  the  hair  of  my  flesh  stood  up" 
(Job  iv,  15).  Then  follows  a  great  interior  movement  of  the  soul. 
The  clearer  the  Spirit  is  seen  as  it  passes  over  and  the  truer  it  is 
discerned,  so  much  the  quicker  is  the  change  wrought  in  the  soul,. and 
the  deeper  and  stronger  and  more  perfect;  and  the  more  plainly  does 
the  soul  learn  its  own  shortcomings.  Then  comes  the  Lord  in  a  sudden 
flash  shining  in  the  innermost  regions  of  the  soul,  making  himself  the 
master  workman  in  the  work  of  perfection.  To  Him  does  the  soul 
turn  over  the  task,  hailing  His  glorious  presence,  and  then  sinking 
passive  and  silent  into  His  arms,  all  its  powers  hushed.  It  seems  to 
find  even  its  own  good  thoughts  a  hindrance,  so  exclusive  is  God's 
control :  the  soul's  part  is  simply  to  let  God  act  alone.  But  when 
afterwards  this  close  embrace  has  ceased  to  be  felt  so  vividly,  and  the 
soul  is  left  again  to  itself,  then  it  must  return  to  its  usual  exercises  of 
devotion  and  follow  them  with  all  diligence. 

Thus  it  is  that  one  should  sometimes  work  and  sometimes  .rest, 
according  as  God  guides  him ;  or  according  as  he  judges  that  activity 
or  quiet  leads  him  nearer  to  God.  If  a  man  cannot  enjoy  the  quiet  of 
interior  recollection,  then  let  him  exercise  himself  in  meditation  and 
other  practices.  That  "being  rooted  and  founded  in  charity,  you  may 
be  able  to  comprehend,  with  all  the  saints,  what  is  the  breadth,  and 
length,  and  height,  and  depth"  (Eph.  iii,  17,  18). 


608  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

To  attain  the  perfection  of  this,  children,  is  impossible.  But  we 
must  yearn  for  it  with  an  upright  intention  and  deep  love.  Our  spirit 
should  soar  upward  towards  the  height  of  God  in  His  super-essential 
being,  leaving  beneath  us  all  earthly,  sensible  things;  confessing  that 
God  who  has  all  might,  is  nevertheless  unable  to  create  any  being  so 
noble  as  to  comprehend  fully  with  its  natural  understanding  the 
essence  of  the  divinity.  So  too  is  the  depth  of  the  divine  abyss  inac- 
cessible to  our  reason,  and  yet  we  can  sink  far  down  within  it  by  a 
boundless  lowliness  of  spirit.  It  was  thus  that  our  blessed  Lady  in 
her  colloquy  with  the  angel  was  silent  about  all  the  gifts  God  had 
poured  into  her  soul,  and  named  only  her  unfathomable  depth  of 
humility  as  having  drawn  Him  to  her:  "My  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in 
God  my  Saviour.  Because  He  hath  regarded  the  humility  of  His 
handmaid;  for  behold  from  henceforth  all  generations  shall  call  me 
blessed"  (Luke  i,  47-48). 

By  the  breadth  of  God  we  may  understand  universal  love;  for  God 
pours  out  His  love  upon  men  in  all  places  and  lands,  in  all  their 
good  ways  and  works.  In  every  part  of  the  universe  nothing  is  so 
close  at  hand  as  God;  nothing  is  so  universal  as  God;  nothing  is  so 
nigh  to  our  innermost  soul  as  God.  If  one  will  but  seek  Him,  he  will 
find  Him  day  and  night  in  the  holy  sacrament,  in  every  friend  of  God, 
in  every  one  of  His  creatures.  Imitate  this  divine  breadth  with  great 
diligence  and  interior  zeal ;  disencumber  thyself  of  all  things  else  but 
God.  Give  thyself  up  with  all  thy  soul's  powers  to  God's  presence 
within  thee.  By  this  shalt  thou  win  great  freedom  of  spirit,  and  very 
high  graces  will  be  granted  thee,  lifting  thee  over  all  created  forms 
and  images  and  all  created  things.  St.  Gregory  speaks  of  this:  "If 
we  would  understand  the  invisible  things  of  God,  then  must  we  trans- 
cend visible  things." 

The  length  that  is  of  God  is  His  eternity,  having  no  before  and 
after,  for  He  is  a  tranquil  unchangeableness.  In  Him  all  things  past 
and  future  are  eternally  present  in  the  divine  unvarying  self-contem- 
plation. This  shall  a  man  imitate  by  fixing  his  spirit  steadfastly  on 
God,  renouncing  for  His  sake  all  love,  all  sorrow,  all  created  things 
whatsoever,  so  that  he  may  rest  trustfully  in  God  alone,  confiding  to 
Him  all  guidance.  In  this  manner  shall  the  invitation,  "Come  over 
to  Me,  all  ye  that  desire  Me,  to  be  filled  with  My  fruits,"  be  accepted, 
and  the  divine  generation  take  place  in  our  souls.  It  was  divinely 
done  in  our  beloved  and  blessed  Lady,  to  whom  all  men,  even  the 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 

609 

that  we  shall  be  filled  w«h  Te  g  ^   '   k^'""  "J*"t'  ""'^  ^"^  ^""t 
Son.    Amen  ^  "'  ''*'  "'"(•'erhood  of  the  divine 


610  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


A  Sgtng  Ctff 

Synopsis — Murmurs  against  the  severity  of  the  gospel  refuted — Cold- 
heartedness  towards  one's  fellowmen  is  a  hindrance  to  perfect  love 
of  God — Some  condemn  their  neighbor  in  proportion  to  their  own 
fancied  perfection  in  loving  God — Another  hindrance  is  interior 
gluttonous  joy  in  sensible  devotion — God's  favors  divert  the  soul 
from  God's  self — Childish  folly  of  this  fault — How  a  wise  soul 
counts  on  mdngled  joy  and  sorrow — Example  of  Christ's  passion. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  ST.  STEPHEN. 

Amen,  amen  I  say  to  you,  unless  the  grain  of  wheat  falling  into  the  ground 
die,  itself  remaineth  alone.  But  if  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth  much  fruit. — John 
xii,  24,  25. 

We  understand  by  the  grain  of  wheat  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  Him- 
self, Who  by  His  death  brought  much  fruit  to  all  mankind,  if  men  will 
but  reign  with  Him,  and  if  above  all  they  are  willing  to  live  a  dying  life 
after  His  example.  That  love  may  indeed  be  called  a  dying  love,  by 
which  a  man  for  the  love  of  God  renouncing  all  gratification  of  the 
senses,  all  pleasures  of  nature,  finally  gives  up  his  own  will.  As 
often  as  he  dies  to  pleasure,  so  often  does  he  offer  his  death  to  God, 
and  receives  living  fruit  in  return.  In  so  far  as  a  man  dies  to  himself 
and  goes  away  from  himself,  so  far  does  he  enter  into  our  Lord  God, 
who  is  life. 

Mark  well,  children,  how  this  dying  life  is  divided  into  three  degrees. 
The  first  degree  is  made  up  of  those  who  are  moved  by  fear  of  hell 
and  hope  of  heaven,  mingled  with  some  love  of  God :  their  aim  is  to 
avoid  mortal  sin.  The  love  of  God  can  rarely  do  its  work  in  their  souls 
except  by  meditation  on  hell  or  heaven.  As  to  dying  to  natural  and 
worldly  joys,  they  are  shocked  at  the  very  thought  of  it,  nor  do  they 
dream  of  manfully  assaulting  their  natural  defects.  They  have  little 
faith  in  the  tender  sentiments  that  tiow  from  entire  detachment  from 
creatures:  they  only  think  of  saving  their  skin  from  the  whip  of 
penance  and  mortification.    They  are  self-seekers  and  self-lovers,  look- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  qh 

Ing  everywhere  for  fleshly  gratification  and  the  vanities  of  the  world, 
frightened  at  all  bodily  discomfort.  Their  dread  even  of  sin  comes 
from  fear  of  hell  fire  together  with  the  desire  of  enjoying  heaven. 
Being  young  in  God's  love,  they  appreciate  it  only  as  a  joyful  love, 
especially  as  a  gift  whereby  they  shall  escape  hell  and  gain  heaven! 
Do  they  meditate  with  much  sympathy  on  our  Lord's  passion?  Are 
they  grateful  to  Him  for  His  bitter  death  and  their  redemption?  All 
this  is  much  rather  from  the  emotional  thoughts  about  His  bodily 
sufferings  for  their  sakes,  than  from  real  appreciation  that  by  his  death 
he  practised  the  highest  perfection  of  all  virtues:  they  dwell  little  upon 
His  deep  humility,  intense  love,  and  agony  of  sympathy  for  our  sad 
lot,  all  in  the  highest  degree  of  excellence,  all  to  the  perfect  glory  and 
praise  of  His  Father. 

Such  people  would  begin  to  die  to  self,  were  they  not  so  full  of  self- 
love  :  they  cannot  yet  appreciate  what  is  meant  by  being  content  with 
God  alone,  and  to  give  oneself  up  totally  to  Him.    Although  they  be- 
lieve that  God  does  all  things  for  the  best,  they  yet  feel  great  bitterness 
in  resigning  themselves  to  His  Providence;  and  they  deem  it  hard  that 
Jesus  Christ  should  have  suffered  so  much  and  should  lead  His  follow- 
ers along  the  same  sad  way  of  suffering.    After  a  while  they  may  really 
begin  to  lead  a  dying  life,  but  even  then  they  are  not  inclined   to 
follow  it  to  perfection;  they  addict  themselves  zealously  to  fasting, 
watching  and  other  things  painful  to  nature,  little  knowing  what  per- 
pection  means.     They  believe  that  God  most  esteems  what  is  thus 
outwardly  painful.    When  they  find  that  they  can  suffer  all  this  will- 
ingly, they  fancy  that  they  have  attained  to  the  highest  degree  of 
perfection.     Presently  they  sit  in  judgment  on  all  other  men.     They 
condemn  other  men  who  are  really  far  more  perfect  than  they  are-^ 
because  they  do  not  practise  external  austerities,  calling  them  rude 
names,  saying  that  they  know  nothing  of  the  spiritual  life.    Be  sure  to 
agree  with  them,  or  they  will  say  you  have  got  a  false  spirituality— 
everybody  must  agree  with  them  or  suffer  condemnation.     Meanwhile 
all  that  they  do,  all  that  they  are,  is  theirs  in  a  selfish  pride  of  owner- 
ship :  this  it  is  that  hinders  their  entire  submission  to  our  Lord  in  a 
universal  love. 

And  they  fail  in  brotherly  love.  They  do  not  love  all  men,  good  and 
bad.  Their  hearts  are  divided,  loving  some  and  failing  to  love  others. 
This  causes  interior  unrest.  In  fact  they  are  essentially  self-seekers: 
self  is  their  thought  and  self  is  their  love.    Toward  their  fellow  Chris- 


612  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

tians  they  are  spiritually  very  stingy,  appropriating  all  prayer  and  all 
devotions  to  their  personal  needs.  If  they  do  pray  for  others,  they 
rate  it  as  something  wonderful  and  worthy  of  the  highest  reward.  In 
short,  as  they  enter  but  little  into  their  own  interior  life,  and  have 
but  little  light  about  their  own  inerior  state,  their  progress  in  the  love 
of  God  and  of  their  neighbor  is  very  slight.  They  are  so  involved  in 
inordinate  love  of  self  and  created  things,  that  they  ever  stop  short  at 
self,  and  are  never  united  to  any  one  in  the  bonds  of  wise  and  Chris- 
tian affection. 

That  divine  love  for  God  and  men  which  they  should  cherish  fails 
them.  They  may  seem  to  obey  God's  law  and  to  be  submissive  to  holy 
Church,  but  the  law  of  love  they  do  not  hold  to.  Necessity  and  fear, 
these  inspire  their  actions  rather  than  deep  rooted  love.  And  since 
they  are  inwardly  untrue  to  God,  so  can  they  not  confide  in  Him. 
Their  consciousness  of  imperfect  motives — which  God  causes  in  their 
souls — hinders  their  love  of  Him.  Hence  their  life-long  distress,  for 
they  are  full  of  dread,  agitation,  and  pitiable  misery.  On  the  one  hand 
they  gaze  at  eternal  happiness,  and  they  dread  that  they  will  never 
have  it;  on  the  other  hand,  hell  yawns  open,  and  they  tremble  lest 
they  shall  go  there.  Nor  can  all  their  pious  devotions  drive  out  this 
terror  of  hell,  so  long  as  they  have  not  died  to  self.  The  greater  their 
self  love,  the  greater  their  terror  of  hell.  And  yet  if  God  our  Lord  does 
not  give  them  their  own  way,  they  complain  against  Him;  and  they 
weep  and  sigh  at  any  little  contradiction.  They  spend  hours  in  silly 
talk,  are  fond  of  fabulous  legends,  and  they  make  their  own  sorrows  a 
topic  of  endless  conversation.  They  act  and  talk  as  if  they  had  been 
unjustly  dealt  with  by  heaven.  They  reckon  their  works,  however 
trifling  in  reality,  to  be  of  great  actual  merit,  and  take  for  granted 
God  owes  them  a  high  regard.  But  if  later  on  our  Lord  will  enlighten 
them,  they  will  see  that  they  have  been  like  some  silly  fool,  who  prizes 
his  walking  stick,  as  much  as  a  noble  Knight  does  his  splendid  costly 
sword. 

All  these  men  stand  on  the  lowest  step  of  the  dying  life.  And  if 
they  do  not  further  mortify  themselves,  do  not  better  learn  what  is 
meant  by  a  dying  life,  then  it  is  to  be  feared  that  they  will  slip  back 
from  even  this  lowest  place.  May  God  guard  them  from  this  greater 
folly  and  wickedness.  But  now  to  save  them  God  grants  them  great 
spiritual  joy,  and  by  this  they  are  heartened  to  endure  all  the  severity 
of  penitential  works.    But  when  this  comes  they  again  dream  that  they 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  613 

have  reached  perfection.  Once  more  they  begin  to  condemn  their 
neighbor,  and  set  about  forcing  everybody  to  do  as  they  do  themselves— 
so  high  a  point  of  self-conceit  have  they  reached.  Again  God  visits 
them  in  His  mercy,  for  He  would  lead  them  out  of  their  delusion,  show 
them  just  what  they  are  in  very  truth.  He  allows  the  evil  one  to 
picture  to  them  the  sweetness  of  sin.  Forthwith  they  are  tormented 
with  sinful  inclinations,  whose  grasp  upon  their  thoughts  they  cannot 
shake  off.  Horror  of  the  pains  of  hell  drives  them,  to  yet  greater 
external  works  of  penance,  and  these  in  turn  are  a  grievous  burden, 
and  involve  intolerable  toil.  They  are  at  war  with  self;  they  know 
not  where  to  turn  for  relief;  and  they  begin  to  see,  although  but  from 
a  distance,  that  they  have  been  following  a  mistaken  course  of  spiritual 
conduct.  Now  must  God  come  once  more  to  their  help  in  His  blessed 
mercy.  He  inspires  them  to  plead  humbly  for  His  aid.  Presently  they 
are  guided  by  truer  principles,  and  are  granted  relief  in  the  rightly- 
directed  practise  of  good  works  and  in  a  well-ordered  life,  but  espe- 
cially by  properly  made  meditation  on  the  passion  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

The  second  degree  of  the  dying  life  of  the  grain  of  wheat,  is  that 
of  those  interior  touches  and  tastes  of  grace  as  urge  a  man  onward  to 
die  more  and  more  to  self.  In  this  state  he  longs  with  all  his  soul's 
powers  to  advance  in  perfection.  .  But  what  if  this  sweet  interior 
drawing  begins  to  fail  him?  He  knows  that  he  is  yet  far  from  per- 
fection., but,  alas,  he  is  not  content  to  sit  down  and  wait  in  all 
poverty  of  spirit.  He  falls  into  a  kind  of  mistrust  of  God;  he  thinks 
God  has  forgotten  him;  he  says  that  God  will  no  longer  help  him 
along  the  road  to  perfection.  He  continually  debates  with  himself 
about  doing  this  or  leaving  off  that,  hoping  thereby  for  some  relief.  If 
our  Lord  shows  him  a  kindly  face,  then  he  feels  right  with  God-  he 
instantly  feels  so  rich  that  he  dreams  he  will  never  again  be  poor  If 
he  is  only  free  from  trials,  he  enjoys  God  as  if  he  were  His  particular 
favorite:— God  is  now  going  to  stand  by  him  in  all  tribulation  and 
to  enrich  him  with  all  virtues. 

But  our  loving  Lord  knows  how  easily  he  may  fall  and  how  deeply, 
if  he  IS  left  to  this  self-assurance.  Our  Lord  knows  that  to  lead  him 
out  of  his  present  state  of  imperfection— and  how  gladly  would  He 
do  It!— is  to  withdraw  His  perceptible  and  sensible  favors  from  him 
for  a  time.  That  soul  is  too  deeply  involved  in  self  love,  in  admiration 
of  his  own  perfections,  in  the  thought  of  his  wisdom  and  holiness  and 


G14  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

virtue.  Therefore  does  our  Lord  fetch  him  down  again  into  interior 
destitution,  mistrust  of  self,  and  humble  confession  that  he  amounts  to 
nothing  and  is  wholly  unworthy  of  God's  favors. 

Then  it  is  that  for  the  first  time  he  perceives  that  the  blessed  God 
had  very  rightly  deprived  him  of  sensible  graces,  for  he  had  thought 
himself  to  be  something:  how  clearly  he  now  sees  that  he  is  nothing. 
He  had  always  sought  honor  among  his  friends,  and  if  his  good 
name  were  assailed  he  had  always  fought  for  it.  He  prized  his  good 
name  as  a  man  does  his  well-loved  wife.  If  anyone  said  a  word 
against  him,  he  looked  on  him  as  an  impugner  of  the  known  truth. 
He  longed  to  be  praised  for  holiness  as  a  plant  yearns  for  the  summer 
showers.  He  seemed  to  think  that  men's  praises  came  from  true  and 
virtuous  hearts  and  were  messages  from  God.  He  had  wandered  so 
far  away  from  truth,  that  to  find  it  he  never  looked  into  himself.  No 
matter  how  plain  his  defects,  he  esteemed  himself  actually  to  be  what 
men  said  he  was — he  knew  no  other  way  of  rating  himself, 

Now  it  is  to  be  noted,  that  any  man  who  will  shake  off  this  gross 
delusion,  who  will  rise  out  of  this  unmortified  state,  must  consider 
three  things.  First,  has  he  earnestly  labored  to  accept  willingly  all 
punishments  inflicted  on  him,  all  backbiting,  all  disgrace — to  gladly 
suffer  it  all  for  the  sake  of  advancing  in  virtue?  Has  he  bowed  down 
humbly  under  all  such  crosses?  Second,  how  much  has  he  praised 
and  thanked  God  for  all  this  shame,  tribulation  and  punishment? 
How  kindly  has  he  borne  with  his  persecutors,  how  much  real  friend- 
ship has  he  shown  them,  how  much  affection  has  he  had  in  his  inmost 
soul  for  those  who  have  done  him  harm?  Third,  has  he  in  all  sincerity 
and  with  a  thankful  heart,  prayed  to  God  for  the  welfare  of  his  tor- 
mentors? If  he  has  failed  in  these  three  tests,  if  he  knows  his  soul 
to  be  void  of  these  sentiments,  if  he  feels  hard  and  bitter  in  his  trials, 
then  he  may  be  entirely  sure  that  he  lives  a  false  life.  He  is  still  de- 
pendent on  the  praises  of  men  for  his  peace  of  soul.  He  still  lingers 
in  a  state  of  spiritual  pride  and  immortification — he  has  not  yet 
attained  to  the  second  degree  of  the  dying  life. 

But  see  how  our  good  God  has  the  heart  of  a  tender  mother,  full  of 
pity  for  her  wayward  child;  or,  again,  how  like  a  skilful  physician, 
who  cures  an  unwilling  patient  by  the  hard  medicine  of  letting  him 
suffer  bitter  pain,  till  he  gives  up  and  accepts  the  treatment  needed 
for  perfect  recovery.  So  does  God  often  allow  such  a  man  to  fall,  so 
that  he  may  at  last  learn  and  confess  his  own  helplessness.    Now  there 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  615 

come  against  him  temptations  of  flesh  and  of  spirit,  the  like  of  which 
he  never  had  before.  He  had  thought  himself  a  good  man  leading  a 
spiritual  life — and  now  he  knows  not  what  he  is.  It  is  out  of  mercy 
to  him  that  God  darkens  his  understanding :  he  had  overmuch  trusted 
in  self-guidance.  At  every  step  he  treads  on  sharp  thorns  of  sinful 
inclinations.  Finally  he  concludes  that  he  is  a  reprobate  from  the  face 
of  God.  Now  he  cries  out  to  God ;  now  he  wails  and  weeps  many  tears. 
O  God,  he  exclaims,  "Why  hast  Thou  forgotten  me?  And  why  go  I 
mourning,  whilst  my  enemy  afflicteth  me?"  (Ps.  xli,  10). 

When  at  last  from  the  sole  of  his  feet  to  the  top  of  his  head,  he  is 
tormented;  when  he  is  overwhelmed  with  his  vileness  in  comparison 
with  God's  holiness;  when  he  is  stricken  with  awful  terror  at  finding 
out  his  rebellousness  against  God :  then  he  is  beside  himself  with  the 
sense  of  his  unworthiness.  Misery  rushes  upon  him  and  overthrows 
him.  The  result  is  that  he  finally  yields  to  his  divine  guide;  he  gives 
himself  up  to  suffer  whatever  God  may  inflict  on  him.  He  laments  his 
sad  lot  with  many  tears,  borrowing  the  words  of  holy  scripture,  and 
confesses  that  his  sins  outnumber  the  sands  of  the  seashore;  that  he  is 
unw^orthy  to  raise  his  eye  toward  heaven ;  that  the  wrath  of  the  Ma^t 
High  is  enkindled  against  him.  If  it  happens  that  his  tears  are  dried 
up,  it  is  only  to  suffer  a  more  interior  anguish.  On  the  one  hand  he 
longs  to  be  trampled  under  foot  of  all  men  and  totally  to  die  to  self; 
and  yet  he  feels  a  secret  uprising  of  very  arrogant  pride,  and  longs  to 
assert  himself  over  all.  This  inner  conflict  is  exceedingly  bitter.  And 
he  now  so  despises  himself  that  be  is  tempted  to  think  that  it  would  be 
no  dishonor  to  God  if  he  killed  himself.  I  am  really  of  opinion  that 
this  trial  sometimes  enfeebles  a  man's  mental  faculties ;  and  that  he  had 
rather  suffer  death  than  endure  it  any  longer — if  such  were  not  against 
God's  honor.  Nevertheless  all  this  time  he  feels  that  God's  grace  is 
yet  within  him.  And  he  feels  confident  that  in  all  his  strange  sorrows 
and  joys  and  in  all  that  may  happen  to  him  in  future,  he  does  not  and 
will  not,  deliberately  sin  against  God. 

Sometimes  the  grace  of  tears  is  again  accorded  him,  and  he  cries  out 
to  God :  "Arise,  why  sleepest  thou,  O  Lord  ?  Arise,  and  cast  us  not 
off  to  the  end"  (Ps.  xliii,  23).  He  asks  God  why  He  has  dried  up  the 
fountains  of  His  mercy.  He  invokes  all  the  blessed  angels  and  saints 
of  heaven  and  appeals  to  them  for  pity.  To  the  heavens  he  cries  out: 
Why  are  you  turned  to  brass  against  me?  And  to  the  earth:  Why 
art  thou  hard  as  iron  against  me?    He  calls  on  the  very  stones  to  be 


616  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

softened  towards  him  and  to  pity  him.  He  exclaims:  Am  I  become 
the  accursed  mountain  of  Gilboa,  that  neither  the  dew  nor  rain  of 
heavenly  comfort  shall  ever  again  fall  upon  me?  And  has  it  come  to 
pass  that  only  my  single  wickedness  shall  be  able  to  vanquish  the 
invincible  loving  kindness  of  God?  Has  He  whose  property  is  always 
to  show  mercy  and  to  forgive,  closed  His  heart  against  me,  me  alone 
of  all  sinners  in  the  world? 

Now  thus  it  is  that  God's  work  goes  on  in  this  second  degree  of  the 
dying  life,  cleansing  the  soul  thoroughly,  leading  it  round  and  round 
through  fire  and  water.  It  lasts  until  all  self-importance  is  driven 
out  of  the  remotest  corners  of  the  spirit.  The  soul  at  last  is  fully 
disgraced  in  its  own  eyes.  It  condemns  itself  with  all  sincerity.  It 
falls  so  low  in  its  own  esteem  as  never  again  to  be  able  to  return  to 
self-delusion.  It  now  frankly  confesses  its  own  feebleness,  past  and 
present.  Whatever  good  anyone  may  say  of  it,  or  whatever  graces 
God  may  grant  it,  it  will  never  again  claim  any  merit.  One  thing 
alone  will  it  say  of  itself:  I  am  a  man  all  full  of  faults.  Then  has 
such  a  man  reached  the  height  of  this  degree,  and  stands  not  far  from 
the  door  of  a  great  grace — the  bridal  chamber  of  the  heavenly  Spouse, 
who  is  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  When  the  day  of  his  death  comes 
he  will  receive  a  joyous  welcome  from  our  Lord.  But  to  reach  this 
degree  of  the  dying  life,  as  we  have  seen,  is  a  severe  ordeal. 

We  know  that  little  trees  sink  short  roots  into  the  earth :  we  mean  by 
this  that  souls  little  in  their  own  eyes,  really  humble  hearts,  are  not 
much  attached  to  this  world's  life;  their  thoughts  and  desires  are 
rooted  deep  in  heaven.  These  readily  give  up  to  God's  decree  of  a  dying 
life.  Not  so  the  prouder  spirits,  the  tall  trees  deep  rooted  in  love  of 
this  world.  They  hold  on  fast  and  long  to  their  attachments  to  transi- 
tory things.  Such  is  the  case  with  men  who  are  the  great  ones  of  the 
earth.  Many  a  battle  must  they  fight  against  God  and  always  lose, 
many  a  death  must  they  die  to  self,  ere  they  come  to  this  degree  of 
the  dying  life.  All  usurpation  of  God's  rights,  all  excess  of  spirit  must 
be  broken  up,  and  they  must  languish  long  in  the  depths  of  painful 
humiliation.  At  last  the  time  comes  when  the  Holy  Ghost  finds  the 
way  cleared  along  which  He  shall  draw  the  soul  to  Himself;  as  we 
have  above  described. 

The  third  degree  of  the  dying  life  of  the  grain  of  wheat,  belongs 
only  to  those  chosen  souls  who  with  earnest  purpose  struggle  stead- 
fastly forward  towards  perfection.     Their  life  is  one  of  mingled  joy 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  qu 

and  trouble.  The  Holy  Ghost  pursues  them  with  two  sorts  of  trouble 
and  two  sorts  of  joy,  and  these  are  always  before  their  eyes.  The  first 
misery  is  an  interior  suffering.  It  is  an  overwhelming  sorrow  of  heart 
felt  in  union  with  the  holy  Trinity,  at  the  sight  of  the  unspeakable 
wickedness  of  mankind,  and  especially  the  malice  of  bad  Christians 
sunk  in  mortal  sin.  The  other  interior  anguish  is  sympathy  with  the 
grief  of  soul  that  Jesus  Christ  endured  in  his  human  nature,  a  share 
of  which  IS  granted  to  them  by  our  Lord.  The  first  of  the  joys  such 
a  soul  experiences  in  this  degree  of  the  dying  life,  is  a  clear  contempla- 
tive knowledge  of  Christ,  and  an  overpowering  enjoyment  of  Him  • 
into  this  state  the  Holy  Ghost  lifts  the  soul,  in  order  to  give  it  a  fore- 
taste of  all  the  perfect  bliss  that  it  hopes  to  possess  with  Christ  in 
eternal  life.  The  second  joy  is  a  participation  in  the  happiness  Christ 
enjoys  as  a  man,  and  which  the  soul  hopes  to  possess  perfectly  in 
heaven  as  a  member  of  Christ  and  coheir  of  his  bliss.  Now  although 
this  man  cannot  comprehend  the  abyss  of  God's  being,  nevertheless  he 
IS  absorbed  in  its  joys.  For  he  knows  full  well  His  unspeakable  mercies 
m  all  their  supremacy;  and  he  feels  that  it  is  good  for  him  to  be  over- 
whelmed with  the  mystery  of  God  and  not  to  be  able  to  comprehend 
His  majesty.  He  is  glad  in  his  dying  to  self  to  bow  down  in  lowly 
reverence  under  God. 

To  this  state  a  man  can  never  come,  except  when  his  will  has  been 
made  one  with  God  in  entire  self-denial,  in  perfect  self-abnegation 
Self-love  in  every  form  and  all  self-will  are  vanquished  by  the  inpour- 
mg  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  this  conquest  is  so  perfect  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  Himself  appears  to  have  become  this  man's  will  and  to  be  made 
his  power  of  loving;  he  can  resemble  himself  and  love  himself  no  loncrer 
Yea,  even  heaven  is  now  longed  for  purely  for  the  honor  of  God,  and 
because  Christ  has  merited  it  for  him :    God  will  give  it  to  him  as  to 
one  of  his  children.    In  this  degree  of  the  dying  life  a  man  loves  all 
things  in  right  order:     God  over  all,  then  the  blessed  humanity  of 
Christ,  after  that  the  beloved  mother  of  Christ,  and  then  every  one  of 
the  saints  in  his  own  grade  of  holiness,  all  according  to  the  divine  gifts 
And  as  this  glorious  company  enters  his  mind,  he  sits  down  in  the 
lowest  place  at  the  Bridegroom's  marriage  feast;  but  when  the  King 
who  had  invited  him  enters  and  sees  him  there.  He  says  to  him- 
"Friend,  go  up  higher"  (Luke  xiv,  10). 

And  now  this  happens:  he  is  endowed  with  a  new  life,  he  is  en- 
lightened with  new  brightness.     He  manifestly  beholds  the  secret  of 


618  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

his  own  miserable  weakness ;  he  clearly  sees  that  he  himself  alone  is  to 
blame  for  his  former  wickedness;  neither  nature,  nor  the  world,  nor 
the  devil  can  be  rightly  accused  for  his  sins.  He  now  freely  confesses 
to  God,  that  all  his  very  painful  trials  and  temptations  were  given  him 
only  out  of  God's  great  love  for  him,  in  order  that  in  overcoming  them 
he  might  do  honor  to  God  and  win  more  crowns  in  heaven.  He  further 
sees  and  confesses  that  God  had  led  him  along  that  sorrowful  way 
only  that  he  might  at  last  have  no  joy  in  sinning,  and  that  the  causes 
of  his  baseness  might  be  totally  done  away,  and  that  he  should  not 
fall  again.  And,  besides,  he  now  recognizes  and  owns  a  deeper  wicked- 
ness: namely,  that  after  his  conversion  he  had  often  felt  in  a  hidden 
way  pained  at  the  thought  that  he  should  never  again  be  allowed  the 
joy  of  sinning.  This  fills  his  very  life  with  anguish  and  repentance, 
realizing  that  he  is  still  tainted  with  some  remains  of  his  former  weak- 
nesses. But  even  so  he  can  and  does  feel  very  happy,  knowing  that 
God's  goodness  so  perfectly  meets  his  necessities  and  remedies  them ; 
and  that  on  account  of  this  alternating  distress  and  happiness,  his 
life  may  be  called  in  very  truth  a  dying  life;  that  it  is  conformed  to 
the  life  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  from  beginning  to  end  of  His 
sojourn  on  earth  experienced  an  incessant  change  of  sorrow  and  joy. 
It  was  the  Son  of  God's  sorrow,  that  He  came  down  upon  this  earth 
from  the  heavenly  throne;  His  joy,  that  He  was  not  separated  from  the 
glory  of  His  Father.  Sorrow,  that  He  was  the  Son  of  Man ;  joy,  that 
He  was  and  still  remained  the  Son  of  God.  Sorrow,  that  He  took 
the  form  of  a  slave.  Joy,  that  He  was  and  remained  the  sovereign 
Lord  of  all.  Sorrow,  that  in  His  humanity  He  was  subject  to  death 
and  did  actually  die  on  the  cross.  Joy,  that  He  was  superior  to  death 
in  His  God-head.  Sorrow,  that  He  was  born  of  a  mortal  mother.  Joy, 
in  His  eternal  generation,  in  the  bosom  of  God.  Sorrow,  that  He  was 
of  time.  Joy,  that  He  was  before  all  time  and  eternal.  Sorrow,  that 
being  the  divine  Word  He  was  yet  made  flesh  and  dwelt  amongst  us. 
Joy,  that  He  was  in  the  beginning  with  God  and  was  God.  Sorrow, 
that  like  a  common  sinner  He  was  baptized  by  John  in  the  Jordan. 
Joy,  that  the  heavenly  Father's  voice  proclaimed  Him  His  beloved  Son 
in  whom  He  was  well  pleased.  Sorrow,  that  He  was  tempted  by  the 
devil.  Joy,  that  angels  came  and  ministered  to  Him.  Sorrow,  that 
He  often  suffered  hunger  and  thirst.  Joy,  that  He  is  Himself  the 
food  of  men  and  angels.  Sorrow,  that  He  was  often  wearied  with 
labor.    Joy,  that  He  is  the  sweet  repose  of  all  loving  hearts  and  all 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  619 

happy  spirits.  Sorrow,  that  His  holy  life  and  death  shall  be  fruitless 
to  so  many  men.  Joy,  that  He  shall  be  the  eternal  bliss  of  His  friends. 
Sorrow,  that  He  must  beg  a  drink  of  water  from  the  Samaritan  woman 
at  the  well.  Joy,  that  He  gave  the  same  woman  living  water  to  drink 
that  she  might  never  thirst  again.  Sorrow,  that  He  must  journey 
across  the  water  in  a  ship.  Joy,  that  when  He  willed  it  He  walked 
over  the  waves  dryshod.  Sorrow,  that  with  Martha  and  Mary  He  wept 
over  Lazarus  dead.  Joy,  that  He  waked  Lazarus  from  the  dead  and 
restored  him  to  his  sisters.  Sorrow,  that  He  was  fastened  to  a  cross 
with  nails.  Joy,  that  from  the  cross  he  promised  paradise  to  a  robber. 
Sorrow,  that  He  was  tortured  with  thirst  on  the  cross.  Joy,  that  by 
His  dying  thirst  He  saved  His  elect  from  eternal  thirst.  Sorrow,  that 
he  cried:  ''My  God,  My  God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  Me?"  (Matt, 
xxvii,  46).  Joy,  that  with  this  cry  of  desolation  He  should  comfort 
all  sorrowful  men.  Sorrow,  that  He  gave  up  the  ghost  and  died  and 
than  was  buried.  Joy,  that  on  the  third  day  He  rose  again  from  the 
dead  with  a  body  all  glorified. 

Thus  was  the  whole  life  of  Jesus  from  the  crib  to  the  cross  mingled 
of  sorrow  and  joy.  And  this  very  life  of  His  He  has  left  as  a  legacy  to 
His  followers  in  this  world,  to  all  who  would  choose  to  lead  a  dying 
life;  so  that  thereby  they  might  ever  be  mindful  of  Him,  and  walk  from 
the  cradle  to  the  grave  as  He  walked.  May  God  grant  us  that  privi- 
lege.   Amen. 


620  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Btlt  ^tctptwn  anb  3ta  Hoot 

Synopsis — Remarks  on  Mary's  dignity  as  Mother  of  God — Desire  to  en- 
joy Ood  and  creatures  at  the  same  time  is  the  cause  of  all  self-de- 
ceit— It  is  increased  hy  delusions  about  the  privileges  of  one's  order 
— Comparison  between  the  tree  and  the  graft — Rules  for  choosing  a 
father  confessor. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  OUR  LADY'S  NATIVITY. 

Come  over  to  me,  all  ye  that  desire  me,  and  be  filled  with  my  fruits. — EcclL 
xxlv,  20. 

This  is  the  blessed  day  in  which  our  Lady,  purified  and  sanctified  in 
her  mother's  womb,  was  born  into  this  world.  In  her  has  been  restored 
to  us  what  was  defaced  and  lost  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  namely  the 
human  soul  in  all  its  perfection,  made  by  the  heavenly  Father  after 
His  own  image  and  likeness.  She  was  destined  to  cooperate  with  the 
eternal  Father  in  the  restoration  of  all  the  members  of  His  family  to 
their  original  justice.  Out  of  His  boundless  mercy  would  God  use 
her,  to  aid  us  to  rise  again  from  the  everlasting  death  of  sin,  into 
which  we,  as  far  as  it  was  possible  for  us  to  do  it,  had  fallen. 

"Come  over  to  me,  all  ye  that  desire  me,  and  be  filled  with  my 
fruits ;"  that  is  to  say,  the  graces  that  followed  my  birth ;  such  are  the 
Father's  words  put  by  holy  Church  into  Mary's  mouth,  and  she  would 
herself  in  turn  apply  them  to  the  birth  of  the  eternal  Son  in  the  bosom 
of  His  Father,  and  then  to  that  of  the  same  Son,  born  of  her  womb 
into  this  world :  she  would  invite  us  to  come  over  to  her  and  be  filled 
with  the  fruits  of  that  birth.  All  (as  if  to  say)  who  desire  me,  let 
them  desire  the  birth  of  my  son  with  joyous  love,  and  in  due  time 
they  will  be  granted  the  privilege  of  enjoying  it.  Thus  shall  your 
soul  be  stimulated  to  a  deeper  longing.  As  St.  Augustine  says :  "Lord, 
Thou  hast  made  us  for  Thyself,  and  our  hearts  are  without  peace  till 
they  rest  finally  in  Thee."  This  unrest  of  soul  should  every  man  have 
without  ceasing;  but  our  souls  are  quieted  with  alien  births,  namely 
joy  in  earthly  things  and  in  the  senses.  We  grow  content  with  the 
possession  of  created  things,  animate  and  inanimate,  such  as  friendship 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  621 

and  companionship,  clothing  and  food — anything  that  ministers  to  our 
pleasures.  These  joys  are  born  in  us,  and  creatures  hold  the  place  of 
father  to  us.  As  long  as  this  is  with  our  knowledge  and  consent,  God 
will  not  enter:  the  divine  generation  shall  not  be  experienced  by  a 
soul  preoccupied  with  human  pleasures.  It  may  be  a  mean  and 
trifling  thing  that  thou  lovest:  it  is  none  the  less  enough  to  rob  thee 
of  the  unspeakably  precious  good  and  perfect  consolation  of  the  divine 
birth  within  thy  soul. 

Now  men  will  object  and  say  that  they  have  no  love  for  God  and 
no  longing  for  Him.  I  answer,  look  within  thee  for  the  cause  of  this, 
for  there  alone  shalt  thou  find  it — nobody  knows  that  so  well  as 
thyself.  Do  not  ask  me  but  ask  thy  own  self  wherefore  thou  hast 
neither  love  nor  desire.  Thou  wouldst  possess  God  and  creatures 
together,  and  that  is  impossible.  Joy  in  God  and  joy  in  creatures — if 
thou  weepest  blood  thou  canst  not  obtain  these  two  at  one  and  the 
same  time.  The  trouble  is  want  of  perception  of  what  creature  comfort 
is  really  necessary  in  this  life,  or  what  use  of  creatures  one  can  law- 
fully have  in  God  and  for  God;— such  things  as  the  proper  satisfac- 
tion of  hunger  and  thirst,  rest  after  toil,  and  the  repose  of  sleep. 
When  these  are  sought  from  inordinate  appetite  rather  than  from  real 
necessity  of  nature,  they  are  a  hindrance  to  the  birth  of  God  within 
the  soul.  I  do  not  say  that  all  sense  of  pleasure  is  inordinate,  for  in 
satisfying  the  needs  of  nature,  one  cannot  extinguish  all  feelings  of 
enjoyment,  for  pleasure  and  necessary  refreshment  are  inseparable. 

But  if  a  man  wishes  to  place  no  hindrance  to  the  divine  birth,  if  he 
would  cultivate  an  increase  in  his  longing  for  God,  let  him  keep  a  sharp 
watch  on  all  pleasurable  emotions  of  the  senses.  The  less  these  are, 
the  greater  his  progress;  the  more  the  coldness  of  heart  goes  out,  the 
more  the  warmth  of  love  comes  in.  Nor  does  this  mean  that  a  man 
should  sink  into  slothful  and  slovenly  habits,  or  have  a  stupid  weak- 
ness of  character.  Some  degenerate  into  this  state,  blindly  following 
a  routine  of  pious  observance  with  little  care  and  attention.  Nor 
should  one  pester  his  father  confessor  about  many  of  these  weaknesses 
and  self-indulgences,  to  which  he  wilfully  adheres:  the  father  confessor 
has  no  power  to  help  him  unless  he  fully  co-operates  himself.  If  thou 
goest  to  confession  ten  times  a  day,  it  will  be  all  the  same — ^back  again 
Shalt  thou  fall  into  defects  of  this  kind.  The  fault  lies  in  thy  wilful 
adherance  to  these  failings.  As  long  as  thou  obstinately  cleavest  to 
creatures  so  long  art  thou  shut  out  from  beholding  the  face  of  God. 


622  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

This  is  the  teaching  of  holy  scripture,  and  especially  of  the  Gospel 
of  Christ.  Thou  shalt  love  God  above  all  things,  says  the  first  and 
greatest  commandment;  and  our  Lord  tells  us  that  unless  we  give 
up  all  that  we  possess  for  His  sake,  we  are  not  worthy  of  Him.  And 
again  He  warns  us  that  not  all  who  call  out  Lord!  Lord!  shall  enter 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  only  they  who  do  His  Father's  will.  Do 
you  think  that  God  will  give  His  kingdom  to  those  miserable  creatures 
who  have  rejected  His  Son's  most  precious  blood  and  shamed  His  holy 
life?  Never  believe  it.  If  you  but  knew  how  hard  God  will  judge 
such  men  your  souls  would  wither  up  with  terror.  God  has  given  His 
only  begotten  Son  to  be  their  way  to  Him :  He  is  the  end.  He  alone ; 
and  do  you  think  He  will  allow  Himself  to  be  despised?  Never 
dream  of  such  a  thing. 

And  never  dream  that  thy  holy  order  is  going  to  take  the  place  of  the 
holiness  thou  shouldst  thyself  personally  possess.  My  habit  and  cowl, 
my  holy  cloister  and  the  holy  company  of  my  brethren — all  that  does 
not  sanctify  me:  there  must  be  in  me  a  holy,  a  mortified  and  a  recol- 
lected spirit  before  I  can  be  called  a  holy  man.  That  I  often  cry  out 
Lord!  Lord! — that  I  say  many  prayers,  read  many  pious  books,  have 
much  sacred  knowledge  and  show  outward  holiness — no!  no!  There 
must  be  much  more  in  me  besides  this.  And  now  if  thou  errest  in  this 
matter,  the  blame  is  thine  and  not  mine,  for  I  have  warned  thee  against 
the  worldly  heart  and  thy  proud  spirit,  against  thy  vainglory  and 
thy  pretence  of  spirituality.  Thou  shalt  be  proved  at  last  as  a  graft 
upon  a  tree — the  fruit  is  according  to  the  graft  and  not  according  to 
the  tree.  So  it  is  not  thy  order  but  thyself  that  must  stand  the  final 
test.  Thus  all  thy  good  works  are  false  before  God  if  thy  inner  life 
be  not  true.  For  the  divine  birth  is  experienced  in  all  thy  powers, 
both  inner  and  outer.  In  this  sense  the  book  of  Job  teaches :  "In  the 
horror  of  a  vision  by  night,  when  deep  sleep  is  wont  to  hold  men,  fear 
seized  upon  me,  and  trembling,  and  all  my  bones  were  affrighted:  and 
when  a  spirit  passed  before  me,  the  hair  of  my  flesh  stood  up"  (Job 
iv,  13-15).  The  horror  of  the  vision  by  night  is  the  anguish  that  is 
sure  to  follow  attachment  to  created  things,  shaking  one's  bones  with 
dread  of  the  divine  wrath ;  the  passing  of  a  spirit  before  the  soul  is  the 
visitation  and  the  judgment  of  God. 

There  are  two  movements  of  the  spirit  taught  in  the  Gospel,  one 
being  that  of  God's  Spirit  into  us,  the  other  that  of  our  spirit  into 
God.  This  two-fold  movement  must  end  in  God's  dominating  the  soul. 


of  John  Taulcr,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  623 

If  wood  shall  become  fire,  it  must  cease  to  be  wood;  if  the  seed  becomes 
a  tree,  it  ceases  to  be  a  seed.  If  God's  Spirit  shall  move  into  ours  in 
the  fulness  of  His  generation,  then  the  creature  must  languish  in  us. 
In  this  sense  St.  Gregory  speaks:  "The  words  of  the  book  of  Job, 
'the  hair  of  my  flesh  stood  up,'  may  be  illustrated  by  the  cutting  off 
of  the  hair  of  the  Levites  in  the  old  law.  As  the  hair  grows  on  the 
head  and  face  of  a  man,  so  grows  his  attachment  to  created  things 
in  the  lower  and  higher  faculties  of  his  mind,  being  rooted  in  his 
former  customs;  and  these  must  be  shorn  entirely  off  with  the  sharp 
shears  of  holy  zeal  for  virtue."  Sharpen  that  shears  on  the  hard  grind 
stone  of  God's  judgment,  before  which  not  so  much  as  an  idle  word 
shall  escape  condemnation.  The  littlest  distraction  that  is  wilfully 
entertained,  must  be  burnt  away  with  an  unbearable  purgatory,  ere 
one  can  come  before  God's  face.  But  what  happens  when  these  matted 
and  filthy  locks  are  sheared  off?  They  instantly  begin  to  grow  out 
again,  and  we  must  be  ever  ready  with  the  shears  of  mortification  again 
to  cut  them  back.  How  wise  then  are  those,  who  are  so  earnest  that 
the  instant  any  unworthy  thought  arises  they  repress  it  with  iron 
resolution.  This  seems  hard  at  first,  but  as  time  goes  on  and  one  is 
faithful  and  true,  habit  makes  it  very  easy:  what  once  took  a  heavy 
stroke  to  remove  can  now  be  blown  away  with  a  light  breath  of  recol- 
lection. 

As  to  one's  love  for  his  neighbor,  that  must  be  practical.  And  it 
must  be  universal,  directed  not  to  this  or  that  particular  person,  but 
to  all  mankind,  including  no  less  the  wicked  than  the  virtuous,  the 
poor  as  well  as  the  rich.  It  is  this  that  we  learn  of  our  blessed  Lady's 
father  and  mother,  Saints  Joachim  and  Anna.  For  it  is  related  that 
they  divided  their  goods  into  three  parts,  giving  one  to  support  God's 
worship  in  the  temple,  another  in  alms  to  the  poor,  and  the  third  they 
used  for  their  own  support.  Be  sure  that  the  soul  of  a  covetous  man 
is  a  cesspool  of  all  uncleanness.  A  true  man  must  easily  part  with  the 
mean  things  of  this  mortal  life  of  ours.  Says  our  Lord:  "Give  and 
it  shall  be  given  to  you.  •  ♦  ♦  For  with  the  same  measure  that  you 
shall  mete  withal,  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again"  (Luke  vi,  38). 

The  shears  must  also  be  used  upon  an  inward  growth.  For  there  are 
men  whose  souls  are  covered  with  a  growth  of  attachments  to  certain 
pious  exercises,  not  alone  for  God's  sake  but  mainly  out  of  the  joy 
they  have  in  them.  The  deeper  parts  of  their  souls  they  know  nothing 
of;  they  do  not  dream  but  that  they  are  detached  and  mortified  men, 


624  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

for  they  do  not  know  themselves.  It  were  great  good  fortune  if  such 
a  one  had  a  true  friend  of  God,  to  whose  direction  he  would  gladly 
subject  himself,  and  who  would  show  him  the  right  way  of  God's 
Spirit.  But  to  guide  such  a  one  no  short  acquaintance  with  him  is 
necessary.  Such  a  guide  may  well  be  sought  over  twenty  miles  of 
town  and  country,  in  order  to  obtain  one  with  sufficient  piety,  wisdom 
and  experience.  Of  course  any  father  confessor  of  ordinary  sound 
judgment  will  serve  a  good  purpose,  for  often  does  the  Holy  Ghost 
speak  through  our  confessors'  mouths,  even  when  they  are  but  simple 
men  and  hardly  realize  the  purport  of  the  instruction;  for  their  office 
is  by  divine  appointment.  To  them  we  must  be  submissive,  we  must 
never  live  according  to  our  own  lights  and  guidance.  For  when  our 
blessed  Lady  was  a  little  child,  did  she  not  obey  implicity  her  old 
father  and  mother?  Was  she  not  under  the  direction  of  the  priests  in 
the  temple?  And  in  after  times,  was  she  not  subject  to  St.  Joseph? 
And  at  the  end  she  lived  under  the  protection  of  St.  John,  to  whose 
care  our  Lord  had  confided  her.  Let  us  now  pray  her  to  take  us  in 
turn  under  her  guardianship,  on  this  the  day  of  her  nativity;  and 
let  us  beg  her  intercession  that  we  may  be  born  again  with  the  birth 
of  her  divine  Son.    God  help  us  to  all  these  favors.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  625 


ifflgattral  Prag^r 

Synopsis — Remarks  on  the  qualities  of  ordinary  prayer — Higher  states 
of  prayer  granted  only  to  mortified  souls — And  the  demon  singles 
them  out  for  his  fiercest  assaults — How  the  highest  prayer  is  dmid 
deep  mental  silence — The  vision  of  Elias  illustrates  this — Invar- 
iable effect  is  humility  and  love  of  suffering. 


SERMON  FOK  THE  FEAST  OF  OUR  LADY^S  VISITATION,  OR 
FOR  THE  OCTAVE  OF  HER  NATIVITY. 

Come  over  to  me,  all  ye  that  desire  me,  and  be  filled  with  my  fruit?. — Eccll. 
xxiv,  26. 

Of  our  blessed  Lady  St.  Bernard  writes:  "We  cannot  praise  her 
enough,  and  yet  we  must  be  silent  on  account  of  the  surpassing  glory 
of  her  virtues."  And  he  elsewhere  says,  addressing  her :  "However 
lofty  thy  place  in  thy  kinship  with  the  deity,  yet  forget  not  thy 
kinship  with  our  poor  humanity :  enter  not  so  deep  into  the  abyss  of 
the  divine  nature  as  to  become  unmindful  of  the  weakness  of  our 
human  nature,  which  thou  in  thy  day  hast  so  well  experienced."  And 
there  are  many  other  praises  of  Mary  by  St.  Bernard  and  other  saints. 

Now  as  relates  to  our  Lady's  patronage  there  are  two  classes  of 
souls.  One  class  prays  not  to  her  because,  as  they  say,  they  cannot 
pray  at  all :  or  rather  all  their  prayer  is  a  sort  of  vain  abandonment 
to  God  that  He  may  deal  with  them  and  with  all  that  concerns  them 
according  to  His  good  pleasure.  The  other  class  earnestly  and  con- 
tinually pray  to  our  Lady  and  to  the  other  saints,  seeking  their  inter- 
cession in  all  their  necessities.  Now  both  these  classes  of  souls  may 
easily  go  astray.  The  first  class  are  wrong  in  not  fulfilling  the  com- 
mands of  holy  Church,  which  require  them  to  pray.  Our  Lord  him- 
self taught  us  to  pray,  and  left  us  a  beautiful  form  of  prayer:  He 
Himself  continually  prayed  to  His  Father.  Such  persons  offer  as 
excuse  that  their  prayers  have  not  been  heard — and  this  shows  their 
foolishness;  for  they  would  have  been  heard  if  they  had  asked  no 
hurtful  gift.  Some  things  the  Lord  will  not  grant,  no  matter  how 
earnestly  we  beg  Him.     St.  Gregory  writes :    "God  desires  us  to  pray 


626  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

to  Him.  Hence  be  sure  that  He  will  often  allow  us  to  suffer  want,  so 
that  we  may  be  excited  to  pray  to  Him."  Then  God  helps  us  because 
our  loving  trust  in  Him  has  been  stimulated;  and  our  soul  is  com- 
forted by  receiving  help  from  Him. 

The  others  may  also  easily  go  wrong,  because  they  pray  with  un- 
mortified  spirits.  They  would  have  every  things  succeed  with  them 
just  only  because  they  pray:  they  do  not  leave  the  disposal  of  their 
affairs  to  God.  Now  they  should  indeed  pray,  but  with  real  submission 
to  God's  will — let  Him  do  as  He  pleases  in  all  circumstances  and 
about  all  things.  You  will  remember  how  we  lately  said,  that  begin- 
ners must  cut  off  as  if  with  a  sharp  shears  all  foul  sins;  that  thos^ 
more  advanced  should  exterminate  their  foul  inclinations  to  sin;  and 
that  those  who  seem  to  be  even  more  perfect,  should  shave  off  the 
slightest  tendencies  to  evil. 

As  to  these  latter,  the  beautiful  souls  who  have  disengaged  themselves 
from  all  love  of  created  things,  and  turned  to  God  with  all  their  heart 
to  love  and  serve  Him  alone, — these  the  evil  spirit  assails  with  tempta- 
tions so  terrible  as  to  affright  any  worldling  who  could  appreciate 
them.  Worldlings,  to  be  sure,  have  their  temptations,  but  in  a  differ- 
way,  for  they  arise  from  their  own  unmortified  nature,  from  the 
humors  of  their  flesh  and  blood  all  tainted  with  sin.  And  how  shall 
such  a  one  escape?  By  striking  down  his  corrupt  nature,  and  stead- 
fastly resisting  the  evil  one,  and  casting  him  forth:  so  he  is  defeated 
and  gives  over  exciting  this  man's  sensuality.  But  a  perfect  man  has 
done  all  this  long  ago.  He  is  already  a  mortified  soul.  His  temptation 
does  not  come  from  within,  but  from  without,  except  the  demon  may 
find  some  remnants  of  sinful  inclination  within  him,  as  for  example 
a  tendency  to  anger.  Upon  this  the  evil  one  fastens,  here  he  concen- 
trates his  cunning  and  his  f;uile.  The  demon  as  it  were  throws  a  burr 
upon  him,  then  several  more  burrs,  some  front  and  others  back,  and  so 
on  till  he  is  all  covered  with  burrs,  that  is  to  say  with  temptations. 
If  he  is  inclined  to  anger,  the  evil  one  suggests  wrathful  thoughts, 
irritating  recollections,  until  at  last  the  poor  man  roars  with  rage  as 
if  he  were  actually  beating  somebody.  Could  he  but  steady  himself 
for  a  moment,  and  prostrate  himself  in  spirit  before  God  in  deep 
humility  imploring  His  assistance,  and  mentally  turn  towards  his  ene- 
mies and  set  his  soul  to  be  reconciled  and  at  peace,  nor  offer  any 
excuses  or  palliations  for  his  angry  outburst,  but  sink  down  meekly 
into  his  own  nothingness — if  he  could  but  do  this,  then,  children,  his 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  627 

defects  should  be  instantly  forgiven,  and  should  disappear  from  before 
God's  face  like  snow  before  the  sun ;    the  demon  would  vanish  away 
empty  handed.    If  he  can  have  access  to  his  father  confessor,  all  this 
will  be  much  facilitated.    ^S^Tiatsoever  man  acts  thus  wisely,  will  gain 
ground  by  his  trial  and  be  prepared  to  go  higher  up  in  the  divine  favor. 
Now  I  will  speak  of  something  that  does  not  concern  evervbody ;  and 
from  speaking  of  which  we  poor,  weak  men  naturally  shrink,'and  indeed 
from  even  hearing  about  it,  for  it  is  high  doctrine,  especially  to  those 
who  never  lived  according  to  it.  Yet  even  those  who  are  familiar  with 
it  cannot  rightly  explain  it.    The  book  of  Job  says:    "A  spirit  passed 
before  me,  and  the  hair  of  my  flesh  stood  up"  (Job  iv,  15) .    St.  Gregory 
understands   this  to  mean  the  apparition  of  our  Lord's  sacred   hu- 
manity, the  word  spirit  signifying  His  divinity,  which  is  hidden  from 
all  creatures.    He  understands  the  same  of  the  vision  of  Elias:     'A 
great  and  strong  wind  before  the  Lord,  overthrowing  the  mountain's, 
and  breaking  the  rocks  in  pieces:  the  Lord  is  not  in  the  wind;  and 
after  the  wind  an  earthquake:  the  Lord  is  not  in  the  earthquake;  and 
after  the  earthquake  a  fire :  the  Lord  is  not  in  the  fire ;  and  after  the 
fire,  the  whistling  of  a  gentle  air.    And  when  Elias  heard  it,  he  covered 
his  face  with  his  mantle"  (III  Kings,  11-13).    The  Lord  was  thus  in 
"the  whistling  of  a  gentle  air;"  and  children,  the  overthrowing  of  the 
mountains,  the  earthquake  and  the  fire,  these  were  all  but  preparations 
for  the  Lord.     St.  Gregory  says:     "The  high  mountain  means  proud, 
lofty  souls ;  the  hard  rocks,  mean  unmortified  spirits  and  self-conceited 
men,  fast  fixed  in  self-chosen  spiritual  ways,  doing  great  things  indeed, 
but  all  with  a  sense  of  personal  proprietorship."    When  the  Lord  would 
come  to  such  men  as  these,  he  sends  an  earthquake  beforehand,  turning 
everything  within  them  upside  down.     But,  alas,  those  who  profit  by 
this  visitation  are  not  many.  The  reason  is  that  men  cling  to  transitory 
things,  and  this  is  rooted  in  their  dogged  resistance  to  God :  they  rest 
in  that,  and  in  gratification  of  the  senses. 

In  some,  however,  the  Lord  works  His  way,  with  greater  or  less 
success;  and  as  His  visitations  are  repeated,  it  seems  to  such  a  man 
a  hundred  times  over— I  have  met  many  a  one  of  them— as  if  he  were  at 
the  point  of  death.  Once  such  a  man,  dreading  day  and  night  that  in 
his  agony  his  life  was  about  to  be  wrenched  away  from  him,  begged  our 
Lord  to  tell  him  what  to  do  and  whether  it  was  right  for  him  to  accept 
such  a  visitation  at  the  peril  of  his  life.  Our  Lord  answered  him: 
Canst  thou  not  inwardly  dare  and  suffer  what  I  outwardly  suffered  in 


628  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

such  inconceivable  pain,  in  hands  and  feet  and  in  all  my  body  and 
limbs?  Children,  some  men  will  not  endure  this  trial:  they  will  not 
rest  at  home  in  patience;  they  turn  outward  and  run  hither  and 
thither  in  search  of  rest;  and  they  never  find  it,  for  they  must  enter 
deep  into  their  own  souls  and  there  abide  in  resignation.  Alas,  what 
do  they  suppose  is  the  meaning  of  this  death,  which  so  fills  them  with 
terror?  It  is  very  wonderful.  Children,  if  a  man  were  as  spotless  as  a 
babe  fresh  from  the  waters  of  baptism,  and  never  guilty  of  any  sin 
whatever,  yet  if  he  will  attain  to  the  truth  of  God's  holiness  by  the 
shortest  way,  he  must  undergo  this  very  turmoil  of  soul,  this  utter 
self-renunciation,  or  he  will  fall  behind  and  remain  there. 

After  the  earthquake  came  the  fire,  and  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  fire. 
Children,  this  means  fiery  love,  devouring  one's  blood  and  marrow,  and 
making  one  as  it  were  beside  himself.  A  certain  man  was  so  inwardly 
consumed  with  this  ardent  love,  and  indeed  so  strongly  affected  even 
outwardly,  that  he  felt  he  would  never  amount  to  anything  again — 
he  would  soon  be  entirely  burnt  up  with  the  heat  of  his  feelings. 
Another  one  whom  I  knew  could  no  longer  sleep  from  the  burning 
sentiments  of  his  soul.  Only  when  he  could  lie  down  in  the  snow  of 
a  winter's  day  could  he  fall  asleep — and  presently  the  heat  of  his 
body  melted  the  snow  into  a  wide  pool  of  water  around  him.  Behold, 
children,  how  this  fiery  love  in  the  spirit  spreads  its  heat  into  the 
body :  and  yet  in  nothing  of  all  this  did  the  Lord  come. 

After  that  came  a  sweet,  silent  air,  a  soft  breathing  of  the  wind  like 
a  whisper:  in  that  came  the  Lord.  Children,  what  think  you  was  this? 
— coming  after  the  swift  and  strong  wind,  the  earthquake,  and  the 
fire,  and  all  the  upheavals  of  poor  human  nature  in  body  and  soul.  O 
what  a  wonderful  thing  must  that  be,  to  have  such  a  preparation,  and 
to  introduce  the  entrance  of  our  Lord.  Be  sure  that  unless  the  Lord 
had  supported  that  man's  natural  forces  with  supernatural  strength, 
then  would  he  have  sunk  beneath  the  marvellous  joy  of  the  Lord's 
coming,  even  had  he  the  might  of  a  hundred  men  together.  And  yet 
this  coming  of  the  Lord  is  only  a  glimpse  of  Him.  For  only  a  glimpse 
was  granted  to  Elias,  and  it  was  so  dazzling  that  the  prophet  covered 
his  head  with  his  mantle.  The  cave  of  Elias  may  represent  our  impa- 
tience ;  but  the  door  of  the  cave,  is  the  grace  of  beholding  God ;  and  the 
covering  of  the  eyes  with  the  mantle,  is  to  teach  us  that  however  fleet- 
ing may  be  the  sight  of  God  granted  to  the  soul  in  this  condition,  it 
yet  overwhelms  it — nature  cannot  endure  it.  Children,  the  Lord  God 
is  there  in  very,  truth,  and  His  presence  i?  sweeter  than  honey  and  the 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  629 

honeycomb.  It  bears  the  soul  away  beyond  the  life  of  the  senses, 
beyond  even  that  of  its  own  powers, — far  away  into  the  divine  depths. 
As  weak  eyes  cannot  bear  the  sunlight,  a  thousand  times  less  able  is 
weak  human  nature  to  bear  the  sweetness  of  this  experience.  Dear 
children,  whatever  one  may  say  of  this,  or  even  think  about  it,  is  wholly 
unlike  the  truth :  it  is  as  if  I  were  to  point  to  a  heap  of  black  coals  and 
exclaim :  Behold  the  bright  sun  that  shines  through  all  the  universe. 
Children,  it  is  in  this  manifestation  that  essential  peace  is  born  in  the 
soul,  that  peace  that  surpasses  every  other  peace. 

The  Spirit  spoken  of  in  the  book  of  Job  was  the  person  of  the  Son 
of  God ;  and  the  Lord  that  came  to  the  prophet  in  the  whispering  of  a 
gentle  air,  that  was  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  St.  Gregory  notices  that: 
^'Whereas  He  came  to  the  prophet  in  the  whisper  of  a  gentle  air.  He 
came  to  the  disciples  on  Pentecost  day  in  the  rushing  of  a  mighty  wind. 
And  this  is  the  reason :  the  disciples  received  Him  for  the  outward  life 
and  benefit  of  the  whole  christian  people,  and  hence  He  came  to  them 
in  a  public  manner,  striking  and  captivating  the  senses;  but  this  was 
not  necessary  in  the  prophet's  case,  for  to  His  spirit  alone  He  was  sent." 
Blessed  is  the  man  who  was  born  to  enjoy  this  great  favor,  if  it  be  only 
for  a  single  instant  before  his  death.  Yet  you  must  understand  that 
however  high  this  privilege  may  be,  it  is  w^holly  unequal  to  the  sweet- 
ness that  the  soul  will  enjoy  in  eternal  life  hereafter — ^yes,  it  is  no  more 
than  the  littlest  drop  of  water  compared  to  the  bottomless  ocean. 

And  now  how  fares  it  with  these  interior  souls,  thus  favored  with 
newly  discovered  joys?  They  sink  down  into  their  own  nothingness  in 
a  manner  quite  indescribable;  they  would  be  annihilated  a  hundred 
times  over,  (if  they  could  be  allowed  so  to  think)  for  God's  praise  and 
glory,  so  strong  is  their  sense  of  His  majesty,  so  great  is  their  love  of 
His  goodness.  For  the  more  they  are  interiorly  taught  of  His  dignity, 
the  more  do  they  recognize  their  own  littleness,  their  very  nothingness. 
By  this  sense  of  their  own  unworthiness  they  are  so  wholly  stripped 
of  self-hood,  that  if  God  willed  to  deprive  them  of  their  present  sweet- 
ness of  consolation,  they  would  not  repine,  nay,  they  would  fly  from  it 
instantly.  And  if  they  freely  and  deliberately  wished  to  retain  it 
against  God's  will,  that  would  be  a  fault  in  them,  and  they  might  easily 
merit  purgatory  for  it:  all  is  not  quite  right  with  a  soul  thus  selfishly 
yielding  to  spiritual  joy. 

The  faculty  of  love  in  man  thirsts  for  sufifering  for  the  sake  of  the 
beloved,  however  much  one's  reason  may  revolt  against  it.  And  hence 
these  favored  souls  have  a  burning  desire  to  suffer.    The  greatest  joy 


630  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

that  God  can  give  them  is  the  privilege  of  imitating  Christ  in  His 
passion,  and  that  in  the  worst  blasphemies,  the  direst  shame,  and  the 
most  dreadful  agony  that  He  endured.  They  thirst  for  the  cross  of 
Christ:  beneath  that  beloved  cross  they  constantly  stand,  longing  for 
its  sorrows  and  pains  with  most  interior  love,  for  it  is  their  lover's 
gibbet.  In  their  souls,  every  day  is  the  feast  of  the  holy  cross  in  very 
deed,  so  sweet  to  them  is  a  share  in  Christ's  crucifixion.  The  gracious 
form  of  Jesus  crucified  is  imprinted  deep  on  their  inmost  soul ;  in 
glorious  splendor  does  it  shine  within  them.  St.  Paul  was  rapt  into 
the  third  heaven,  and  yet  what  was  his  glory?  He  tells  us:  ''God 
forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ" 
(Gal.  vi,  14).  And  thus  speaks  the  holy  man  Job:  "My  soul  rather 
chooseth  hanging,  and  my  bones  death"  (Job  vii,  15).  Of  all  the 
favors  God  had  bestowed  on  him,  this  was  the  one  he  chose  in  prefer- 
ence to  the  others.  To  the  soul  that  we  have  been  considering,  hanging 
on  the  cross  is  indeed  the  extremity  of  pain,  but  yet  it  is  preferred  to 
every  other  lot,  because  its  beloved  God  has  hung  on  the  cross  for  its 
sake.  And  the  soul's  longing  for  suffering  is  now  granted :  God  casts 
upon  it  the  most  awful  darkness  of  woe,  the  most  terrible  sense  of 
abandonment. 

When  this  happens,  how  fares  it  with  the  soul's  power  of  loving, 
being  thus  ablaze  with  dreadful  fiery  love,  and  yet  wholly  deprived  of 
all  perceptable  consolation?  The  power  of  loving  is  now  chided  by  the 
power  of  reasoning  in  this  wise:  Behold,  thou  lover,  and  consider  the 
heritage  of  love  bestowed  on  thee  by  thy  Beloved : — thou  art  a  soul 
filled  with  God  and  a  body  and  all  natural  faculties  filled  with  pain. 
And  this  is  the  very  truth.  And  as  love  burns  hotter  and  more  pain- 
fully, so  does  this  heritage  become  more  welcome  and  its  banquet  taste 
sweeter.  It  is  the  heritage  promised  of  old  by  the  prophets  to  the 
friends  of  God.  The  more  lovingly  the  heritage  of  suffering  is  cherished 
by  the  lover,  the  more  blissful  and  glorious  shall  be  the  eternal  heritage 
hereafter.  It  is  what  the  holy  martyrs  longed  for  with  sighs  of  love. 
And  the  favored  souls  we  are  considering  seem  to  themselves  only  now 
to  begin  to  live;  and  they  feel  like  beginners  in  the  life  of  perfection. 
Alas  that  this  most  delightful,  exceptional  and  perfect  good  gift  is  so 
little  known.  Alas,  that  it  is  so  commonly  neglected,  and  that  men 
prefer  to  it  the  miserable  enjoyments  of  this  wretched  world.  May 
God  pity  such  folly,  and  may  we  ever  lament  it.  May  God  direct  us  in 
this,  His  chosen  path  of  perfection,  and  bring  us  straight  to  the  end. 
Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  631 


(BIirtBttan  Purity 

Synopsis—Unchaste  tendencies  considered— Temptations  arising  from 
carelessness— Self-denial  a  safeguard— The  secret  springs  of  iin- 
chastity — Occasions  arising  from  spiritual  relationships— Precau- 
tions in  dealing  with  the  other  sex. 


SEKMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  ST.  AGNES,  VIEGIN 
AND  MARTYR. 

The  virgin  thinljeth  on  the  things  of  the  Lord,  that  she  mav  be  holv  both  in 
body  and  in  spirit.— I  Cor.  vil.  34. 

Two  things  are  becoming  to  virgins,  to  be  clean  of  body  and  clean  of 
soul.  To  be  unspotted  in  fleshly  things,  to  be  temperate  in  satisfying  all 
bodily  needs,  as  eating  and  drinking,  sleeping  and  waking;  to  be  of  few 
words,  modest  in  bearing,  avoiding  vain  company  and  amusements, 
humble  in  outward  demeanor,  busy  with  all  womanly  work,  diligent  in 
penitential  exercises,  zealous  for  every  kind  of  outward  chastity;  all 
this  is  what  is  meant  by  "holy  in  body."  If  any  virgin  dreams  of  safe- 
guarding her  chastity  or  perfecting  it  in  any  other  way,  she  is  under  a 
delusion.  For  outward  occasions  of  sin  must  be  met  and  overcome  hy 
outward  as  well  as  inward  safeguards;  otherwise  the  excesses  of  the 
bodily  life  will  sully  the  purity  of  the  spirit.  Yet  it  is  plain  enough, 
that  whosoever  would  tame  the  flesh  with  the  flesh,  will  not  have  much 
success:  hence  we  shall  leave  the  consideration  of  bodily  purity  for 
that  of  the  spirit,  and  study  how  it  is  saved  or  lost,  a  matter  which  it 
behooves  every  spiritual  person  to  attentively  consider  . 

Purity  of  spirit  consists  of  a  conscience  clear  and  unspotted,  accom- 
panied with  humility.  A  humble  conscience  is  a  pure  mind  and  a  clean 
heart.  A  pure  mind  is  gained  by  using  the  holy  scriptures;  for  these 
furnish  one  with  good  meditations.  Let  the  heart  be  busied  with  holy 
thoughts  and  it  will  soon  be  delivered  from  vain  ones.  You  may  be 
sure  of  this:  the  man  who  devotes  himself  to  meditating  the  holy 
scriptures,  will  be  saved  from  falling  into  gross  irapuritv.  Thus  it  was 
with  St.  Jerome,  who  says :   "Love  the  reading  of  the  holy  scriptures,  and 


632  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

thou  shalt  uot  love  thy  fleshly  inclinations — thou  shalt  rather  despise 
them."  A  man  gains  a  clean  heart  when  he  banishes  all  desire  of  inor- 
dinate pleasure  in  creatures,  especially  in  men  and  women.  On  the 
other  hand  even  a  really  pious  man,  may  in  a  single  unguarded  moment 
become  so  disturbed  and  so  weakened  by  disorderly  human  affection, 
as  to  suffer  from  evil  thoughts  for  a  long  time.  Therefore  the  occa- 
sions of  fleshly  thoughts  must  be  avoided,  under  penalty  of  being 
harmed  by  them.  This  is  human  nature's  weakest  spot;  this  is  the 
deep  rooted  taint  of  our  natural  concupiscence.  A  man  must  all  the 
days  of  his  life  struggle  against  this  enemy — alas  that  so  many  men 
seem  oblivious  to  this,  rashly  and  thoughtlessly  acting  as  if  they  had 
gained  the  victory  over  the  flesh  finally  and  forever. 

No,  no,  dear  child:  if  thou  hast  won  a  thousand  battles  over  thy 
unclean  tendencies,  lay  no  store  by  that.  As  long  as  soul  and  body 
hang  together,  thou  shalt  have  no  freedom  guaranteed  thee  against 
unchaste  temptations.  After  a  hundred  years  of  victory,  of  a  sudden 
thy  trial  will  come  upon  thee.  Many  a  good,  pure  heart  is  at  last 
misled  and  ruined,  without  being  able  to  clearly  know  how  it  came 
about.  Nor  did  the  stain  come  from  some  outward  evil  deed  suddenly 
done;  no,  not  from  open  fleshly  unchastity — although  that  is  some- 
times the  case.  But  usually  the  fall  is  brought  about  by  gradually 
yielding  to  sinful  desires.  They  get  a  footing,  because  the  soul  has 
previously  given  entrance  to  affection  for  transitory  things  and  in- 
dulged in  bodily  relaxations;  these  have  darkened  the  understanding 
and  led  to  forgetfulness  of  the  rules  of  prudence.  The  interior  spirit  of 
piety  is  weakened,  and  so  the  fall  happens.  Then  follows  a  hellish  state 
of  despondency,  with  the  sharp  bite  of  the  tooth  of  conscience  to  get  rid 
of.  It  is  in  this  mood  that  a  man,  broken  spirited  and  desperate,  walks 
straight  into  the  gate  of  hell  and  is  buried  in  eternal  darkness: — like 
one  about  to  be  executed  for  crime,  and  who  loses  all  sense  and  reason 
in  abject  terror  of  death. 

This  is  the  road  of  the  unguarded  spirit.  But  sometimes  a  fall  into 
impurity  is  permitted  by  God,  because  that  alone  will  ground  a  man 
in  true  humility.  Such  a  one  is  thereby  fully  taught  his  own  miserable 
weakness;  and,  besides,  he  thus  learns  how  to  have  pity  on  the  weak- 
ness of  other  men.  This  is  of  special  good  to  those  who  must  subject 
their  intellectual  pride  to  God's  sovereign  majesty,  and  attain  to  naked 
poverty  of  spirit.  To  these  it  is  necessary — and  to  them  more  than  to 
all  others — to  be  guarded  against  the  company  of  persons  of  the  oppo- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  633 

site  sex.  The  enemy  of  souls,  who  never  sleeps,  and  whose  cunning  is 
ever  ready,  will  allow  no  opportunity  to  escape  him. 

When  men  would  cultivate  an  interior  spirit  of  self-denial,  entering 
into  themselves  in  all  singleness  of  heart,  they  should  earnestly  en- 
deavor to  subdue  totally  all  evil  suggestions.  Let  them  subject  all 
their  faculties  absolutely  to  God,  resisting  His  grace  in  no  manner 
whatsoever,  giving  up  every  remnant  of  self-proprietorship  in  all  their 
works  and  thoughts:  their  aim  must  be  that  God's  will  shall  prevail 
vnthin  them  without  the  least  opposition.  Be  assured  that  a  man  may 
arrive  at  such  single  hearted  devotion  to  God,  at  such  peace  of  soul, 
and  even  of  body,  that  he  shall  be  almost  totally  unconscious  of  the  op- 
position of  his  lower  nature.  His  peaceful  conscience  scourges  him  no 
more.  He  has,  besides,  lost  the  shamefacedness  of  our  degraded  nature, 
80  that  he  is  now  returned  to  the  happy  ignorance  of  childhood,  which 
does  all  things  that  nature  requires,  unconscious  of  evil  tendencies. 
An  innocent  little  child  feels  no  need  of  caution  in  such  things,  for  it 
has  no  knowledge  of  evil.  But  as  knowledge  increases  with  growth 
of  years,  so  does  evil  inclination  and  the  possibility  of  sin.  And  a  man 
who  has  long  led  a  life  of  self-denial  and  recollection  may  recover  the 
simple  modesty  of  childhood.  He  has  overcome — so  it  seems,  and  is,  at 
least  for  a  while — the  sensuality  of  nature  to  that  degree,  that  he  no 
longer  feels  a  temptation  of  any  kind  against  chastity,  no,  not  even 
an  unclean  feeling  in  his  sleep.  Deadly  occasions  overtake  him,  and 
do  him  not  the  least  injury :  from  every  danger  he  goes  forth  free  and 
untainted.  It  may  come  to  pass  that  he  will  consider  himself  no  more 
subject  to  sensual  emotions  than  a  dead  corpse:  it  is  possible  that 
corrupt  nature  may — so  it  seems  at  least — be  really  dead.  But  let  no 
man,  no  woman  trust  to  the  continuance  of  this  condition,  no  matter 
how  lofty  may  seem  their  purity.  No  matter  how  perfectly  holy  one 
may  be — holy  in  very  truth, — if  he  dallies  with  dangerous  occasions, 
he  does  it  at  his  peril.  No  matter  how  entirely  dead  his  passions  may 
seem,  if  he  does  not  fly  from  dangerous  association  with  others,  his 
heart  will  be  wounded  with  sensual  pleasure;  he  will  presently  be  dis- 
turbed with  gross  inclinations  towards  one  or  other  favorite  companion. 

Mark  well,  dear  children,  how  all  this  comes  about,  how  the  net  of 
temptation  gradually  enwraps  such  a  soul.  First  of  all  a  pious  man 
cherishes  love  for  individuals  on  account  of  their  graces;  he  is  affec- 
tionately drawn  to  them  because  of  their  spirituality.  Now  this  comes 
from  a  secret  pleasure  of  heart;  it  seems  to  be  a  wholly  spiritual  feel- 


634  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

ing;  it  is  something  to  thank  God  for;  one  is  grateful  to  the  object  of 
one's  affection  for  a  new  spiritual  influence — as  it  seems  to  be.  And  if 
this  sentiment  is  not  forthwith  banished  from  the  soul  with  horror,  the 
most  deplorable  results  may  follow.  One  slips  into  the  notion  that  he 
may  show  these  good  persons  some  outward  marks  of  special  affection. 
Special  kindness  of  manner  is  cultivated,  words  of  affection  are  used 
and  tender  glances  are  exchanged  with  overfamiliar  smiles  and  laugh- 
ter. Then  follows  yet  more  dangerous  and  still  closer  familiarity, 
including  the  usual  signs  of  mere  carnal  love;  and  now  the  heart  is 
indeed  wounded  with  inordinate  love.  If  this  inner  hurt  be  not  healed 
by  immediate  withdrawal  from  danger,  a  yet  deeper  wound  is  inflicted. 
Lust  of  the  spirit  is  changed  into  lust  of  the  flesh — the  devil's  snare  will 
hardly  fail  of  its  victim.  Sensual  inclinations  are  likely  to  be  followed 
by  yet  worse  things.  That  poor  soul  will  not  easily  escape  the  deadly 
penalty  of  trifling  with  danger. 

One  may  indeed  thus  gradually  fall  into  mortal  sin  without  being 
aware  of  it ;  he  may  soon  commit  the  worst  sins  of  thought,  making 
little  resistence  to  his  temptations.  Behold,  dear  children,  how  even  a 
really  good  man  may  commit  all  sorts  of  sins,  if  he  does  not  avoid 
dangerous  occasions — yea,  even  if  he  has  reached  the  highest  degree  of 
perfect  virtue.  If  he  will  not  fly  from  danger,  he  stands  in  the  same 
I>eril  as  he  did  before  he  began  his  life  of  perfection.  He  is  fully  in  as 
much  danger  now  as  ever  he  was ;  never  had  he  so  great  need  of  caution 
as  he  has  now.  No  man  dare  count  on  being  exempt  from  temptation. 
However  holy  he  may  be,  he  dare  not  say  that  he  need  not  guard  most 
carefully  against  eternal  loss.  He  must  stand  watchfully  on  his  guard 
as  long  as  he  breathes  the  breath  of  life. 

Spiritual  writers  tell  us  of  three  snares  laid  for  the  feet  of  spiritual 
men.  The  first  is  the  favor  and  flattery  of  men.  The  second  is  partiality 
for  one's  kindred,  as  brothers  and  sisters.  The  third  is  self-righteousness, 
by  which  one  relies  confidently  on  his  long  practise  of  virtue :  and  this 
causes  him  to  be  careless  of  danger.  Furthermore,  a  kind  of  inordinate 
and  sensual  friendship  grows  up  between  persons,  and  then  slips  down 
into  what  is  called  particular  friendship.  It  is  a  natural  mutual  love ; 
they  must  have  their  recreation  together,  and  are  full  of  exchanges  of 
friendliness,  enquiries  after  each  other's  welfare,  and  the  like.  This 
will  end  wrong,  be  sure  of  that;  and  commonly  enough  very  wickedly 
indeed,  to  the  heavy  burdening  and  misery  of  the  conscience,  especially 
when  the  parties  to  it  are  of  different  sexes.    No  right  conscience  can 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  635 

tolerate  such  a  relationship  for  a  moment.  From  it  the  greatest  evils 
very  often  result  and  the  deadliest  shame  :^-dark  suspicious,  envy, 
anguish  of  soul,  entire  loss  of  interior  peace.  Hence  the  urgent  duty 
of  all  whose  office  requires  it,  to  admonish  the  parties  to  such  particular 
friendships  (especially  if  of  different  sexes),  to  immediately  give  up 
each  other's  company.  This  discipline  is  necessary  for  a  superior's 
peace  of  conscience,  as  well  as  for  the  good  of  the  persons  concerned ; 
and  it  will  put  an  end  to  any  further  heartburn  and  temptation. 

If  any  man  will  be  saved  from  such  or  any  other  sins,  let  him  follow 
St.  Bonaventure's  counsel;  let  him  sit  with  persons  of  the  other  sex 
and  act  and  talk,  always  as  if  everybody  were  looking  on  and  listening; 
then  he  will  do  and  say  nothing  improper.  His  demeanor  will  be  the 
same  with  one  as  with  another.  And  he  must  allow  no  creature  any 
special  love  under  whatsoever  name,  lest  his  evil  passions  be  thereby 
enkindled.  He  must  show  marks  of  particular  friendship  to  no  one 
whatsoever,  above  all  to  persons  of  the  opposite  sex.  He  must  not 
indulge  in  affectionate  interviews  with  them,  no,  not  even  on  pretext  of 
spiritual  conference.  He  must  hold  a  grave  demeanor,  deal  with  them 
with  few  words,  and  hasten  his  departure  from  their  company  at  the 
earliest  possible  moment. 

And  now,  dear  children,  seeing  that  devout  persons  may,  as  I  have 
explained,  easily  fall  into  impurity  by  such  dangerous  occasions,  what 
must  be  the  case  with  ordinary  imperfect  souls?  We  have  seen  how 
good  souls  become  demorilized  by  over-confidence;  words,  works  and 
thoughts  at  last  are  all  unclean,  because  what  led  to  sinfulness  was  not 
resolutely  shunned ;  because  they  would  not  die  to  themselves,  nor  give 
up  superfluities,  pleasures,  softness  of  living;  and  because  they  began 
to  indulge  their  appetites.  They  finally  fell  by  outward  occasions. 
If  this  be  the  fate  of  an  incautious  good  man,  what  shall  be  the  ruin  of 
a  careless  ordinary  Christian?  — self-willed,  regardless  of  every  pre- 
caution, dull  and  unwilling  in  every  devout  practise.  Of  these  does 
the  Lord  speak  by  the  prophet :  *'I  am  the  Lord  who  search  the  heart, 
and  prove  the  reins :  who  give  to  every  one  according  to  his  way,  and 
according  to  the  fruit  of  his  devices"  (Jer.  xvii,  10).  May  God  have 
mercy  on  us  poor  sinners,  and  may  He  save  us  from  these  snares  of 
impurity.  May  we  appear  before  His  face  chaste  and  clean  of  soul  and 
body,  with  a  conscience  undefiled,  free  from  vain  thoughts  and  cleansed 
from  evil  desires,  resting  in  no  created  thing  but  in  God  alone,  loving 
Him  alone  and  above  all  things.    God  grant  us  this  boon.     Amen. 


636  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — Total  freedom  from  vain  glory  is  the  first  requisite — Kindly 
manners  are  needed — Love  of  suffering  follows  necessarily — Busy 
industry  is  demanded — The  last  and  most  necessary  quality  is  keep- 
ing God  alone  in  her  intention. 


SEKMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  ST.  AGATHA,  VIRGIN 
AND  MARTYR. 

The  kingdom  of  this  world  and  all  its  pomp  I  have  despised  for  love  of  my 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. — From  the  Roman  Ritual. 

The  Church  sings  these  words  in  the  holy  ofifiice  today  in  the  name 
of  every  bride  of  Christ,  who  has  given  herself  up  to  His  service  to 
persevere  in  the  same  forever.  Take  notice,  dear  children,  what  pecu- 
liar qualities  she  should  show  who  would  be  pleasing  to  God,  be  accepted 
by  Him,  and  led  to  His  eternal  espousals,  consummating  a  perpetual 
union  between  Him  and  her  soul. 

And  be  it  observed  that  a  virgin  is  not  well  pleasing  to  God,  unless 
she  despises  the  kingdom  of  this  world  and  all  its  pomp.  That  means 
that  she  sets  a  watchful  guard  against  pride,  vain  glory,  and  the  favor 
of  men.  This  extends  not  only  to  personal  adornment,  but  over  every- 
thing else  whatsoever  of  this  fleeting  life  of  ours.  She  must  give  all 
this  up  for  the  honor  of  God.  And  the  same  is  to  be  said  of  spiritual 
pride,  interior  vain  glory;  and  also  the  outward  show  of  piety,  the 
parade  of  devout  words  (given  forth  by  a  worldly  heart),  selfish  joy  of 
heart  over  spiritual  gifts  or  graces,  and  all  sorts  of  spiritual  self-satis- 
faction. Such  diflSculties  as  these  do  the  virgins  of  Christ  encounter, 
and  that  in  many  various  ways.  One  can  hardly  exaggerate  the  hurt 
that  is  done  these  guileless  hearts,  and  how  by  all  these  means  the  evil 
one  endeavors  to  mislead  them. 

Another  good  trait  is  watchful  guard  against  a  different  kind  of 
pride.  This  is  an  overbearing  manner  towards  others,  arrogance,  and 
boasting,  assuming  to  be  wise,  putting  on  airs  of  prudence.  And  if 
she  happens  to  be  reproved  for  her  faults,  or  anywise  despised  and 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  637 

illtreated,  she  defends  herself  hotly,  instead  of  meekly  submitting  to 
correction  and  showing  real  humility  in  word  and  deed,  while  giving 
welcome  to  all  efforts  to  correct  her. 

A  third  good  trait  is  this.  It  is  not  enough  for  her  to  know  and  to 
avoid  her  faults.  She  must  give  herself  up  to  suffer  willingly  all  that 
distresses  her,  laboring  in  God's  vineyard  in  all  patience,  preparing  for 
her  Spouse  a  deeply  humbled  heart,  in  which  He  alone  shall  be 
allowed  to  rest.  God's  rest  is  indeed  in  the  heart  of  a  virgin  self- 
abased,  very  meek,  subjected  unto  God  and  all  men  even  unto  death,  if 
such  were  God's  will.  This  self-abnegation  from  the  inmost  heart,  wins 
from  God  all  that  the  soul  stands  in  need  of,  and  very  much  more. 
God  meets  such  a  soul  half  way,  bringing  all  His  graces.  He  ennobles 
it  with  every  dignity  granted  to  His  holy  ones. 

The  fourth  trait  of  a  true  virgin,  is  that  she  shall  gladly  be  despised 
and  punished  and  disgraced  in  this  life,  and  undergo  much  ill  treat- 
ment, just  as  the  Canaanitish  woman  endured  what  she  seemed  to 
suffer  from  Christ.  The  like  treatment  He  gives  to  all  His  elect 
spirits  even  unto  our  own  times.  If  He  has  a  special  love  for  anyone, 
and  if  He  would  infuse  into  him  special  graces,  then  does  He  scourge 
him  hard  in  his  inner  soul ;  and  even  outwardly  He  permits  him  to  be 
trampled  under  the  feet  of  all  men.  Evil  things  are  uttered  against 
him,  false  and  intolerable  charges  are  made  against  him.  When  this 
happens  to  Christ's  virgin,  let  her  revile  her  own  self  with  the  utmost 
sincerity,  let  her  bow  down  in  true  humility,  let  her  esteem  her  sad 
lot  a  real  boon  from  God,  of  which  she  is  by  no  means  worthy,  thank- 
ing Him  for  a  gift  that  shows  she  is  one  of  His  favorites. 

The  fifth  trait  is  a  yet  deeper  humility.  Christ's  true  virgin  should 
despise  herself  in  truest  sincerity,  suffer  every  adversity  with  absolute 
patience,  submit  to  every  one's  caprice,  and  never  under  any  circum- 
stance utter  the  least  complaint.  We  meet  with  virgins  who  speak 
evil  of  themselves  with  fine  words,  saying:  O  I  am  only  a  poor  sinner. 
But  let  anyone  else  dare  to  say  that  to  them.  This  reveals  half  a 
heart  of  pride.  A  virgin  with  half-hearted  humility  is  shown  in  being 
Instantly  provoked  by  even  a  single  little  word  of  contempt  and 
beginning  to  defend  herself.  She  cannot  endure  being  made  light  of : — 
and  yet  she  insists  on  being  considered  a  humble  virgin.  No,  my  dear 
child;  all  the  contempt  thou  dost  outwardly  show  for  thyself  is  mani- 
festly without  any  real  foundation  of  humility,  if  thou  are  not  willing 
to  be  shamed  by  thy  equals,  or  better  still,  by  one  who  is  thy  inferior. 


C38  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

That  goes  through  the  marrow;  that  will  show  whether  or  not  thou 
hast  genuine  humility  and  patience. 

The  sixth  trait,  is  that  Christ's  virgin  does  not  idle  away  her  time — 
she  is  not  careless  of  duty  or  of  pious  exercises.  With  much  devotion, 
and  with  all  the  yearning  of  her  heart,  she  meditates  on  the  passion  of 
her  Beloved.  She  loves  His  holy  wounds.  Nothing  pleases  her  better 
than  to  pass  her  time  in  studying  the  life  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  whose 
sake  she  has  given  up  all  things:  no  occupation  seems  to  her  more 
useful.  Again,  it  is  peculiar  to  the  virgins  of  Christ,  that  they  are 
diligent  in  labor  all  the  days  of  their  life;  outward  and  inward  occu- 
pations absorb  them,  all  being  done  for  the  honor  of  God.  They 
incessantly  offer  prayers  for  the  salvation  of  all  mankind;  nay,  they 
offer  themselves  up  as  a  sacrifice  to  God  for  the  sins  of  the  common 
mass  of  the  people,  good  and  bad  together.  And  it  may  happen  that 
God  will  have  His  virgin  spouse  in  a  state  of  interior  desolation ;  all 
love  for  God  seems  gone,  for  every  sort  of  joy  has  vanished  away ;  not 
a  particle  of  devotional  feeling  remains ;  the  soul  is  void,  miserable  and 
abandoned.  If  in  that  state  the  virgin  persist  in  serving  God  with 
her  old  fervor,  full  of  faith,  entirely  resigned  to  her  sorrow  of  heart, 
then  indeed  will  God  be  honored  in  her,  then  is  He  well  pleased 
with  her. 

The  seventh  trait  of  a  true  virgin  of  Christ  is  in  the  quality  of  her 
intention.  She  should  see  God  and  mean  God  in  all  she  does,  in  all 
she  leaves  undone.  Let  her  disengage  her  soul  from  all  outward 
things.  When  she  does  good  works,  let  her  feel  as  if  she  had  done 
nothing;  and  let  her  think  of  all  good  works,  as  if  she  were  not  con- 
cerned in  them  but  only  in  God.  Such  a  virgin  of  Christ  longs  to 
suffer  all  the  shame  and  scandal  of  all  men,  that  God's  glory  may  be 
advanced:  for  herself  she  craves  neither  authority  nor  honors.  She 
can  in  no  possible  way  be  puffed  up  with  self-conceit,  for  the  Holy 
Ghost  reigns  in  her.  Such  persons  are  sometimes  compelled  to  govern 
others;  in  which  case  they  rule  with  much  affection  and  with  true 
meekness.  They  fulfil  Christ's  words:  "He  that  will  be  first  among 
you,  shall  be  your  servant"  (Matt,  xx,  27). 

The  eighth  good  quality  of  a  virgin  of  Christ,  is  that  she  constantly 
strives  against  all  love  and  desire  of  transitory  things,  and  all  worldly 
honor.  But  it  happens  that  when  such  desires  grow  weak  in  her 
heart,  then  is  she  first  assailed  with  spiritual  pride.  This  is  a  power- 
ful sense  of  self-approval,  often  coupled  with  longing  for  the  praise 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  639 

of  others — so  strong  indeed  that  God  alone  can  expel  it  from  the 
heart.  No  matter  how  holy  any  one  may  be,  he  must  reckon  on  hard 
fighting  to  the  end  of  life,  and  especially  must  he  be  prepared  to  resist 
spiritual  pride.  Now,  although  in  Christ's  true  virgin  no  place  is 
usually  found  for  pride,  avarice,  hate  or  envy,  yet  will  she  now  and 
then  be  assailed  with  temptation  to  sloth,  to  the  vice  of  gluttony,  and 
even  to  impurity.  These  vices  are  rooted  in  our  flesh,  and  are  sure  to 
rise  up  to  tempt  us,  if  they  are  not  wholly  overcome.  But  such  tempta- 
tions are  of  great  profit  to  Christ's  virgin ;  for  this  ardent  lover  of  God 
enjoys  nothing  but  suffering,  and  shame,  and  all  that  is  painful  to  her 
interiorly  or  exteriorly,  and  this  out  of  tender  affection  for  Christ. 
These  afflictions  she  covets  above  all  contemplation,  before  all  interior 
sweetness.  When  called  on  to  endure  some  evil  thing  for  Christ's 
sake,  she  is  better  satisfied  than  if  she  received  all  the  pleasure  that 
creatures  can  minister.  On  this  account  the  movements  of  the  lower 
appetites  cannot  drive  her  into  sin — she  can  now  conceive  of  no  joy  in 
such  things,  for  her  will  is  to  suffer,  her  desire  is  to  be  afflicted  for 
Christ's  sake,  and  meanwhile  always  to  make  herself  acceptable  to 
God,  her  divine  Spouse.  May  God  help  us  to  gain  and  to  hold  all 
these  traits  of  a  true  virgin  of  Christ.    Amen. 


640  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


iBarg*a  piar?  tn  tl^t  Jttrarnatton 

Synopsis — God's  love  best  shown  in  the  conception  of  His  Son  in  Mary's 
womb — The  interior  virtues  of  Mary — Eer  purity  of  tody  and  soul 
— Eer  humility — Eow  her  soul  experienced  a  mystical  generation 
of  God's  Son — Close  application  of  this  event  to  our  own  interior 
life. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  THE  ANNUNCIATION  OF  OUR 

BLESSED  LADY. 

Hail  full  of  grace,  the  Lord  is  with  thee. — Luke  1,  28. 

In  this  feast  we  celebrate  the  eternal  and  overflowing  love  of  God, 
the  Lord  of  lords  and  the  Master  of  all,  by  which  He  had  mercy  on 
us  poor  men,  sinful  and  condemned,  brands  of  hell  fire.  As  St.  Paul 
says:  ''Who  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be 
equal  with  God:  but  emptied  Himself,  taking  the  form  of  a  servant, 
being  made  in  the  likeness  of  men,  and  in  habit  found  as  a  man.  He 
humbled  Himself,  becoming  obedient  unto  death,  even  to  the  death  of 
the  cross"  (Phil,  ii,  6-8).  Of  such  a  love  as  this  can  no  man  rightly 
discourse,  nor  can  we  praise  and  thank  God  enough  for  it.  It  surpasses 
the  power  of  angelic  and  human  reason  to  comprehend  it — that  our 
God  and  our  supreme  Judge  should  become  our  Father,  our  Brother, 
and  our  Spouse.  He  has  taken  our  debt  and  our  condemnation  on 
Himself;  He  has  redeemed  us  by  His  bitter  death;  He  has  made  us 
His  children,  giving  us  eternal  life;  He  has  restored  us  to  our  first  high 
place  of  honor;  yea  more  than  that:  He  has  made  us  like  unto  the 
angels  themselves,  even  granting  us  a  heavenly  righteousness  and  a 
divine  kinship,  even  nearer  to  God  than  that  of  the  highest  of  the 
angels. 

0  God,  all  perfect  Good!  Who  can  hold  back  his  deepest  love  in 
return  for  this  great  love  of  Thine — his  deepest  love  and  praise  with 
all  his  powers  of  soul  and  body.  And  this  Thy  work  of  our  redemption 
has  made  Thee  lovable  to  us  above  all  things — a  work  unimagined  and 
unexampled,  a  humility  without  limit,  a  grace  so  wonderful  and  so 
unmerited,  a  gift  without  recall.    This  work  of  Thine  quickly  excites 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  641 

our  love,  sweetly  draws  our  will,  binds  us  to  Thee  gladly  and  firmly  in 
all  our  desires.  But  oh!  sweetest  Jesus,  what  shall  we  give  Thee  in 
return  for  this  gift,  so  great,  so  divine?  Thou  didst  give  me  in  my 
creation  a  soul,  and  that  soul  I  ruined  by  sin ;  Thou  dost  now  restore 
it  to  me,  making  me  doubly  indebted  to  Thee  for  its  possession.  And 
that  Thou  hast  pledged  Thy  soul  in  the  place  of  mine,  dearest  Lord 
Jesus,  what  shall  I  give  Thee  in  return  for  that  favor?  Alas,  if  I  gave 
my  poor  soul  a  thousand  times  over  for  Thy  sake,  how  could  that 
compare  with  Thy  giving  Thyself  up  to  death  for  me,  my  Lord  and 
my  God? 

Dear  children,  although  we  can  never  fuMy  recompense  this  great 
love,  yet  we  should  earnestly  apply  ourselves  to  make  at  least  some 
partial  return  by  giving  ourselves  to  Jesus,  ourselves  with  all  we  are 
and  all  that  we  can  do;  as  did  His  most  beloved  mother,  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  out  of  a  heart  most  perfectly  true  to  Him.  Therefore  I  will 
show  you  some  illustrations  of  how  we  may  rightly  serve  our  Lord, 
helping  you  to  become  as  it  were  spiritually  our  Saviour's  mother, 
God  granting  us  the  grace  to  generate  and  to  bring  forth  His  divine 
Son.  And  although  your  holiness  is  too  little  to  enable  you  to  com- 
prehend perfectly  the  mind  of  the  angel  when  he  said  to  Mary :  "Hail, 
full  of  grace,"  yet  you  can  gain  some  plain  notion  of  how'  well  pre- 
pared the  Blessed  Virgin  was  for  the  conception  of  the  Son  of  God  in 
her  womb. 

According  to  her  name,  Mary  was  rapt  into  God  and  made  one  spirit 
with  Him  in  the  three  powers  of  her  soul.  And  she  was  all  moved  and! 
guided  by  Him,  being  absorbed  in  His  blessed  will,  intenselv  devoted 
to  His  honor— moved  and  guided  by  Him  as  a  tool  in  the  hand  of  a 
workman.  She  was  poor  in  spirit.  She  was  lifted  up  to  God  from  a 
fathomless  humility.  She  was  self-annihilated,  willess,  passive,  and 
without  any  longing  except  for  God.  And  it  was  by  reason  of  this 
state  of  her  soul  that  God  found  an  entrance  to  her  in  soul  and  body. 
She  was  clean  of  spirit ;  for  she  did  not  cleave  to  any  gifts  of  God,  nor 
did  she  use  them  for  her  joy.  She  was  clean  of  soul :  she  felt  no  attrac- 
tion towards  any  created  thing,  but  her  soul  was  adorned  with  alF 
virtues.  She  was  clean  of  heart  and  pure  of  body :  she  was  never  moved 
to  sin,  being  like  the  shining  angels  of  heaven.  Although  she  was  the 
fairest  among  women,  yet  never  could  any  man  look  upon  her  with  bad 
desires,  and  this  was  on  account  of  her  angelic  purity.  She  was  an 
interior  spirit:  her  sweet  affectionate  yearnings  were  all  upward  to- 


642  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

wards  God,  and  the  outgushing  waves  of  the  divine  love  poured  down 
from  the  Holy  Trinity  into  her  soul.  She  was  deeply  recollected :  all 
the  powers  of  her  soul  were  constantly  employed  in  God's  praises.  She 
was  a  faithful  heart:  her  heart  was  enflamed  with  love's  fiery  long- 
ings to  be  lost  in  the  incomprehensible  abyss  of  the  Godhead. 

Thus  had  she  found  her  Beloved.  She  had  penetrated  the  sovereign 
majesty  with  her  sweetness;  she  had  wounded  the  eternal  wisdom 
with  her  comeliness;  she  had  drawn  to  herself  the  eternal  goodness 
with  her  love.  Thus  had  God  been  poured  into  her  with  all  His 
Infinitude  of  being,  and  thus  had  He  placed  her  over  all  His  Kingdom. 
She  did  not  live  her  own  self,  but  she  lived  only  to  Him  who  is  the  life 
of  all  the  living.  All  her  beginning  and  ending,  all  her  doing  and  not 
doing,  was  in  God,  and  was  full  of  purely  divine  intention.  For  she 
was  ever  united  to  God,  turning  away  from  His  holy  presence  never 
a  single  instant.  Hence  no  creature  left  any  impression  on  her  soul  or 
ever  entered  there,  for  like  the  angels  she  saw  all  things  singly  in  God. 
God  alone  did  she  find  in  her  soul's  depths,  in  its  essence,  in  the  inmost 
recesses  of  her  spirit.  Hence  she  was  not  turned  outward  with  her 
soul's  powers,  looking  for  high  things  and  multiplicity.  She  has  ever 
turned  inward  in  all  single-mindedness — away  from  self  and  towards 
God,  as  God  was  towards  her  and  in  her.  She  was  most  perfectly  and 
with  all  her  faculties  turned  to  her  origin.  Poor,  clean,  interior. 
Godlike,  more  a  creature  of  heaven  than  of  earth  was  Mary.  In  her 
spirit  she  was  the  paradise  of  God,  God's  heaven  in  her  soul,  God's 
palace  in  her  body.  God's  light  shone  through  and  through  her. 
Between  her  soul  and  God  there  was  union  without  a  medium. 

Now  consider  that  God  would  be  born  of  this  holy  virgin  in  three 
ways,  in  her  spirit,  in  her  soul,  and  in  her  body.  And  she  was  not  so 
blessed  by  the  birth  in  her  body  as  by  that  in  her  spirit,  as  St.  Augus- 
tine says ;  and  as  our  Lord  in  the  gospel  answered  the  woman  who  said : 
''Blessed  is  the  womb  that  bore  Thee,  and  the  paps  that  gave  Thee 
suck."  But  He  said :  "Yea  rather,  blessed  are  they  who  hear  the  word 
of  God,  and  keep  it"  (Luke  xi,  27,  28).  Therefore  had  she  first  con- 
ceived and  brought  forth  God  in  her  spirit.  By  her  purity  she  pleased 
God  well ;  by  her  humility  she  prepared  Him  a  fit  dwelling  place ;  by 
her  love  did  she  constrain  God  to  descend  into  the  depths  of  her  spirit, 
a  place  all  restful  in  the  quiet  silence  of  perfect  detachment  from 
created  things.  There  did  God  unite  her  spirit  to  His,  there  did  He 
utter  to  her  His  hidden  Word,  begetting  His  only  begotten  with  un- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  643 

speakable  joy  and  love.  This  is  the  eternal  generation  in  Mary;  this 
is  the  obscure  night  of  the  spirit  wherein  the  darkness  of  the  human 
intelligence  receives  the  dawning  of  the  uncreated  brightness.  Because 
where  the  divine  light  shines,  no  created  light  can  remain,  for  the 
night  is  changed  into  day.  That  means  that  the  created  light  of  the 
soul  is  changed  into  the  uncreated  light  of  eternity.  Thus  it  hap- 
pened that  Mary  gave  over  her  spirit  into  the  uncreated  being  of  the 
Godhead,  and  her  soul  sank  away  into  the  depths  of  humility. 

And  now  she  drew  down  into  her  soul  the  all-lovely  sweet  streams 
of  the  light  of  eternal  wisdom;  for  as  the  Father  brought  forth  His 
only  begotten  Son  in  her  soul,  He  in  turn  new-formed  her  in  Himself. 
The  Father  willed  that  she  should  consent  that  His  only  begotten  Son 
should  assume  human  nature,  and  should  be  born  of  her  in  bodily 
form  by  the  act  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  From  this  she  shrunk  away  out  of 
unfeigned  humility,  and  she  answered  Him  fearfully  in  her  spirit: 
Heavenly  Father,  I  am  not  worthy.  O  I  had  rather  be  the  handmaid 
of  that  mother  of  God's  Son.  But  God  willed  that  she  herself  should  be 
that  mother,  and  so  insisted.  Then  did  she  sink  into  deep  self-abase- 
ment; and  she  was  given  to  understand  that  she  was  chosen  indeed 
for  that  high  motherhood — God  must  have  her  and  no  one  else  for  His 
mother.  Instantly  she  was  encircled  and  enshrined  in  the  light  of  the 
holy  Trinity,  and  penetrated  through  and  through  with  the  divine 
glory;  the  arrows  of  divine  love  pierced  her  soul  to  its  inmost  depths; 
and  thus  was  she  made  willing  to  be  the  mother  of  God. 

At  the  same  moment  as  she  was  thus  absorbed  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 
the  angel  Gabriel  stood  before  her  and  greeted  her:  "Hail,  full  of 
grace,  the  Lord  is  with  thee"  (Luke  i,  28).  But  she  was  troubled  at 
these  great  words,  both  on  account  of  her  true  humility,  and  because 
she  was  yet  entranced  in  God.  But  when  she  said:  ''Behold  the 
handmaid  of  the  Lord,"  then  the  Holy  Ghost  took  from  the  virginal 
heart  of  Mary  her  purest  blood,  all  on  fire  with  the  flames  of  divine 
love,  and  with  it  He  created  the  perfect  body  and  members  of  Jesus; 
and  then  He  created  His  pure  and  perfect  soul ;  and  He  joined  body 
and  soul  together  in  Mary's  womb.  Then  at  the  same  instant  the 
person  of  the  Son  of  God,  the  Eternal  Word,  the  splendor  of  the 
Father's  glory,  out  of  merciful  love  for  us  and  for  our  eternal  blessed- 
ness, joined  this  body  and  soul  to  Himself  in  unity  of  person.  Thus 
"the  Word  was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  amongst  us"  (John  i,  14). 

Now  this  is  the  third  generation  of  God  in  the  body  of  Mary,  with- 


644  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

out  any  injury  to  her  virginal  integrity.  Thus  she  became  the  daughter 
of  the  Father,  the  mother  of  the  Son,  the  spouse  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
the  queen  of  heaven,  the  empress  of  the  world  and  of  all  created  things, 
the  mother  and  intercessor  of  all  mankind  who  desire  her  aid.  Mary's 
womb  is  the  temple  of  God  and  His  sweet  place  of  repose  as  a  Bride- 
groom in  His  bride  chamber,  rejoicing  with  joy  in  the  virginal  body  of 
His  mother  as  in  a  sweet  garden  full  of  fragrant  flowers,  namely  every 
kind  of  virtues  and  graces. 

By  means  of  these  virtues,  therefore,  has  God  changed  the  heaven  of 
the  blessed  Trinity  into  streams  of  honied  sweetness  and  poured  them 
over  all  of  us  poor  sinners.  She  has  made  the  sun  of  justice  to  shine 
upon  us.  She  has  reversed  the  curse  of  Eve.  She  has  crushed  the 
head  of  the  hellish  serpent.  This  second  Eve  has  restored  by  her 
Child  all  that  had  been  lost  and  ruined  by  the  sin  of  the  first  Eve,  and 
she  has  procured  us  much  heavenly  riches  of  grace  beside.  This 
is  the  beautiful  star  that  was  to  rise  out  of  Jacob,  as  foretold  by  Moses, 
which  was  to  shed  its  beams  over  the  whole  world.  Therefore  says 
St.  Bernard:  "In  all  thy  needs,  lift  thy  eyes  to  this  star;  call  on  Mary, 
and  thou  canst  not  despair;  follow  Mary,  and  thou  canst  not  go  astray. 
By  the  strength  of  her  Son  she  will  hold  thee  fast  and  firm  lest  thou 
shouldst  fall;  she  will  defend  thee  lest  thou  be  hurt;  she  will  bring 
thee  to  her  Son.  She  has  power  indeed,  for  almighty  God  is  her 
Child;  she  has  the  good  will,  for  she  is  most  merciful.  ^Mio  can  doubt 
but  that  this  Child  shall  honor  His  mother.  Who  can  doubt  that  she, 
in  whose  bosom  He  who  is  all  essential  love,  who  is  the  God  of  love 
Himself,  has  found  His  happy  dwelling  place,  shall  be  overflowing 
with  love  for  us." 

Whosoever  would  go  very  deep  into  God,  his  origin,  and  would  be 
made  more  and  more  conscious  of  God's  indwelling,  fixed  in  God 
in  his  soul's  life  as  the  rays  are  fixed  in  the  sun, — such  a  one  must 
follow  the  example  of  our  blessed  Lady.  Let  him  study  her  inner  and 
outer  bearing  towards  God,  and  soon  he  will  receive  great  help  from 
her  in  his  own  soul  and  body.  Let  him  first  turn  himself  away  from 
all  transitory  things,  and  gathering  together  his  soul's  powers,  let  him 
transfer  them  into  God  who  dwells  within  him,  deep  in  the  inmost 
depths  of  his  spirit.  There  it  is  that  his  soul's  three  highest  powers 
are  centred,  and  there  he  will  be  made  one  spirit  with  God ;  there  will 
he  be  moved  and  guided  by  God.  His  memory  will  be  made  fruitful  of 
good,  his  understanding  illuminated,  his  will  set  on  fire  with  divine 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  645 

love.  To  him  God  shall  be  Himself  a  food  of  the  spirit,  a  life  to  the 
soul,  a  guard  and  defence  to  the  body.  Thus  turned  inward  and  united 
to  God  in  our  higher  powers,  we  shall  be  made  poor  in  spirit,  clean  in 
spirit,  clean  in  soul  and  body,  all  our  faculties  working  towards  God 
in  our  interior  life.  Every  work  shall  begin  and  end  in  God,  all  for 
God's  sake  alone,  as  we  have  shown  was  the  case  with  Mary,  God's 
mother. 

In  order  that  God  may  have  our  soul's  powers  docile  in  all  things, 
they  must  be  void  of  attachment  to  creatures,  and  rightly  ordered 
towards  Him,  all  will,  all  desires  directed  to  Him  alone.  Thus  shall 
a  man  be  absorbed  into  the  solitude  of  the  Godhead,  far  above  all  his 
soul's  powers;  his  being  shall  be  sunk  deep  into  the  divine  oneness. 
Therein  can  the  divine  birth  be  accomplished  in  us  without  hindrance ; 
and  by  means  of  the  overflowing  and  exceeding  great  gifts  of  God 
in  the  spirit,  even  the  very  body  shall  be  made  partaker  of  its  blissful 
privilege. 

That  we  may  be  blessed  in  this  life  and  saved  in  the  next,  let 
us  beg  the  intercession  of  the  beloved  mother  of  God ;  as  St.  Bernard 
prays:  ''Through  thee,  O  thou  first  finder  of  divine  grace,  must  we 
gain  access  to  thy  Son,  thou  mother  of  life  and  blessedness :  so  that  for 
thy  sake  He  may  receive  us,  who  by  thy  means  was  given  to  us.  Thy 
purity  must  pay  the  debt  of  our  excesses,  thy  humility — so  pleasing 
to  Him — must  win  His  pardon  for  our  vain  glory;  thy  superabundant 
love  must  overflow  on  our  sins  and  hide  them  from  His  eyes;  thy  mar- 
vellous fruitfulness  must  lend  us  a  plentiful  store  of  merits.  O  tb'.u 
art  our  chosen  queen,  our  mediatrix  and  intercessor;  thou  wilt  com- 
mend us  to  thy  Son,  nay  thou  wilt  answer  for  us  before  Him.  O  thou 
blessed  mother,  we  beseech  thee  through  the  grace  which  thou  hast 
found  with  God,  through  the  high  place  of  election  thou  hast  merited, 
through  the  mercy  that  was  born  of  thee, — we  beseech  thee  to  obtain 
that  He,  who  by  thy  means  condescended  to  share  our  weakness  and 
misery,  may  grant  us  the  privilege  to  share  His  blissful  glory — Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord,  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  praised  and 
blessed  forevermore."    Amen. 


646  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


g>]?lf  gf  tif  lattun 

Synopsis — Temptations  are  permitted  to  reveal  to  us  our  evil  tendencies 
— From  the  inward  search  we  quickly  pass  to  the  study  of  our  out- 
ward conduct — Need  of  a  recollected  spirit  for  these  tasks — And  of 
frequent  meditation — On  Christ's  passion — Deeper  penetration  of 
soul  comes  in  mystical  prayer — Danger  of  deception. 


FIRST    SERMON    FOR   THE    FEAST    OF    THE    NATIVITY    OF 
ST.  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 

John  is  his  name. — Luke  i,  63. 

This  is  the  feast  of  the  Nativity  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  and  scarcely 
any  saint  is  more  highly  honored  than  he  who  baptized  the  Son  of 
God.  The  name  John  means  one  who  is  in  grace.  Children,  we  have 
recently  considered  how  one  must  prepare  his  soul  for  God's  grace. 

There  are  two  human  miseries  to  be  reckoned  with.  One  is  our 
inclination  to  sin.  This  is  planted  in  nature  itself  ever  since  the  fall  of 
our  first  parents.  Against  this  we  must  always  strive,  turning  away 
with  all  our  might  from  whatever  is  opposed  to  God's  will.  The  other 
misery  arises  from  the  first  one:  it  is  all  the  sorrow  and  pain  of  our 
earthly  existence.  Now  this  misery  we  must  accept  willingly  and 
bear  cheerfully.  It  is  placed  as  a  duty  upon  us  by  God  that  we  follow 
after  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  for  our  sins  suffered  the  greatest 
misery  His  whole  life  long. 

God  often  allows  men  to  be  oppressed  with  the  first  misery,  that  of 
sinful  inclinations,  in  order  that  in  their  dire  necessity  they  may  find 
themselves  out.  This  trial  teaches  them  joyfully  to  enter  the  way  of 
penance,  and  patiently  to  suffer  all  the  misery  that  may  happen  to 
them.  Children,  it  is  a  blessed  privilege  thus  to  accept  suffering,  for 
thereby  one  discovers  his  weakness  and  helplessness,  yea  even  his  noth- 
ingness before  God.  Ah,  the  man  who  should  learn  to  walk  in  this 
path,  and  who  should  devote  himself  to  no  other  practise  than  gazing 
down  into  his  own  helpless  nothingness — in  that  same  man  would 
God's  grace  truly  be  born.  Dear  children,  man  has  nothing  of  his 
own;  everything  he  claims  as  his  is  absolutely  God's,  whether  it  be 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  647 

great  or  little:  all  comes  from  God,  nothing  from  man  except  the 
spoiling  of  God's  gifts  inwardly  and  outwardly.  If  you  say  there  is 
aught  in  man,  then  it  must  be  non-existence.  This  thought  must  never 
be  absent  from  our  heart:  the  wisdom  of  gazing  down  into  one's  own 
nothingness  and  understanding  one's  innate  tendency, — as  far  as  we 
are  free  to  act, — to  do  all  kinds  of  evil.  Self-knowledge  should  be  the 
aim  of  our  busiest  efforts.  We  should  get  to  the  bottom  of  our  nature, 
study  our  purposes,  our  preoccupations,  our  joys.  We  should  go  over 
the  garden  of  the  soul  searching  diligently  for  weeds.  That  done,  the 
most  interior  meaning  of  our  life  must  be  made  God  and  nothing  else. 

And  then  thou  must  ponder  thy  outward  conduct:  words,  works, 
manners  and  behaviour,  clothes,  companions,  all  must  be  scrutinized. 
Lament  before  God  every  shortcoming  of  thine  each  day  thou  livest, 
breathing  sighs  of  sincere  inward  sorrow  for  thy  faults  and  weaknesses. 
This  secures  thy  forgiveness;  but  make  sure  that  thy  grief  is  deep 
within  thy  soul — a  most  profitable  thing.  Such  were  the  interior  sighs 
of  the  apostles  towards  God,  not  only  for  their  own  sins,  but  indeed 
for  those  of  all  men.  When  God  grants  a  man  the  taste  of  eternity 
if  only  for  an  instant,  there  bursts  forth  from  his  heart's  cave  a  deep 
groan  of  sorrow.  Nor  does  this  feeling  rest  wholly  within,  for  it  works 
forth  into  the  outward  senses,  which  are  thus  made  the  public  altar  of 
the  most  high  God,  on  which  are  sacrificed  the  goats  and  the  oxen  of 
sin  atonement.  Thus  does  one  offer  his  outward,  bodily  flesh  and  blood 
as  a  recompense  to  God,  for  the  immolation  of  His  divine  Son's  flesh 
and  blood  on  Calvary. 

In  this  deep  search  for  his  sinfulness,  one  must  cast  himself  down  at 
God's  feet  in  all  humility.  He  must  implore  His  mercy,  full  of  hope  that 
God  will  lift  from  him  the  weight  of  his  guilt.  Thus  John,  that  is  to 
say  grace,  is  born  unto  us  in  the  home  of  humility;  for  the  lower  we 
sink  the  higher  we  shall  rise.  Of  this  St.  Bernard  speaks:  "All  the 
devotional  practises  that  one  may  do  outwardly,  are  nothing  in  com- 
parison with  passing  through  the  hidden  valley  of  humiliation.  In  this 
valley  meekness  grows,  as  well  as  self-abandonment,  quiet  of  soul  and 
kindness:  through  it  lies  the  straight  and  the  true  road.  WTiosoever 
treads  it  not  goes  astray,  no  matter  how  many  external  good  works 
he  may  do.  These  without  real  humility  avail  nothing  with  God; 
indeed  they  rather  arouse  His  wrath  than  gain  His  favor." 

Children,  let  us  consider  the  gospel  of  this  feast.  Zachary  was  a 
high  priest  whose  wife  was  barren,  and  this  was  a  grief  to  them.    Once 


648  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

as  he  entered  the  holy  of  holies,  the  people  remaining  without, — sud- 
denly the  angel  Gabriel  stood  before  him  at  the  altar,  and  announced 
that  his  wife  should  bring  forth  a  son,  and  that  he  should  call  his 
name  John,  which  means  grace  is  in  him.  But  Zachary  hesitated  to 
believe  this  message,  and  therefore  the  angel  struck  him  dumb,  so  to 
remain  till  the  promise  was  fulfilled. 

Now  the  name  Zacharias  means  the  remembrance  of  God.  The  God 
thinking  man  it  is  that  shall  be  a  priest,  and  shall  enter  the  holy  of 
holies,  whereas  the  rest  of  the  people  shall  remain  outside.  Mark  the 
essential  thing  in  this  priest,  and  also  his  oflSce.  The  oflBce  of  Christian 
priests  is  to  oflfer  up  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God  to  His  heavenly 
Father  for  the  salvation  of  the  people.  Now  I  fear  that  not  all  priests 
are  perfect — and  that  is  indeed  manifestly  the  case.  They  stand  before 
the  people  personating  the  Christian  religion,  and  yet  some  of  them  are 
better  fitted  to  lead  men  astray  than  to  assist  them;  they  rather 
enkindle  God's  wrath  than  placate  it.  But  they  do  perform  their 
priestly  office  as  representing  the  holy  Christian  church,  and  it  is  done 
sacramentally;  nor  can  any  but  members  of  the  male  sex  validly  do  it. 
They  consecrate  and  offer  up  the  holy  body  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
w^hich  none  but  men  in  priests'  orders  can  do;  for  sacrifice  is  pecu- 
liarly a  priestly  office.  As  to  the  spiritual  offering  of  God's  Son  to  His 
Father,  that  can  be  dcme  in  the  soul's  interior  shrine  by  women  as 
well  as  by  men,  by  night  as  well  as  by  day.  And  it  is  this  that  we  shall 
mean  when  we  ask  how  one  should  enter  into  the  holy  of  holies,  leav- 
ing the  common  kind  of  people  without. 

One  must  enter  in  alone;  with  a  deeply  recollected  spirit  must  one 
enter  into  one's  own  soul,  leaving  outside  all  sensible  life.  Thus  minded 
shall  one  offer  to  the  heavenly  Father  a  welcome  sacrifice,  namely  His 
beloved  Son,  with  all  His  holy  words,  works,  life  and  passion.  This 
offering  the  soul  makes  for  every  desire  of  the  heart,  and  into  that 
offering  it  draws  very  affectionately  all  mankind : — all  poor  sinners 
and  all  good  Christians  in  this  life  and  all  who  are  imprisoned  in  pur- 
gatory. Children,  this  is  a  mighty  act  of  religion.  Albertus  Magnus 
thus  tells  of  the  high  priests'  function :  "He  entered  the  holy  of  holies 
bearing  fire  and  the  blood  of  a  red  calf,  and  with  the  blood  he  sprinkled 
all  the  golden  vessels  there.  Then  he  made  a  bundle  of  sweet  smelling 
herbs,  and  he  laid  it  on  the  burning  coals,  and  as  it  burnt  it  filled 
the  room  with  a  fragrant  cloud  of  smoke.  And  it  was  in  that  cloud 
that  God  came  and  spoke  to  him." 


of  John  Tauler,  thvi  Illuminated  Doctor  649 

Children,  this  high  priest  may  be  taken  as  a  figure  to  show  forth 
the  interior  man.  He  enters  the  sanctuary  of  his  soul,  bearing  with 
him  the  precious  and  thrice  glorious  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ; 
and  he  bears  fire  with  him,  too;  namely  ardent  love.  And  he  sprinkles 
all  the  golden  vessels  there  with  that  sacred  blood;  namely  all  souls 
of  men  in  the  state  of  grace,  or  who  shall  ever  be  in  that  state.  And  he 
also  comforts  with  his  offering  all  the  poor  souls  in  purgatory,  sadly 
waiting  for  their  release.  Children,  you  cannot  imagine  how  sweet  and 
lovely  a  work  this  is.  And  meanwhile  this  man  does  not  forget  himself ; 
he  offers  himself  up  to  God's  fatherly  heart,  and  enters  into  entire 
agreement  with  the  heavenly  Father's  will  that  He  may  do  with  him  as 
He  pleases,  in  time  and  in  eternity. 

Now  some  may  object :  if  we  turn  thus  inwards,  it  will  happen  that 
the  figure  of  Jesus  crucified  will  drop  out  of  our  mind.  Dear  children, 
I  answer  no.  When  you  turn  into  the  soul's  depths,  you  enter  the  place 
where  alone  grace  is  born  in  very  truth ;  and  in  that  grace  will  appear 
the  life  and  passion  of  our  Lord,  all  full  of  love,  all  simply  seen,  and 
as  plainly  known  as  if  His  passion  were  taking  place  right  before  your 
eyes.  Nor  is  it  there  seen  in  multiplicity,  but  as  if  I  saw  all  of  you  in 
one  simple  all  embracing  form  as  of  a  single  person — so  will  the  events 
of  Christ's  life  and  death  appear.  One  glimpse  of  this  kind  of  know- 
ledge of  our  Lord,  is  more  useful  to  thee,  than  if  thou  shouldst  spend 
five  months  in  thinking  about  Him  other  ways.  Now  during  this  sort 
of  priestly  function,  where  a  man  enters  alone  into  his  soul's  holy  of 
holies  and  stands  with  all  his  faculties  lifted  up  in  recollection,  speak- 
ing no  word — in  that  act  of  spiritual  priesthood  the  angel  of  God, 
Gabriel,  is  presently  seen  standing  beside  the  altar  gazing  upon  the  per- 
fection of  the  soul's  offering.  You  may  take  the  angel's  name  to  mean 
the  power  of  God,  for  he  bears  to  that  sacrificial  soul  the  power  to  do 
all  things  in  our  Lord. 

Then  this  spiritual  priest  makes  a  bundle  of  sweet  smelling  herbs, 
and  burns  them  with  fire,  and  out  of  the  vapor  of  that  fire  God  speaks 
to  him.  These  are  the  collection  of  his  holy  virtues,  especially  such 
ones  as  mildness  and  humility.  For  if  a  man  has  not  virtues  to  gather 
up  and  offer  to  God,  virtues  of  the  highest  or  lowest  or  middling  degree, 
such  a  one's  whole  life  is  false  and  worthless.  The  fire  that  is  en- 
kindled in  those  virtues  is  the  flame  of  love.  From  it  rises  the  vapor 
and  the  darkness  of  rapture  of  the  spirit,  lasting  perhaps  not  half  an 
Ave  Maria;  and  during  that  time  God  takes  away  thy  senses  and  the 


650  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

natural  use  of  thy  reason.  Then  it  is  that  God  speaks  to  thee  in  very 
truth,  as  it  is  written:  "While  all  things  were  in  quiet  silence,  and 
the  night  was  in  the  midst  of  her  course,  Thy  almighty  Word  leapt 
down  from  heaven  from  Thy  royal  throne"  (Wisd.  xviii,  14,  15).  And 
the  book  of  Job  says :  "Now  there  was  a  word  spoken  to  me  in  private, 
and  my  ears  by  stealth  as  it  were  received  the  veins  of  its  whisper*^ 
(Job  iv,  12).  To  the  soul  this  is  the  announcement  of  a  birth,  in  which, 
as  in  John's  case,  many  souls  shall  rejoice.  From  Elizabeth  the  barren 
wife  of  Zachary  shall  the  child  be  born :  meaning  a  divine  fulfillment 
of  the  promise  of  a  miracle  of  love,  a  happy  birth  accomplished  by  the 
divine  omnipotence. 

And  yet  all  this  takes  place  in  the  lowest  powers  of  the  soul.  And  it 
happens  sometimes,  that  men  of  mere  natural  intellectuality  turn  in- 
wards to  the  natural  depths  of  the  reasoning  powers  with  only  reason's 
native  light.  They  can  be  absorbed  in  an  inner  state  of  thought  void  of 
all  forms  and  images;  but  they  hold  this  place  of  light  with  all  self- 
proprietorship,  and  treat  it  as  if  it  were  God  Himself:  but  it  is  mere 
human  nature  after  all.  Yet  in  this  there  is  more  joy  than  in  all  plea- 
sures of  the  senses.  But  when  such  high  spirits  are  herein  self-con- 
tained, and  when  they  hold  it  all  with  obstinate  self-will,  it  makes 
them  the  wickedest  of  mankind,  and  the  most  dangerous.  How  can 
one  discover  this?  By  the  following  signs:  they  have  not  attained  to 
this  transcendent  interior  absorption  by  the  way  of  practising  virtue; 
they  have  not  followed  the  pious  exercises  of  a  holy  Christian  life, 
including  the  mortification  of  irregular  appetites.  They  make  little 
or  nothing  of  such  things,  for  they  trust  wholly  to  their  false  disen- 
gagement and  quiet  of  spirit.  This  they  have  not  strived  after  with  inner 
and  outer  practical  charity.  They  have  arrived  at  the  dismissal  of 
inner  forms  and  images  prematurely,  and  without  due  actual  prac- 
tise of  virtue.  And  now  the  devil  intervenes;  he  fills  them  with  false 
light  and  deceitful  sweetness.  He  so  misleads  them  that  often  they 
are  eternally  lost.  Studying  their  dominant  natural  tendencies,  such 
as  pride,  avarice  or  lust,  the  evil  one  draws  them  on  to  ruin  by  such 
means. 

Yet  they  will  call  this  interior  light  and  their  sweetness  of  senti- 
ment, God's  own  self — it  is  only  the  work  of  the  devil.  Why  cannot 
they  perceive  this?  Because  they  are  passionately  attached,  in  all 
selfishness  of  enjoyment,  to  these  interior  emotions.  This  explains  the 
unholy  freedom  with  which  they  follow  their  natural   inclinations. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  651 

Such  men  should  be  shunned  more  than  the  demon  himself.  Outwardly 
they  so  much  resemble  good  men  that  they  are  not  easily  detected. 
But  really  right-spirited  men  show  this  difference:  they  have  come  to 
their  interior  peace  by  the  road  of  common  virtue.  Humility,  the 
fear  of  God,  detachment  from  creatures,  and  mildness  of  manner: — 
all  this  marks  their  progress.  They  ever  stand  in  holy  fear;  they 
feel  that  they  dare  not  trust  themselves  in  anything;  a  weight  of 
sorrow  for  sin  oppresses  them ;  they  incessantly  turn  to  God  for  help. 
On  the  contrary,  those  who  boast  that  they  are  free,  are  audacious 
spirits  and  inclined  to  quarrel.  Whosoever  associates  with  them, 
presently  encounters  bitterness  and  contention,  and  overbearing  man- 
ners. They  are  too  proud  to  endure  contempt  or  anywise  to  be  made 
little  of.  O  what  marvels  of  horror  shall  be  seen  in  the  next  life,  where 
men  who  now  seem  so  good,  shall  be  hemmed  in  straitly,  and  shall 
abide  in  everlasting  burning.  Beware,  beware  of  this  fate,  I  em- 
plore  you. 

Ah,  children,  turn  inwardly  to  God,  where  truth  is  born  to  you,  and 
where  many  great  joys  are  granted  you,  and  through  you  to  all  of 
God's  Christian  people.  Then  you  shall  not  be  racked  with  doubt  as 
to  whether  or  not  you  stand  right  with  God,  for  you  shall  have  this 
plain  test,  the  choice  of  the  straight  or  the  crooked  road  to  God.  If 
you  have  trod  the  plain,  sure  road  of  virtuous  conduct,  that  will  be 
your  guarantee  of  God's  friendship,  whether  your  perfection  be  in  the 
lowest  or  the  highest  or  the  middle  state  of  spiritual  proficiency.  And 
when  God's  joy  is  born  in  your  soul,  its  sweetness  will  exceed  the  power 
of  words  to  tell. 

Dear  children,  no  one  can  lead  these  souls  astray  without  first  entic- 
ing them  from  their  interior  recollectedness  and  throwing  them  into 
multiplicity :  they  should  be  left  alone  with  God.  The  Lord  says  in  the 
Canticles:  ''I  adjure  you,  O  ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  by  the  roes 
and  the  harts  of  the  fields,  that  you  stir  not  up,  nor  make  the  beloved 
to  awake,  till  she  please"  (Cant,  ii,  7).  Nor  should  they  seek  counsel 
from  those  who  do  not  understand  God's  ways  in  such  things,  for  that 
kind  of  men  may  easily  misdirect  them ;  it  is  quite  possible  that  thereby 
they  may  lose  their  state  of  interior  union  for  many  years  together. 
They  must  keep  their  souls  in  strict  custody,  for  they  are  like  new 
wine  in  active  ferment ;  so  strong  are  the  emotions  of  joy  within  them 
that  they  overcome  nature,  and  sometimes  to  such  a  degree  that  blood 
bursts  from  nose  and  mouth.  But  this  is  in  the  life  of  the  senses  and  is 
in  the  lower  degree  of  union. 


652  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

The  angel  Gabriel  said  of  John:  "He  shall  drink  no  wine  nor  strong 
drink"  (Luke  i,  15).  This  may  be  taken  to  mean,  that  in  whomsoever 
this  birth  of  God  shall  be  accomplished,  he  may  be  led  into  higher 
degrees  of  holiness,  and  again  into  yet  higher;  for  there  are  good  and 
better  and  best  ways  with  God.  Those  in  the  best  way  shall  not  drink 
aught  that  may  make  them  drunk — that  is  to  say  their  heads  shall  not 
be  turned  by  the  joys  granted  them;  they  shall  not  enjoy  them  with 
spiritual  gluttony,  either  in  contemplation  or  in  action. 

On  the  contrary,  they  shall  be  removed  into  a  way  that  is  narrow, 
dark  and  comfortless:  a  time  comes  when  God  seems  lost  and  gone 
from  them.  Therein  they  find  themselves  in  a  state  of  intolerable 
oppression  of  spirit:  nor  can  they  possibly  extricate  themselves. 
Whichever  way  they  turn,  they  find  only  deepest  misery,  their  soul  is 
desolate,  obscure  and  disconsolate,  for  God  is  veiled  from  their  gaze. 
To  this  state  they  must  give  themselves  up.  They  must  abandon  them- 
selves to  the  Lord,  being  resigned  to  remain  upon  this  road  as  long  as 
it  shall  please  Him.  And  this  they  must  do  with  as  much  willingness 
as  if  they  felt  no  manner  of  anguish,  and  suffered  no  pain  at  all.  It 
is  a  condition  of  intolerable  anguish  of  spirit,  and  immense  and 
fruitless  longing  for  God — and  yet  of  perfect  resignation.  This  is  in 
truth  the  perfect  conversion,  for  which  the  most  essentially  perfect 
reward  is  reserved.    Lesser  degrees  merit  a  less  essential  reward. 

Therefore  does  St.  Thomas  teach,  that  great  external  works  of 
religion — no  matter  how  wonderful — never  merit,  taken  simply  in 
themselves  and  as  good  works,  more  than  an  accidental,  that  is  to  say 
a  less  essential  reward.  But  when  a  man's  spirit  turns  inward  to 
God's  spirit,  inward  to  the  inmost  depths,  stripped  in  all  things  of 
what  is  accidental,  seeking  God  purely  and  simply,  transcending  all 
works  and  ways  and  methods,  all  reason  and  thought,  (a  state  called 
by  St.  Dionysius  love  unreasoning  and  unsensible) — when  a  man  has 
thus  placed  himself  before  God,  his  state  may  rightly  be  termed  an 
essential  conversion.  It  must  be  granted  an  essential  reward.  That 
reward  is  God  Himself. 

There  is  another  conversion  that  may  be  called  essential,  but  only 
in  an  ordinary  and  external  meaning  of  the  term.  That  is  any  con- 
version that  keeps  God  in  view  with  all  sincerity,  and  only  God — God 
for  His  own  sake,  God  in  Himself.  But  the  other  above-mentioned 
one  consists  in  an  interior  presence  of  the  soul  with  God,  who  is  form- 
less as  the  soul  is  comfortless.   It  is  a  supersubstantial  drawing  of  the 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  653 

created  spirit  of  man  into  the  uncreated  spirit  of  God.  Oh  if  a  man 
could  thus  be  drawn  into  God  but  once  in  his  whole  life,  how  fortunate 
for  him  it  would  be.  Such  a  man,  so  docile  to  God,  so  true  to  God 
amid  all  his  desolation  of  spirit,  He  must  reward  with  nought  else 
than  His  own  very  self.  He  draws  him  into  the  divine  abyss  of  His 
own  happiness.  That  man's  spirit  is  so  immersed  in  God  and  satur- 
ated with  the  deity,  that  he  loses  all  multiplicity  in  the  divine  unity. 
These  are  the  chosen  spirits  whose  every  work  on  earth  is  divinized; 
and  they  are  vouchsafed  a  foretaste  of  their  eternal  paradise.  Upon 
them  as  a  house  upon  its  foundation  stands  holy  Church ;  if  they  w^ere 
not  in  Christendom,  Christendom  could  not  stand.  The  fact  of  their 
very  existence  among  us,  that  they  simply  are,  is  of  more  honor  and 
of  greater  benefit  to  holy  Church  than  a  whole  world  of  action  by  other 
Christians.  It  is  of  them  that  the  Lord  speaks:  "He  that  toucheth 
you,  toucheth  the  apple  of  My  eye"  (Zach.  ii,  8).  Therefore,  children, 
be  careful  not  to  meddle  with  them.  May  God  grant  us  to  attain  to 
this  holy  state  and  even  by  the  shortest  way,  if  this  may  be  to  His 
praise  and  glory.    Amen. 


654  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — Need  of  looking  inward  rather  than  outward  for  the  light  of 
God — Corrupt  nature  loves  created  light — The  first  effect  of  divine 
light  is  to  reveal  the  difference  between  the  Creator  and  the  creor 
ture — The  second  effect  is  a  clear  perception  of  Ood's  love  in 
Christ — Several  different  kinds  of  love  generated  by  the  light  of 
God. 


SECOND   SEKMON  FOE  THE   FEAST  OF  THE  NATIVITY   OF 
ST.  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 

This  man  came  for  a  witness,  to  give  testimony  of  the  light,  that  all  men 
might  believe  through  him. — John  i,  7. 

Our  holy  mother  the  Church  devotes  this  week  to  honoring  St.  John 
the  Baptist.  But  if  we  praise  with  words,  that  amounts  to  little,  for 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  worthily  praised  him,  as  we  read :  '*What 
went  you  out  into  the  desert  to  see?  A  man  clothed  in  soft  garments? 
Behold  they  that  are  colthed  in  soft  garments,  are  in  the  houses  of 
kings.  But  what  went  you  out  to  see?  A  prophet?  Yea,  I  tell  you, 
and  more  than  a  prophet.  For  this  is  he  of  whom  it  is  written :  Be- 
hold I  send  My  angel  before  Thy  face,  who  shall  prepare  Thy  way  before 
Thee"  (Matt,  xi,  7-10).  Thus  does  Jesus  praise  John.  And  John  also 
said  of  himself:  "I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness, 
make  straight  the  way  of  the  Lord"  (John  i,23).  Our  Lord  said  on 
another  occasion  that  he  was  a  burning  and  a  shining  light.  And  our 
^eyt  soys  that  he  came  to  bear  witness  of  the  light. 

Upon  these  last  words  we  shall  now  discourse ;  for  the  light  he  tells 
us  of  is  light  essential,  incomprehensible,  and  glorious  above  all  other 
light.  It  shines  in  the  most  interior  regions  of  the  soul's  life.  But  it 
happens  that  when  this  light  begins  to  shine  upon  the  soul  and  to 
stir  it  into  life,  the  soul  often  makes  a  false  step.  It  should  wait 
patiently  in  the  innermost  interior;  but  instead  of  doing  that,  it  all 
too  readily  turns  outward  and  thereby  reverses  the  right  order.  It 
will  insist  on  running  into  outward  religious  ways,  now  this  one 
and  now  that.  Therefore  the  testimony  of  the  light  is  given  in  vain, 
on  account  of  the  absorption  of  the  soul  in  outward  pious  works. 


of  John  Taulcr,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  655 

"He  came  into  His  own,  and  His  own  received  Him  not."  The  soul 
is  here  described  as  in  opposition  to  the  light.  This  is  a  yet  worse 
condition,  for  it  means  downright  antagonism  to  the  light,  arising 
from  worldly  heartedness.  Men  guilty  of  this  are  like  the  Pharisees, 
of  whom  John  said  that  they  were  the  brood  of  vipers.  They  called  them- 
selves children  of  Abraham,  and  yet  they  were  opposed  to  all  who  loved 
God's  true  light.  Ah,  that  is  a  perilous  position  to  be  in.  Such  men 
hang  on  to  the  light  of  truth  and  to  the  holy  faith  by  but  a  single 
thread. 

Now  we  must  realize  that  nature  is  spoiled  and  diseased,  and  of 
itself  can  do  little.  Therefore  has  God  given  us  an  aid  more  than 
natural,  namely  the  light  of  grace.  This  is  a  supernatural  created 
light,  lifting  the  soul  upwards  high  above  itself,  bestowing  upon  our 
nature  all  the  assistance  it  stands  in  need  of.  There  is,  besides,  an 
uncreated  light  which  is  called  the  light  of  glory  and  which  beams  in 
heaven  alone— a  divine  light,  yea  God  himself.  For  if  we  ever  shall 
know  God,  it  must  be  through  God  and  with  God— God  through  God ; 
as  the  prophet  says:    -In  Thy  light  we  shall  see  light"  (Ps.  xxxv,  10)! 

Now  God  is  the  all  essential  and  perfect  light.  He  is  the  light  that 
lighteneth  every  man  that  cometh  into  this  world,  shining  upon  all, 
good  and  bad,  as  the  sun  shines  upon  all  creation.  If  men  are  blind 
to  it,  that  is  their  misery.  If  a  man  were  in  a  dark  room,  and  could 
open  a  window  wide  enough  to  let  his  head  be  thrust  out  into  the 
sunlight,  he  would  be  in  the  light.  So  may  men  open  their  souls  and 
be  presently  in  God's  light. 

Let  us  take  notice  of  the  first  thing  one  should  do,  rightly  to  receive 
the  witness  of  the  divine  light.  As  this  light  begins  to  beam  in  the 
lowest  powers  of  his  soul,  and  when  it  also  beams  in  its  higher  facul- 
ties, a  man  should  cut  himself  off  from  all  transitory  things.  The 
lowest  faculties  are  the  concupiscible  and  the  irascible.  By  the  latter 
one  rejects  pain.  The  concupiscible  power  is  the  appetite  for  pleasure, 
and  is  shown  in  one's  enjoyment  of  the  company  of  his  fellow  men,  or 
of  personal  adornment,  or  any  other  common  relaxation  of  life.  As 
far  as  necessity  goes,  God  fully  allows  this  appetite  to  be  gratified. 
But  beyond  that,  it  is  the  wilderness  in  which  God's  voice  sounds  loud 
and  strong,  calling  for  detachment  from  all  pleasures  of  soul  and  body. 

In  the  irascible  appetite,  a  man  must  be  endowed  with  fortitude  and 
perseverence,  standing  against  all  aversions  to  unpleasant  things  like 


656  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

a  mountain  of  iron.  That  fits  him  to  accept  the  testimony  of  the  light. 
He  must  not  be  a  reed  shaken  by  the  wind,  nor  a  man  clothed  in  soft 
garments,  ministering  to  his  fleshly  comfort.  We  meet  with  men  who 
are  ashamed  of  a  self-denying  course  of  conduct;  they  are  moved  by 
what  people  say  or  do  as  a  reed  is  tossed  about  by  the  wind — a  sar- 
castic word,  or  some  petty  inconvenience.  Ah,  dear  man,  what  harm 
can  a  scolding  word  do  thee?  Knowest  thou  not  that  the  evil  spirit 
takes  advantage  of  thy  unsteadiness? — that  it  is  he  who  sways  thee  to 
the  right  or  left,  and  throws  thee  into  deep  pain  by  trifles,  or  lifts 
thee  into  inordinate  joy  by  the  same?    Ah,  but  thou  art  a  silly  man. 

And  God  gives  this  testimony  of  the  light  in  our  higher  faculties, 
namely  in  our  reason  or  understanding,  and  in  our  will,  or  power  of 
loving.  Now  the  light  in  the  understanding  is  indeed  a  prophet's  gift 
to  us ;  for  a  prophet  is  one  who  sees  deep  and  far.  But  if  the  soul  be 
lighted  up  with  this  supernatural  ray,  it  has  the  farsightedness  of  a 
prophet.  If  one  then  hears  some  mysterious  thing,  the  voice  from  the 
interior  of  the  understanding  witnesses  to  him  of  its  right  meaning. 

But  our  Lord  said  of  John  that  he  was  more  than  a  prophet.  And 
that  has  reference  to  a  part  of  the  soul  wherein  our  natural  understand- 
ing cannot  enter.  There  it  is  that  (if  we  are  entirely  illuminated)  we 
see  light  in  light;  that  is  to  say,  though  the  interior  brightness  of  the 
soul  we  behold  most  perfect  light ;  we  behold  the  divine  light  of  grace 
shining  amid  the  created  light  of  our  reason.  This  is  at  first  in  an 
unknown  way,  and  as  it  were  unconsciously.  This  divine  depth  is 
immeasurably  beyond  the  power  of  the  natural  faculties  to  reach.  For 
the  breadth  of  spiritual  insight  is  now  become  so  divine,  that  there 
is  neither  mental  figure  nor  form,  nor  any  such  thing  as  relation  of  one 
place  to  another,  but  a  fathomless  abyss.  The  soul  seems  to  be  so 
still  as  to  be  an  empty  voiceless  void;  and  again  its  voices  are  like 
those  of  many  waters,  and  threaten  to  swallow  up  all  existence.  This 
abyss  is  God's  chosen  dwelling  place,  far  more  so  that  in  all  creatures, 
yea  even  more  than  in  heaven. 

Whosoever  comes  into  these  depths  finds  God  most  truly,  and  he 
finds  himself  most  simply  and  in  God.  From  these  depths  God  is 
never  absent.  To  such  a  man  God  is  present  indeed ;  to  him  the  sense 
of  eternity  is  most  real,  as  if  he  touched  and  tasted  it,  and  the  division 
between  things  past  and  things  to  come  is  lost  in  the  divine  present. 
Into  these  holy  depths  no  natural  light  can  penetrate,  for  God  is  the 
light  in  His  chosen  abode.    WTien  this  divine  abyss  is  revealed  to  the 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  657 

Boul,  it  experiences  ^nd  knows  that  not  all  the  creatures  that  ever  lived 
can  fill  its  void,  can  satisfy  its  yearnings.  God  alone  can  fill  that 
void  with  His  divine  immensity.  This  is  the  abyss  of  the  human  soul 
that  belongs  to  the  divine  abyss,  as  is  written :  "Deep  calleth  on 
deep"  (Ps.  xli,  8).  Whosoever  shall  earnestly  consider  this  inner 
depth  of  his  spirit,  will  soon  perceive  the  divine  light  dawning  therein, 
which  will  finally  flood  his  soul's  powers,  both  the  higher  and  the  lower 
ones,  drawing  and  leading  him  to  his  source  and  origin.  But  he  must 
closely  adhere  to  an  inner  solitariness,  and  he  must  listen  intently 
for  the  tones  of  God's  voice  sounding  in  this  wilderness,  leading  him 
away  into  deeper  and  deeper  solitude. 

And  O  how  waste  and  barren  of  creatures  is  this  wilderness,  into 
which  never  an  ordinary  thought  can  come,  no  not  one.  All  those 
many  learned  disquisitions  on  the  most  holy  Trinity — not  a  single 
one  of  them  can  enter  into  this  most  spiritual  union  with  God,  so 
intimate  and  interior,  so  far  removed  from  human  activity,  having  no 
ken  of  place  or  count  of  time,  simple  and  indivisible.  Whosoever  has 
truly  reached  this  state,  to  him  it  feels  as  if  he  had  been  there  with 
God  from  all  eternity,  as  if  he  were  one  with  the  eternal  presence 
now  within  Him;  and  3'et  as  if  he  had  been  there  but  one  little  instant, 
which  seems  to  generate  an  eternity  of  being. 

The  shining  of  the  light  is  a  witness  to  the  spirit,  of  how  it  had 
been  in  God's  purpose  eternally  before  creation  as  God's  image  in  God. 
As  St.  John  teaches:  "In  Him  was  life,  and  the  life  was  the  light 
of  men''  (John  i,  4)  ;  and  all  that  was  made  by  Him  was  one  life.  Thus 
the  soul  learns  of  the  mystery  of  how  in  its  created  life  it  is  the  same 
as  it  was  in  the  divine  idea  and  purpose  before  creation  and  eternally. 

So  long  as  a  man  has  not  reached  the  state  of  purification  which 
God  willed  for  him  while  he  was  yet  uncreated  and  existed  only  in 
the  divine  idea,  he  cannot  return  again  into  God.  Every  inclination 
to  self,  every  attachment  to  creatures,  every  atom  of  self-satisfaction 
everything  that  may  stain  the  inmost  soul  with  self,  must  vanish 
away.  Every  inordinate  pleasure  of  soul  or  body,  whether  felt  in  the 
understanding  or  in  the  will,  must  be  gone — it  must  be  washed  away 
as  being  an  ugly  spot  on  the  spirit's  cleanliness:  otherwise  a  man 
cannot  return  again  into  his  origin  in  God. 

Nor  is  purification  alone  sufficient:  the  spirit  must  besides  be  new 
formed  in  the  light  of  grace.  Whosoever  earnestly  strives  after  this 
transformation,  and  is  a  man  rightly  converted  to  the  interior  life, 


658  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

to  him  a  great  boon  may  be  granted :  even  in  thi%  earthly  life  he  may 
be  granted  a  glimpse  of  a  perfect  transformation.  And  this  is  true, 
although  it  is  also  true  that  no  one  can  come  to  God  nor  know  Him 
as  He  is  except  in  eternity  in  the  uncreated  light  that  is  God's  own 
self;  for  the  prophet  says:  ''In  Thy  light  we  shall  see  light"  (Ps. 
XXXV,  10).  But  whosoever  often  turns  to  God  in  the  inmost  depths  of 
his  soul  and  can  make  himself  at  home  there,  to  him  many  blessed 
rays  of  light  will  be  granted.  More  and  more  clearly  will  he  see  what 
God  is,  more  manifestly  than  he  beholds  the  sun  in  the  heavens  with 
his  bodily  eyes. 

This  deepest  region  of  the  spirit  was  in  a  manner  known  to  some  of 
the  Gentiles  of  old;  and  as  they  searched  its  depths,  the  knowledge 
caused  them  to  despise  all  transitory  things.  Such  great  philosophers 
as  Proclus  and  Plato  gave  a  clear  account  of  it  to  guide  others  who 
knew  it  not.  Therefore  St.  Augustine  says  that  Plato  has  proclaimed 
the  first  part  of  St.  John's  gospel,  "'In  the  beginning  was  the  Word," 
as  far  as  "There  was  a  man  sent  from  God."  But  all  this  the  philoso- 
pher taught  with  words  of  hidden  meaning.  The  same  philosopher 
gained  some  knowledge  of  the  most  holy  Trinity.  Children,  all  such 
things  came  from  the  deep  recesses  of  the  soul,  in  which  such  men  as 
Plato  lived,  and  whose  stores  of  wisdom  they  had  access  to.  Is  it  not 
a  shame  and  a  scandal  that  we  who  are  Christians,  and  who  have  such 
heavenly  aid,  we,  who  are  in  God's  grace,  who  enjoy  holy  faith  and 
have  the  blessed  sacrament,  is  it  not  a  shame  that  we  should  run  about 
like  blind  hens,  knowing  neither  our  own  selves  nor  the  deep  things  of 
God  within  our  souls? 

The  cause  is  that  we  scatter  our  hearts'  love  abroad  in  multiplicity ; 
and  that  in  religious  matters  we  are  absorbed  too  greatly  in  what 
appeals  to  the  senses.  We  go  by  self-chosen  ways,  and  these  engage 
us  and  hinder  us  from  entering  inward  towards  God.  But,  dear  chil- 
dren, in  case  one  happens  to  be  inapt  for  deep  spiritual  things,  let  him 
at  any  rate  be  faithful  to  ordinary  devotional  practices.  If  one  may 
not  offer  the  wine  of  Cyprus,  let  him  at  least  bring  gifts  of  some  sort 
to  God,  even  if  they  are  cheap  and  common.  It  is  the  empty  and  the 
idle  spirit  that  the  evil  one  overcomes.  And  certainly  one  can  always 
recite  the  five  decades  of  the  rosary  with  profit. 

The  testimony  of  the  light  is  also  in  the  other  higher  faculty  of  the 
soul,  that  of  loving.  During  this  week,  in  the  churches,  we  have  sung 
of  John,  that  "he  was  a  burning  and  a  shining  light."    Now  a  lamp  has 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  659 

both  light  and  heat.  Thou  mayst  feel  its  heat  without  seeing  the  light. 
And  if  the  light  be  in  a  lantern,  thou  canst  see  it  only  through  the 
glass  or  horn.  Ah,  children,  mark  well  the  meaning  of  this  light  and 
heat.  It  means  the  wounded  heart  of  love — that  love  that  would  lead 
thee  into  that  same  deep  foundation  place  of  thy  soul  of  which  we  have 
been  speaking,  that  thou  mayst  there  be  ravished  with  love,  and  there 
excite  thy  ardent  desire  of  God  as  if  thou  went  bending  thy  bow  and 
drawing  thy  arrow  to  hit  the  mark  in  the  very  centre. 

It  also  means  that  imprisoned  love  of  the  heart  which  is  enchained 
in  this  deep  and  secret  chamber  of  the  spirit.  There  must  thou  sur- 
render thyself  to  love,  for  thou  hast  no  longer  control  over  thyself; 
neither  conscious  thought,  nor  exercise  of  the  faculties,  nor  ordinary 
practise  of  virtue  now  has  place.  And  if  love  happens  to  leave  thee 
free  for  a  moment's  thought  or  act,  thou  soon  longest  to  be  again 
happily  enchained;  but  then  thou  must  wrestle  with  love,  implore  its 
constraining  embrace  and  compel  it  back  to  thee.  If  thou  canst  not 
frame  right  words,  at  least  utter  deep  inner  longings,  as  did  St.  Au- 
gustine :  "Lord,  thou  hast  commanded  me  to  love  Thee  with  my  whole 
heart,  and  my  whole  soul,  with  all  my  mind  and  all  my  strength.  Give 
me  what  thou  commandest  from  me.  Teach  me  to  love  Thee  and  com- 
mand me  what  Thou  wilt."  If  while  in  that  state  thou  are  so  stupid 
as  not  to  be  able  to  think  even  thus  much,  at  any  rate,  speak  the  words 
mechanically  with  thy  mouth.  But,  children,  this  humble  way  is  not 
theirs  who,  as  before  explained,  enter  on  a  false  inner  peace,  before  being 
well  practised  in  virtue,  acting  and  feeling  as  if  all  now  were  done  and 
over  in  the  work  of  perfection.    These  have  not  the  love  we  speak  of. 

After  this  comes  languishing  love,  and  then  what  is  called  frantic 
or  foolish  love.  And  now  alas,  children,  it  strangely  seems  to  this  poor, 
man  as  if  divine  love  were  all  vanished  and  mere  natural  reason  were 
placed  in  control.  He  seems  never  to  have  been  so  keen  in  worldly 
wisdom  as  now,  in  such  matters  as  buying  and  selling  and  all  active 
affairs :  and  meantime  he  is  foolish  and  distraught.  One  in  this  period 
of  love,  which  I  have  called  frantic  or  raving,  may  be  compared  to 
a  blindfolded  man  with  a  lantern.  He  knows  he  has  bright  love  of  God 
within  him,  but  he  feels  no  manner  of  joy  in  it,  though  it  runs  riot  in 
all  his  soul's  powers.  0  how  he  longs  for  love's  joy,  for  a  feeling  of 
love — but  he  cannot  have  it;  and  so  he  is  foolish  in  his  ways,  and 
almost  raves.  Love  devours  the  marrow  of  his  bones,  and  yet  gives  him 
no  comfort.    If  thou  comest  to  this  test  of  love,  I  beg  thee  to  beware) 


660  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

be  not  frantic.  Do  not  seek  solace  in  excessive  outward  penances, 
which  destroy  thy  natural  forces.  Let  love  alone  to  do  its  terrible  work 
in  thee.  Thou  darest  not  shrink  from  this  holy  ordeal ;  follow  on  sub- 
missively, even  through  storm  and  tempest,  until  God's  plan  is  accom- 
plished in  thee. 

Now  some  may  object  and  say,  that  they  will  make  sure  of  avoiding 
this  stormy  trial  of  love:  its  shame  is  more  than  they  can  bear,  it  is 
incompatible  with  their  state  of  life.  Children,  I  answer  that  when 
this  folly  of  divine  love  comes  upon  you,  human  ways  must  give  place. 
Then  in  due  time  comes  our  Lord  and  speaks  His  word  in  thy  soul, 
piercing  it  through  and  through — Oh,  it  is  a  word  worth  a  hundred 
thousand  spoken  by  men.  St.  Dionysius  says:  "When  the  eternal 
word  is  uttered  in  the  soul's  depths,  the  soul  being  ready  prepared  for 
it  and  sensitive  to  the  divine  whisper  in  all  its  meaning,  capable  of 
assimiliating  its  meaning  not  in  part  but  in  all  its  fulness :  then  is  the 
soul's  most  interior  self  made  one  with  the  same  divine  Word."  Nor 
does  a  man  in  this  union  lose  his  essentially  created  life.  This  union 
did  our  Lord  speak  of:  "That  they  all  may  be  one,  as  Thou,  Father, 
in  Me,  and  I  in  Thee;  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  Us"  (John  xvii,  21). 
And  so  did  He  speak  to  St.  Augustine:  "Thou  shalt  be  changed  into 
Me."  But  to  this  state  of  union  can  no  man  come,  except  by  the  way 
of  this  foolish  degree  of  love. 

St.  John  the  Baptist  said:  "I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the 
wilderness,  make  straight  the  way  of  the  Lord."  This  way  is  in  the 
practise  of  virtue.  This  road  is  very  level.  Again  he  says,  that  he  is 
to  prepare  the  Lord's  paths.  Now  these  footpaths  are  not  so  level  as 
the  open  and  public  road  of  the  Lord,  and  they  are  harder  to  find  and 
to  keep.  Whosoever  would  go  to  the  Lord  in  his  deeper  consciosness 
by  the  short  cut  through  the  fields,  must  make  up  his  mind  to  suffer 
much ;  and  furthermore  he  may  easily  go  astray ;  yet  this  way  is  indeed 
much  shorter  than  that  of  the  open  and  common  highway.  If  one 
will  but  study  his  deeper  soul  carefully,  his  journey  will  be  safer.  Let 
him  be  absorbed  in  his  own  faults  to  correct  them,  in  God's  guidance  to 
follow  it,  diflScult  though  it  may  seem,  and  dark  and  strange.  Whoso- 
ever behaves  thus  shall  not  be  overwhelmed  when  opposition  comes,  nor 
altogether  oppressed  with  anguish  of  soul.  Nor  shall  he  break  out  into 
the  defects  to  which  men  are  liable  in  this  journey.  But  God  will  now 
lead  and  again  drive  him  forward,  until  he  has  reached  the  depths  of 
the  interior  life. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  661 

In  this  manner  let  a  man  smooth  the  way  of  the  Lord  in  his  spirit's 
relation  to  God  and  God  to  him.  The  difficulties  are  serious,  and  they 
are  unexpected  and  hidden.  Many  souls  for  the  sake  of  relief  are 
misled  into  outward  exercises  of  religion  and  charitable  good  works — 
holy  in  themselves,  but  unless  imposed  by  duty,  they  are  not  now  oppor- 
tune. To  go  deeper  into  the  interior  spirit  is  now  the  task,  and  for 
this  one  should  not  go  outward.  That  is  like  a  man  starting  for 
Kome  and  taking  the  road  to  Holland :  the  faster  he  walks  the  farther 
he  is  from  his  journey's  end.  So  does  a  man  act  who  travels  into 
external  devotions  instead  of  absorbing  himself  in  interior  medita- 
tion : — if  he  is  to  attain  a  deep  state  of  peace  and  recollection  he  must 
devote  himself  to  his  interior  life.  Perhaps  after  growing  old  in  this 
misdirected  way,  these  souls  at  last  turn  into  the  right  one.  But 
then  they  are  weak  and  nerveless,  and  their  heads  cannot  stand  the 
stress  of  love's  storm  in  the  final  trial. 

And  when  love's  storm  does  break  on  a  man's  spirit,  then,  children, 
let  him  not  stop  to  think  fretfully  on  his  past  sins  or  anxiously  ques- 
tion about  his  humility  or  about  anything  else  except  this:  am  I 
rightly  responsive  to  God's  love  as  it  does  its  work  in  me  here  and 
now?  For  now  a  man  must  battle  with  love  while  suffering  coldness 
of  heart  and  from  a  sense  of  total  abandonment.  Oh,  let  him  give  up  to 
love  in  all  fidelity  of  heart,  stript  of  everything  that  is  not  purely 
love  of  God,  his  soul  destitute  and  miserable  for  love's  sake.  Have 
deep  and  constant  longings  for  God's  love;  have  firm  trust  in  God; 
keep  thyself  true  to  love  and  firm  in  love.  In  due  time  thou  shalt 
be  granted  in  one  hour  as  many  graces  as  in  another  way  thou  wouldst 
acquire   in    a   lifetime. 

Especially  cherish  firm  trust  in  God's  love:  if  that  weakens,  thy 
longing  for  God  sinks  away,  and  the  hidden  love  is  soon  quenched 
within  thee.  Be  sure  that  if  thou  dost  lack  this  sign,  namely  con- 
fidence in  love's  final  rescue  of  thy  distressed  soul,  then  all  other  signs 
together  are  deceitful — thou  must  totally  fail.  This  is  the  testimony 
of  the  true  light.  The  demon  will  leave  all  else,  if  only  he  can  unsettle 
thy  confidence.  He  will  even  leave  thee  a  treacherous  show  of  love 
itself,  if  only  thou  wilt  give  up  1±.is  true  witness  of  genuine  love, — 
confidence  in  God's  love  during  the  time  of  desolation  of  spirit. 

If  one  now  questions  as  to  whether  or  not  he  has  true  love,  let  him 
search  deep  in  his  soul  and  ever  deeper,  and  light  will  be  granted 
him  to  know  how  he  stands  towards  this  degree  of  love.    All  the  harm 


662 


The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


that  can  befall  thee  is  in  this :  thou  canst  not  fathom  thy  inmost  soul, 
or  perhaps  thou  wilt  not.  Once  thou  enterest  there,  God's  grace  awaits 
thee,  admonishing  thee  incessantly  to  keep  up  a  courageous  spirit 
about  thy  standing  with  Him.  But  many  a  one  resists  this  inner 
voice  and  keeps  on  doing  so  until  he  at  last  becomes  unworthy  of  it 
and  it  ceases  to  be  heard,  and  that  forever.  The  cause  of  this  mis- 
fortune is  nothing  else  than  self-trust.  But  if  one  be  only  humbly 
submissive  to  the  divine  guidance,  it  will  finally  lead  him  into  such  a 
divine  union,  that  he  shall  enjoy  in  this  life  somewhat  of  the  bliss 
proper  only  to  life  eternal.  May  God  grant  that  this  shall  happen 
to  us  all.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  663 


Synopsis — A  kind  heart  is  made  letter  ty  seeing  other  people's  sins — 
Praying  for  a  faulty  brother  is  often  a  better  favor  than  chiding 
him — Many  rules  for  guidance  of  superiors  in  administering  cor- 
rection— The  strict  rule  that  fraternal  correction  should  be  pre- 
ceded by  self-correction — Need  of  great  gentleness  of  manner. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  ST.  TIMOTHY. 

Preach  the  word ;  be  instant  in  season,  out  of  season :  reprove,  entreat,  rebuke 
in  all  patience  and  doctrine. — II  Tim.  iv,  2. 

Thus  does  St.  Paul  instruct  his  beloved  disciple  St.  Timothy,  whom 
he  had  set  over  men  to  rule  them  in  Christ's  name.  And  the  apostle's 
words  apply  to  all  who  hold  office,  including  father  confessors. 

First,  they  are  to  discipline  open  sinners,  if  they  may  hope  to 
reform  them,  especially  those  who  are  committed  to  their  pastoral 
care.  Furthermore,  many  good  books  tell  how  pastors  should  teach 
their  people,  and  correct  and  admonish  them,  each  according  to  his 
needs;  especially  St.  Gregory's  Liber  Pastoralis. 

But  we  should  more  attentively  consider  the  second  point,  which 
applies  the  apostle's  injunction,  given  elsewhere,  to  all  men,  and  even 
directs  us  to  admonish  ourselves  in  a  very  interior  spirit.  It  incul- 
cates that  any  one  who  aspires  to  be  an  interior  man  shall  keep  his 
eyes  off  other  men's  conduct,  and  especially  shall  not  sit  in  judgment 
on  their  sins,  lest  he  fall  into  bitterness  of  spirit  and  rash  judgment.. 
Oh,  children,  this  fault  does  a  lamentable  amount  of  harm  in  men's- 
souls.  For  the  love  of  God  turn  away  from  rash  judgment  of  your 
neighbor,  and  keep  your  keen  eyes  fixed  wholly  on  your  own  life.  Now 
you  may  have  committed  sins  in  your  past  life,  and  indeed  you  may 
have  your  faults  at  the  present  time.  Be  sure  that  one  reason  why 
God  has  permitted  these,  is  that  when  you  see  the  like  things  done  by 
your  neighbor,  you  may  be  stung  with  remorse  for  your  own  bad 
conduct,  led  to  deeper  penance,  and  be  more  entirely  reformed :  mean- 
while praying  for  your  poor  neighbor  that  God  may  change  him  as  He 
has  done  you. 


664  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

In  this  way  is  a  kindly  lieart  made  better  by  other  people's  sins. 
Of  course  this  supposes  a  close  guard  against  uncharitable  thoughts. 
It  is  a  bad  heart  that  sits  in  judgment  on  a  sinful  neighbor.  The  sins 
of  others  sink  him  deeper  by  adding  uncharity  to  his  other  vices, 
causing  him  to  make  the  worst  of  any  bad  act  he  sees.  A  good  man 
has  true  love  for  and  faithful  trust  in  his  fellow  man.  His  gentle 
heart  makes  him  think  other  men  blameless  in  their  lives.  If  he 
cannot  help  noticing  wicked  things  in  his  neighbors'  conduct,  he  man- 
ages to  believe  that  they  are  not  as  bad  as  they  look;  that  however 
ugly  they  seem  his  poor  neighbor  may  have  meant  well ;  or  that  bad  as 
these  deeds  are,  God  allowed  that  man  to  do  them  to  admonish  him  of 
his  weakness,  and  thereby  to  save  him  from  more  fatal  falls. 

The  sight  of  other  men's  sins,  makes  a  good  man  anxious  to  die  to 
himself  in  holy  penance  for  his  own  and  his  neighbors'  sake  both; 
makes  him  realize  better  God's  constant  presence,  and  His  great  pa- 
tience with  sinners.  All  this  helps  one's  neighbor,  for  it  is  an  offering 
to  God ;  it  often  serves  a  better  purpose  than  admonitions  and  punish- 
ment, even  though  these  be  lovingly  administered.  Sometimes  a  man 
fancies  that  he  corrects  his  neighbor  out  of  charity,  but  it  is  not  really 
so.  And  I  say  to  thee,  dear  child,  that  if  thou  wilt  but  conquer  thyself 
by  patience  and  by  peace  of  soul,  establishing  thereby  purity  of  heart 
within  thee,  thou  shalt  have  overcome  all  thy  enemies.  This  is  a 
higher  victory  than  to  subdue  the  whole  world  with  the  scripture's 
best  wisdom,  losing  mastery  of  thyself  meanwhile  by  injurious  thoughts 
against  thy  neighbor,  for  the  Lord  says :  "Why  seest  thou  the  mote 
that  is  in  thy  brother's  eye ;  and  seest  not  the  beam  that  is  in  thy  own 
eye?"  (Matt,  vii,  3). 

As  to  prohibition  of  judging  others,  we  of  course  except  those  whose 
office  in  holy  Church  requires  them  to  judge.  And  these  must  pru- 
dently examine  persons  and  cases;  they  must  avoid  an  overbearing 
manner,  hot  words,  or  anything  that  provokes  resistance  or  unneces- 
sarily troubles  hearts.  Their  discipline  is  intended  by  God  for  the 
reformation  of  their  subjects.  Alas,  superiors  fail  in  this  often  and 
seriously,  and  instead  of  bettering  the  lives  of  their  wayward  subjects, 
they  but  fill  them  with  bitterness,  and  turn  their  hearts  yet  further 
away.  If  one  should  but  guide  his  subjects  into  the  fear  of  God  with 
mildness,  how  different  would  be  the  results.  The  guilty  ones  would 
plainly  see  that  the  sole  purpose  of  their  superior  was  their  soul's 
welfare,  they  would  receive  correction   peacefully  and  would  much 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  6G5 

sooner  be  reformed.  But  they  plainly  see  that  the  superior's  motive  ia 
his  own  honor  or  profit.  They  submit  as  to  mere  force,  and  in  their " 
hearts  they  remain  more  rebellious  than  ever.  Many  superiors  fancy 
that  they  are  actuated  by  zeal  for  virtue  in  their  administration  of 
discipline;  but  as  a  matter  of  fact  they  are  driven  on  by  their  angry 
moods.  They  think  it  is  hatred  of  sin  that  stirs  them,  and  in  reality  it 
is  hatred  of  the  man  who  committed  the  sin. 

I  beg  thee  to  closely  examine  thy  heart  and  find  out  whether  or  not 
true  charity  dwells  there,  kindly  feelings  towards  those  whom  thou 
hast  so  bitterly  pained  by  thy  correction.  I  fear  that  instead  of  true 
zeal  for  right  order,  it  is  only  violent  impatience  that  controls  thee: 
I  am  speaking  especially  of  those  superiors  who  have  little  interior 
life,  and  have  not  yet  tasted  the  sweetness  of  divine  love  in  their  souls : 
these  are  the  ones  who  storm  at  their  subjects,  and  agonize  them  with 
sour  looks  and  cutting  words.  The  soul  that  knows  nothing  of  God's 
interior  sweetness  of  love,  cannot  command  prudent  ways  and  kindly 
words  in  correcting  others.  How  to  deal  with  delinquents,  is  a  lesson 
to  be  learned  only  from  genuine  love  of  God. 

Whosoever  feels  called  on  by  his  oflice  to  correct  others,  should  bear 
in  mind  how  easily  God  may  be  dishonored  by  faulty  exercise  of  this 
duty,  and  how  easily  souls  may  therein  be  injured.  Let  him  use 
kindly  words,  let  him  cultivate  gentle  manners  and  a  patient  bearing: 
so  that  weak  spirits  may  plainly  see  that  the  one  only  object  in  view  is 
their  happiness.  It  may  happen  that  God  will  allow  thy  subjects  to 
revile  thee  and  heap  dishonor  on  thee.  Take  no  notice  of  this,  and 
never  repay  it  with  any  sort  of  discipline,  as  far  as  is  consistent  with 
the  common  good.  If  thou  actest  otherwise,  it  is  likely  that  thou 
thyself  shalt  become  sorely  embittered;  and,  besides,  it  is  likely  that 
thou  canst  never  make  any  good  out  of  thy  subjects.  The  worse  thou 
art  treated  by  any  one,  the  more  sweetly  shouldst  thou  feel  and  act 
towards  him,  in  all  patience,  and  with  friendly  words.  Such  trials 
ns  these  are  commonly  sent  by  God  as  His  hardest  test  of  superiors,  by 
which  they  shall  either  win  or  lose  the  merit  of  martyrdom.  Be 
ever  eager  to  suffer  such  things;  for  meekness,  and  forgiveness  of 
Injuries  are  the  best  virtues  of  superiors. 

They  should  avoid  flattery.  They  should  shun  all  partiality  in 
thought  or  conduct,  holding  all  their  subjects  equally  dear  to  their 
hearts,  as  a  true  mother  does  her  children.  But  if  any  difference  may 
be  allowed,  then  they  should  love  with  the  deepest  affection  and  treat 


666  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

with  the  greatest  confidence,  those  who  are  weakest  in  character;  and 
-this  they  should,  with  prudent  safeguards,  manage  to  show.  Mean- 
while they  should  lift  up  their  hearts  to  God,  and  ever  earnestly  en- 
treat Him  to  keep  watch  and  ward  over  their  subjects,  and  that  He 
may  save  themselves  from  all  self-love.  Again,  they  should,  as  far  as 
is  at  all  possible,  do  first  themselves  the  tasks  they  impose  on  their 
subjects.  For  all  goes  well  when  superiors  are  manifestly  full  of  love 
and  of  virtue: — God  then  guides  the  community  and  helps  it.  The 
superior's  example  constrains  subjects  to  do  right,  even  if  these  are 
hostile  in  spirit  and  inclined  to  evil  doing. 

As  to  those  who  hold  no  office  over  others  and  are  simply  members 
of  the  community,  it  behooves  them  secretly  to  sit  in  judgment  over 
themselves  and  condemn  themselves  and  nobody  else.  They  should 
refrain  strictly  from  judging  anyone  else,  or  criticising  the  order  and 
arrangement  of  the  community  affairs.  As  a  rule,  a  man  goes  astray 
from  truth  in  such  judgments,  things  being  quite  otherwise  than  he 
supposed :  sad  experience  often  proves  this.  There  is  a  motto  that  says, 
that  that  man  has  true  wisdom  who  finds  good  in  everything.  May 
God  help  us  to  this  state  of  brotherly  love.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  667 


Olutttng  off  &upf rfluttUB 

Synopsis — This  means  almost  the  whole  of  our  part  in  the  work  of 
perfection — How  it  applies  to  shunning  persons  as  well  as  things — 
Separation  and  solitiide  are  the  sum  total  of  the  negative  side  of 
perfection — Attachments  breed  unrest  and  falsehood — Tfie  folly 
of  a  half-hearted  spirit  in  spiritual  conduct — A  good  description 
of  perseverance — Tlie  penitential  aspect  of  detachment. 


SEKMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  ST.  MARY  MAGDALENE. 

Martha,  Martha,  thou  art  careful,  and  art  troubled  about  many  things ;  but 
one  tiling  is  necessary.  Mary  hath  chosen  the  best  part,  which  shall  not  be 
taken  away  from  her. — Luke  x,  41,  42. 

Dear  devout  children  of  God,  I  greet  you  in  our  blessed  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  and  in  His  coming,  which  shall  be  to  you  fruitful  of  eternal 
life.  I  have  this  day  gathered  into  one  discourse  that  divine  doctrine 
that  is  the  straightest  way  to  eternal  happiness.     Amen. 

Dearly  beloved,  earnestly  observe  your  own  hearts  and  their  fail- 
ings; and  at  the  same  time  take  careful  account  of  the  Divine  inspira- 
tions sent  you.  Be  not  deluded  by  the  attractions  of  transitory 
things,  nor  the  evil  tendencies  of  your  own  nature.  Would  you  be- 
come the  best  loved  friends  and  followers  of  our  dear  Lord  Jesus 
Christ?  Then  you  must  wholly  cut  off  from  you  all  perishable  things 
whose  use  does  not  lead  you  to  God.  You  must  dispense  with  their 
use  except  in  cases  of  real  necessity.  You  must  rest  upon  God  alone 
in  all  circumstances  of  life,  quite  cut  off  from  reliance  on  created 
things.  As  to  your  fellow-men,  you  must  likewise  cut  off  all  unneces- 
sary communication  with  them,  whether  in  deeds  or  words;  and 
especially  must  you  be  averse  to  the  human  and  natural  pleasure  of 
their  company.  You  are  to  banish  from  your  soul  the  images  of 
creatures,  and  stand  free  of  natural  joy  in  them,  or  even  conscious- 
ness— as  far  as  duty  allows — of  their  existence.  This  was  what  the 
Blessed  Mary  Magdalene  did;  this  is  what  our  Lord  praised  in  her. 
All  this  being  done  on  thy  part,  the  Lord  can  do  His  part  within  thee, 


668  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

His  supernatural  work  after  His  own  holy  will.  He  can  inflame 
thee  with  His  burning  love;  He  can  overflow  thy  soul  with  Divine 
grace.  He  will  meanwhile  impart  to  thee  heavenly  prudence,  giving 
thee  all  guidance  necessary  to  bring  thee  to  sit  at  His  feet  and  con- 
template Him  as  Mary  did. 

Be  assured  of  this,  dear  children,  that  if  we  only  knew  it,  all  out- 
ward superfluity  in  things  and  in  works  has  power  to  blind  our  soul's 
eyes  to  true  perception  of  God's  inspirations  and  our  own  transgres- 
sions. Even  when  these  external  things  engage  us  from  motives  of 
divine  love  and  are  far  from  being  bad,  they  are  often  the  less  per- 
fect ways  to  God.  For  did  not  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  praise  Mary 
Magdalene  for  her  total  detachment  when  He  said  that  she  had  chosen 
the  best  part?  And  did  He  not  rebuke  Martha  for  being  careful  and 
troubled  about  even  important  outward  service?  And  yet  she  was 
engaged  with  ardent  love  in  the  very  seemly  duty  of  providing  for 
the  comfort  of  Himself  and  His  dear  disciples,  Wouldst  thou,  there- 
fire,  have  God's  special  consolations,  and  wouldst  thou  understand 
His  high  spiritual  doctrine,  so  full  of  fruit,  so  very  needful;  and 
wouldst  thou  be  provided  by  Him  with  all  things  necessary  for  body 
and  soul?  Then  must  thou  cut  off  all  superfluities.  Thou  must  dis- 
pense with  what  is  not  truly  necessary  in  thy  every  day  life,  both 
inner  and  outer,  guided  herein  by  the  voice  of  God  in  thy  conscience. 

Above  all  must  we  shun  all  those  persons  whose  memory  dwells 
with  us,  whose  image  interposes  between  us  and  God.  And  it  mat- 
ters not  how  holy  they  may  be;  if  dealing  with  them  halts  us  on  the 
way  to  God,  then  they  must  be  given  up.  In  that  case  they  are  not 
truly  our  friends  or  helpers  in  acquiring  real  loyalty  to  God,  whether 
they  be  religious  or  secular  or  even  father  confessors. 

One  never  finds  God  so  perfectly,  so  fruitfully,  as  in  separation  and 
solitude.  So  did  the  Blessed  Mother  of  God  find  Him,  St.  John  the 
Baptist.  St.  Mary  Magdalene,  the  other  saints  of  Christ,  and  the  pa- 
triarchs of  old.  They  fled  from  the  world  and  the  company  of  men. 
They  shook  off  the  cares  of  human  society,  and  then  withdrew  into 
wastes  and  forests  the  most  remote  they  could  find.  Ah,  children, 
amusements  and  company  and  conversation  and  all  unnecessary  deal- 
ing with  creatures,  lead  to  a  sad  old  age,  even  when  such  intercourse 
is  well  intended  and  all  seems  innocent  enough.  The  reason  is  that 
when  our  heart  is  full  of  the  images  of  these  things — :ill  alien  to  our 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  669 

end  as  they  are,  and  unnecessary  to  our  real  happiness — then  God 
must  remain  outside.  He  cannot  enter  our  souls  thus  preoccupied, 
any  more  than  one  can  pour  sweet  wine  into  a  vessel  full  of  filthy 
ashes.  Alas,  turn  where  you  will  in  this  poor  life  of  ours,  you  will 
find  in  all  outward  things,  in  all  human  companionship,  nothing  but 
falsehood  and  unrest.  A  man  dreams  he  will  find  comfort  and  relaxa- 
tion of  mind,  and  he  ends  in  wholly  losing  inner  comfort;  he  is  robbed 
of  that  peace  of  heart  which  he  had  gathered  by  long-continued  self- 
denial  and  recollection.  We  become  encumbered  with  all  sorts  of 
superfluities,  we  become  addicted  to  petty  lying,  and  we  waste  prec- 
ious hours  of  time.  Our  hearts  are  cooled  towards  God,  love  is 
quenched,  conscience  is  gnawed  with  remorse,  and  we  are  made  im- 
patient and  easily  provoked  to  bitter  anger. 

Oh  the  misery  of  not  being  able  to  understand  this  truth :  that  neither 
comfort  nor  peace,  neither  true  joy  nor  veritable  relaxation  of  mind 
can  be  anywhere  found  except  in  God  alone.  If  we  did  but  turn  to 
Him  in  whole-hearted  fervor  and  waited  on  Him  with  gentle  patience 
— as  did  the  souls  of  the  ancient  fathers  in  limbo  for  thousands  of 
years — how  happy  would  be  our  lot;  though  our  waiting  can  be  at 
most  only  for  the  short  space  of  our  natural  life.  He  will  grant  us 
His  sweet  comfort  in  due  time,  however  unworthy  we  may  be  of  it. 
He  hiiles  Himself  for  a  little  while,  but  that  if  for  our  best  advantage 
so  that  He  may  inflame  our  love  the  more  later  on,  and  lead  us  to 
higher  perfection.  Whatsoever  is  for  our  spiritual  advantage  He 
neither  will  nor  can  withhold  from  us,  whether  it  be  external  favors  or 
interior  graces ;  and  He  best  knows  what  we  stand  in  need  of. 

Alas,  how  pitiful  it  is  that  we  so  foolishly  allow  trifling  things  to 
hinder  us,  even  to  hurt  us.  We  fancy  that  our  fine  discourses,  full  of 
eloquent  things  about  God,  will  be  pleasing  to  Him,  forgetting  how  ex- 
ceedingly simple  was  His  own  address  to  His  well-loved  disciples.  Or, 
again,  we  fancy  that  with  noisy  and  showy  works — eating  up  our  prec- 
ious time — we  may  serve  God  rightly  and  best  help  our  neighbor.  Others 
are  not  even  as  good  as  that ;  they  idly  gad  about  among  pious  people, 
making  useless  visits,  and  filling  their  souls  with  images  that  obscure 
the  all-lovely  figure  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  We  fail  to  remember 
that  even  our  Lord's  most  holy  presence  in  bodily  form  had  become  a 
hindrance  to  His  disciples,  as  He  said :  "If  I  go  not,  the  Paraclete 
will  not  come  to  you;  but  if  I  go,  I  will  send  Him  to  you"  (John  xvi,  7). 


670  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Another  delusion  is  that  we  can  possess  and  enjoy  with  all  feeling  of 
proprietorship  many  things  in  this  life  without  spiritual  hurt — tem- 
poral goods,  favorite  company,  amusements,  friends  in  the  world  and 
those  in  religion,  relatives;  not  recalling  that  He  Himself  chose  to  be 
disgraced,  a  wretched  outcast,  and  destitute  of  all  things.  And  listen 
to  His  doctrine :  "Every  one  that  hath  left  house,  or  brethren,  or  sisters, 
or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife  or  children,  or  lands  for  My  name  sake 
shall  receive  an  hundredfold,  and  shall  possess  life  everlasting"  (Matt. 
xix,  29).  And  in  another  place:  "If  any  man  come  to  Me,  and  hate 
not  his  father  and  mother,  and  wife  and  children,  yea,  and  his  own 
life  also,  he  cannot  be  My  disciple"  (Luke  xiv,  26).  Ah,  if  we  did  but 
look  deep  into  our  Lord's  blesed  doctrine,  many  a  one  of  us  would 
find  that  their  whole  life  had  gone  wrong,  and  that  they  have  been 
living  amid  dreams  and  delusions. 

If  we  shall  ever  attain  to  true  Divine  peace,  if  we  shall  be  united 
wholly  to  God,  then  all  comfort  from  transitory  things  must  cease,  as 
well  as  all  recreation  from  them.  Keasonable  necessity  must  be  the 
exclusive  rule  in  their  use;  all  beyond  that,  whether  for  solace  of  mind 
or  pleasure  of  body,  must  be  given  up.  Whatsoever  thing  lodges 
thougts  in  our  mind  diverting  us  from  God,  must  be  renounced.  God 
insists  on  being  our  heart's  only  guest.  He  will  tolerate  no  rival 
there.    Divine  tenderness  must  have  the  field  entirely  to  itself. 

Ah,  children,  honor  the  death  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  prize 
His  infinite  merits.  Consider  the  shortness  of  this  miserable  life;  learn 
the  deceitfulness  of  this  poor,  evil  world.  Consider  the  danger  of  men's 
company,  no  matter  what  appearance  of  spirituality  it  may  have. 
Remember  that  the  last  hour  of  life  may  sound  at  any  moment;  that 
death  is  surely  creeping  onward  to  snatch  us  away.  Consider  all 
this  and  turn  your  hearts  earnestly  to  hearken  to  God's  inspirations. 
Do  this,  and  in  one  hour  God  will  take  charge  of  you,  teach  you  more 
truly  and  sweetly  in  one  hour  than  all  men  together  in  a  thousand 
years.  Dear  children,  make  good  use  of  the  precious  hours  of  this 
life;  let  no  creature  lead  you  astray,  give  your  confidence  to  none,  lest 
you  forfeit  your  eternal  salvation.  If  we  lose  our  worldly  goods  we 
can  recover  them  again,  and  at  any  rate  they  serve  us  no  purpose 
except  this  side  of  death.  But  it  may  happen  that  in  one  fatal  hour 
we  shall  lose  what,  once  lost,  can  never  be  recovered — the  glory  of 
eternal  life. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  67 j 

I  tell  you  in  all  sincerity  that  I  foroode  the  evil  fate  of  many  among 
us.  They  trust  in  creatures,  for  they  cleave  to  them.  Their  souls  are 
filled  with  thoughts  of  them  and  affection  for  them.  They  race  here 
and  there  after  idle  stories  to  hear  or  to  tell.  They  are  crippled  spirit- 
ually with  a  heavy  weight  of  superfluities.  Thanks  be  to  God's  bound- 
less mercy  that  He  often  holds  us  back  from  gross,  deadly  sins.  But 
think  how  perilous  a  state  is  that  of  tepidity-coldhearted,  stupid, 
stuck  fast  and  motionless  on  the  road  to  perfection.  For  this  we  must 
at  last  endure  a  bitter  purgatory. 

We  are  like  a  miserable  jackass;  his  only  song  is  his  loud  discordant 
bray;  his  only  movement  is  his  slow,  dragging  pace;  his  only  food  is 
coarse  hay-all  this  is  the  joy  and  sweetnes  of  his  life,  and  meanwhile 
he  IS  bitterly  cursed  and  cruelly  beaten.  In  his  favor  it  must  be  said 
that  he  deserves  far  better  treatment;  but  not  so  the  reasonable  and 
christian  spirit  that  grovels  along  in  his  cowardly  imperfections 
Now  this  besides:  if  we  would  not  cut  off  our  attachment  to  creatures 
for  God's  love  and  our  own  eternal  happiness,  then  we  might  do  it 
wisely  for  a  selfish  reason,  namely,  the  sweet  peace  of  heart  that  it 
gives  us  during  this  life.  God's  love  sets  us  free  from  manv  an  inner 
pang,  and  soothes  away  many  an  oppression  of  spirit. 

This   is  not  our  highest  motive,   and  yet  a  most  reasonable  one 
The  man  who  busies  himself  with  all  sorts  of  earthly  things    who 
would  set  every  wrong  thing  right,  who  meddles  with  other  people's 
affairs,  who  resists  when  attacked  and  attacks  when  angered— such 
a  man  is  full  of  unrest.     He  goes  astray;  he  reaps  trouble  on   all 
hands.     And  if  the  whole  world  leaves  him  in  peace  he  none  the  less 
devours  himself  with  irritation  and  discontent.    If  we  want  peace  we 
must  commit  all  our  affairs  into  God's  hands  with  childlike  confi- 
dence.    In  all  our  works  of  soul  and  body  let  Him  be  the  master 
workman,  planning  and  doing  as  He  wills;  that  brings  full  peace 
and  brings  it  surely.     Is  not  He  a  better  workman  and  a  wiser  one 
than  I  am?     Does  not  He  know  what  is  best  for  mv  outward  wel- 
fare and  for  my  soul's  estate?     And  He  undertakes  this  care  of  us 
the  moment  He  finds  us  doing  and  thinking  and  speaking  all  things 
solely  for  His  praise  and  glory.     That  is  our  part,  that  and  nothing 
more.    Neither  for  our  bodily  welfare  nor  our  interior  happiness  need 
we  make  any  provision,  except   to   give  ourselves  up  to   Him   with 
deepest  sincerity   of   heart  and  real    humility.     From  time    to  time 


672  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

He  will  show  us  ways  and  means  of  acting  wisely  in  all  our  affairs, 
both  spiritual  and  temporal.  Does  He  not  know  what  we  need? 
And  will  He  not  provide  for  us  perfectly,  if  we  will  only  place  all  our 
trust  in  Him? 

The  misery  is  that  we  insist  on  ruling  ourselves  and  all  our  affairs, 
and  our  guide  is  self-love.  We  trust  usually  to  mere  natural  light. 
We  act  as  if  we  thought  ourselves  wiser  than  the  very  fountain  of 
all  wisdom.  What  is  it  that  deeply  concerns  us?  It  is  some  trouble 
to  be  shaken  off;  some  person  to  be  quit  of,  because  he  annoys  us;  to 
have  this  or  that  office;  to  enter  a  certain  society — one  or  other  of 
such  things  as  these  we  fasten  on  as  the  best  thing  in  the  world.  If 
we  only  knew  ourselves  thoroughly  well,  we  should  find  traces  of 
the  evil  spirit  in  all  this.  He  is  misleading  us;  he  is  gradually  win- 
ning control  of  us  by  taking  advantage  of  our  unsteadiness. 

Steady  perseverance  is  that  virtue  which  gathers  other  virtues  into 
one;  hence  the  evil  spirit  does  his  best  with  all  of  us  to  throw  us  off 
one  good  purpose  onto  another.  His  aim  is  to  make  us  unstable. 
If  we  knew  our  own  hearts  better  we  should  discover  that  it  is  self- 
seeking  that  inspires  our  life;  or  that  we  unconsciously,  perhaps,  are 
striving  to  at  once  be  rid  of  some  cross  that  God  would  have  us  carry 
a  while  longer.  But  this  must  not  be.  Our  beloved  Lord  will  have 
His  chosen  ones  constantly  crucified.  He  brings  this  about  in  many 
strange  and  secret  ways,  but  always  acting  out  of  His  merciful  love. 
He  will  not  allow  created  things  to  make  us  happy,  for  He  is  deter- 
mined that  the  enemy  of  souls  shall  never  gain  mastery  over  us.  Our 
Lord  crucifies  one  man  in  this  way  and  another  in  that.  He  causes 
one  to  suffer  more,  another  less,  according  as  He  perceives  our  neces- 
sities, our  readiness  for  certain  graces,  and  our  progress  in  perfec- 
tion. Hence  we  must  suffer  as  submissively  under  one  infliction  as 
under  another,  according  as  God  may  bring  it  about. 

Meantime  we  should  not  rashly  draw  conclusions  from  the  occur- 
rences of  our  life,  as  if  God's  will  was  this  or  that;  let  us  wait  till 
His  designs  are  maturely  developed,  or  seek  and  follow  the  guidance 
of  His  devout  friends.  In  all  this  we  tread  the  road  of  real  peace. 
It  sometimes  happens  that  in  running  away  from  a  slight  suffering 
we  run  straight  into  a  very  serious  one. 

Would  to  God  that  we  were  not  so  silly.  Did  we  but  appreciate 
how  closely  a  little  anguish  of  soul  joins  us  to  God  and  sinks  us 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  673 

into  God,  we  should  sufifer  willingly  enough.  Did  we  but  know  how 
quickly  the  cross  of  Christ  drives  out  the*  evil  one,  we  should  run  many 
a  mile  to  meet  and  embrace  it.  If  we  knew  the  precious  worth  of 
suffering,  we  should  sincerely  thank  those  who  any  way  oppress 
us.  Therefore  must  we  anxiously  seek  out  the  way  of  the  cross,  glad 
and  thankful  when  we  find  it;  yes,  happy  to  find  several  crosses  at 
once  to  carry  for  Christ's  sake.  What  did  the  holy  Apostle  St.  An- 
drew do?  When  he  came  in  sight  of  the  cross  on  which  he  was  to 
die  he  overflowed  with  joy.  It  was  an  ecstacy  to  him  to  feel  that  in 
his  death  he  was  so  much  to  resemble  his  divine  Master.  Christ  was 
crucified  for  us  all.  What,  then,  shall  be  our  best  joy  but  to  bear  Him 
company.  Ah,  what  a  wonderful  and  eternal  reward  of  glory  may 
we  not  earn  in  this  poor,  fleeting  life  of  ours  in  this  matter  of  suffer- 
ing, if  we  will  but  gladly  give  ourselves  up  to  God's  guidance.  It  is 
every  way  a  noble  thing  to  sufi'er;  it  is  fruitful  of  joy  here  and  eter- 
nal joy  hereafter;  it  makes  men  like  God,  and  that  is  why  He  will 
not  dispense  His  friends  from  suffering.  Rather  than  allow  His  elect 
souls  to  be  without  the  heavenly  benefits  of  suffering  God  would 
create  new  sufferings  out  of  nothing;  He  would  set  over  us  the  whole 
universe  of  dead  and  senseless  things,  to  painfully  exercise  us  in  the 
virtues  that  lead  to  eternal  joy. 

But,  alas,  we  are  unworthy  of  such  precious  favors;  we  are  un- 
receptive  of  such  gifts,  and  unregardful  of  our  opportunities.  Nay, 
we  incessantly  run  away  from  sufferings.  Especially  are  we  unwilling 
to  suffer  from  one  another;  we  cannot  tolerate  the  least  annoyance 
by  words  or  deeds.  If  any  man  attacks  us,  forthwith  we  strike  back ; 
among  our  adversaries  we  are  like  savage  dogs.  Interiorly  we  are 
full  of  bitterness ;  right  or  wrong  we  defend  ourselves  vehemently  and 
with  burning  words.  We  will  not  bear  to  be  put  down  by  anybody 
whatsoever.  O  misery,  misery,  how  wild  is  our  nature,  how  utterly 
unmortified,  and  how  very  foolish.  We  ought  to  deem  ourselves 
unworthy  of  so  high  a  principle  as  suffering  in  common  with  Christ. 
Besides,  do  we  not  know  this  to  be  needful  for  our  perfection?  We 
should  accept  trouble  and  annoyance  as  gifts  from  heaven,  receive 
them  in  real  thankfulness,  and  humble  ourselves  silently  and  meekly 
beneath  the  blows  that  are  dealt  us,  imitating  the  wise  and  prudent 
and  constant  patriarch  Job. 

Another  sentiment  that  should  inspire  us  is  that  of  penance.     We 


674  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

should  gladly  suffer  all  inflictions  as  a  chastisement  well  merited  by 
our  sins.  No  matter  how  ill  treated  we  may  be  we  should  feel  that 
the  pain  falls  far  short  of  what  we  have  deserved.  This  brings  us 
into  a  state  of  true  peace.  This  fits  us  to  exhort  and  lead  our  neigh- 
bor to  the  practice  of  virtue.  And  this  way  is  far  more  profitable  to 
us,  far  more  conducive  to  God's  honor,  than  all  manner  of  self-chosen 
devotional  or  penitential  exercises. 

Surely,  dear  children,  if  all  teachers  were  dead  and  buried,  and  if 
all  books  were  burnt,  we  should  have  learning  enough  and  wisdom 
enough  in  the  life  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Whatever  virtue  we  may 
lack  let  us  but  fix  our  eyes  on  Him  and  study  Him  earnestly,  and 
we  shall  abound  with  grace;  how  He  has  gone  before  us  in  all  patience 
and  mildness,  enduring  every  conceivable  opposition  from  men  and 
devils,  in  abandonment  and  desolation,  in  disgrace  and  shame  and 
destitution,  in  the  bitterest  pains  and  griefs.  O  let  us  often  look  at 
ourselves  in  this  wonderful  mirror,  for  that  will  strengthen  us  cheer- 
fully to  endure  every  infliction  without  and  anguish  within.  This 
tells  us  how  to  overcome  temptations  and  patiently  bear  misfortunes, 
no  matter  from  where  or  from  whom  they  may  come.  This  study  of 
Jesus  crucified  makes  toil  and  pain  easy  to  bear. 

And  this  shows  us  how  to  take  good  out  of  all  the  events  of  life. 
For  if  we  would  enter  the  harbor  of  peace  in  God  we  must  diligently 
learn  to  turn  everything  to  a  good  use.  This  custom  gives  us,  besides, 
a  natural  tranquility  of  mind,  and  saves  us  from  the  world's  unrest — 
bearing  ourselves  mildly  and  gently  towards  all,  whether  rough  men 
or  smooth.  Serving  God  faithfully,  we  must  expect  to  be  often  mis- 
treated by  our  fellows,  and  so  be  ready  to  make  all  allowances  for 
them.  We  shall  constantly  be  tempted  to  say  of  one  that  he  talks  too 
much,  and  of  another  that  he  is  too  silent;  one  displeases  us  because 
he  goes  too  slow,  and  another  because  he  goes  too  fast.  People's  man- 
ners offer  many  occasions  for  our  falling  into  interior  defects  against 
charity  and  justice.  All  this  we  must  strenuously  resist,  never  allow- 
ing such  thoughts  to  get  a  hold  upon  us.  We  may  be  too  weak  to 
quite  exclude  them  from  our  hearts,  but  we  must  at  least  totally  re- 
press every  outbreak  of  impatient  words  correcting  nobody  whatso- 
ever. Nor  is  it  right  to  make  people's  manners  and  ways  and  words 
topics  of  conversation,  neither  with  one  or  many  companions,  no 
matter  what  compulsion  may  be  put  upon  us.    There  is  certainly  much 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  675 

merit  in  such  charitable  conduct,  besides  the  advantage  of  a  peaceful 
soul  and  the  happy  facility  of  bearing  adversity. 

Our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ  taught  that  doctrine  well  and  truly 
by  His  example.  Consider  how  gently  He  treated  Judas  and  all  His 
other  tormentors.  He  showed  them  every  sign  of  affection,  well  as 
He  knew  their  deadly  hate.  He  could  easily  have  punished  them; 
yet  He  was  the  most  innocent  Lamb  of  God  among  them.  To  be 
sure,  no  man  can  reach  that  degree  of  perfection,  or  say  that  he  is 
without  sin.  Let  any  of  us  but  examine  his  conscience  sincerely  and 
he  finds  many  faults  to  lay  to  his  own  charge — too  many  to  allow 
of  his  presuming  to  administer  punishment  to  others.  And  that  is 
true  of  my  own  poor  self,  whose  faults  you  are  well  aware  of.  Learn 
by  my  faults  to  guess  at  your  own,  and  humbly  to  acknowledge  them. 

Lay  to  heart  the  words  you  have  heard  from  me.  I  assure  you,  as 
God  sees  me,  that  I  have  studied  you  all  out  of  the  book  of  my  own 
transgressions.  My  purpose  has  not  been  to  preach  doctrine  to  you, 
for  I  am  in  need  of  your  teaching  rather  than  you  of  mine.  But  I 
have  given  you  a  brotherly  warning,  that  if  any  man  will  not  live 
a  recollected  life  he  will  become  a  failure.  Any  man  who  does  not 
cultivate  entire  purity  of  motive,  namely,  God  alone,  and  who  is  not 
rooted  in  real  humility,  shall  not  be  able  to  offer  stout  resistance  to 
temptations,  nor  can  he  hope  to  attain  to  perfection  in  truth.  Better 
is  voluntary  and  spontaneous  poverty  than  all  worldly  gods;  better 
is  union  with  God  than  the  empire  of  the  earth  and  the  heavens, 
even  if  God  filled  them  with  riches  for  you  to  give  to  the  poor.  And 
now  may  God's  everlasting  peace  be  with  you  in  time  and  in  eternity. 
Amen. 


676  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — Corrupt  nature  demands  self-guidance — God  claims  our  alle- 
giance, painful  tut  necessary — Is  God  my  only  motive?  this  is  the 
supreme  question — Trust  God  hlindly  and  exclusively — Thds  can 
only  6e  learned  in  the  interior  life — The  secret  insinuations  of  self- 
love  are  to  he  detected  and  rejected. 


SEEMON  FOE  THE  FEAST  OF  ST.  LAWEENCE,  MAETYE. 

If  any  man  minister  to  Me,  let  him  follow  Me;  and  where  I  am,  there  also 
shall  My  minister  be.— John  xii,  26. 

There  is  rich  meaning  in  these  words.  One  could  write  a  whole 
book  on  each  of  them.  Here  we  shall  only  explain  what  kind  of  a 
man  Christ's  true  minister  is,  serving  God  in  truth  and  following 
Him  wherever  He  leads.  God  does  not  lead  His  minister  in  one  way, 
one  work,  one  manner  of  devout  living;  He  leads  him  where  He  i» 
Himself,  namely,  into  all  ways,  works  and  manners  of  devout  life. 
God  is  in  all  things;  He  is  the  only  and  supreme  Good.  And  hence 
a  man  does  not  minister  to  God  rightly,  who  cannot  serve  Him  except 
in  his  own  self-chosen  way,  whether  it  be  in  choir  or  in  certain  ways 
of  praying — all  according  to  his  own  choice.  If  such  a  man  cannot 
serve  God  as  he  chooses,  or  if  God  would  lead  him  to  some  other 
way,  he  turns  his  back  on  Him,  and  then  he  pours  himself  out  on  this 
thing  and  that  which  interests  him.  Such  a  man  is  not  God's  min- 
ister, for  he  has  turned  away  from  God.  One  can  be  God's  minister 
only  if  he  follows  God  in  all  places,  and  in  all  works  and  ways  of 
piety.  For  in  all  these  God  is;  His  minister  must  simply  and  solely 
follow  nim  in  his  choice  of  them;  Him  alone  must  ho  keep  in  mind 
and  serve  in  all  his  conduct.  God  is  not  in  any  man  who  herein  fails. 
Such  a  one  becomes  involved  in  multiplicity,  his  spirit  is  externized; 
and  besides  the  self-injury  he  does,  he  is  a  disturbing  element  to  the 
people  about  him  in  whatever  place  he  may  be,  and  in  whatever  way 
he  may  be  occupied. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  6T7 

What  is  the  cause  of  this  state?  It  is  this:  God  is  not  within 
thy  soul.  Thou  hast,  indeed,  a  fictitious  God  within  thee,  but  essen- 
tially it  is  not  God.  Hence  as  soon  as  thou  hast  interrupted  thy  de- 
votions the  Divine  presence  is  gone  from  thee;  this  shows  that  thou 
art  not  truly  God's  minister.  The  other  reason  is  that  a  man  empties 
his  soul  out  on  the  external  things  of  the  senses  and  cleaves  to  them. 
If  any  man  would  be  freed  from  multiplicity,  he  ought  to  let  things 
of  the  senses  flow  on  past  him.  If  he  must  be  concerned  with  them 
out  of  duty,  it  should  be  as  one  who  stops  for  a  little  while  to  attend 
to  something  in  which  he  is  by  no  means  deeply  interested,  and  then 
hurries  away;  nor  should  he  touch  such  matters  except  out  of  neces- 
sity. He  has  no  inner  converse  with  them;  he  is  empty  and  free  of 
creatures,  giving  them  no  time  nor  place  to  engage  him,  except  when 
God's  interests  are  plainly  involved.  It  is  exactly  as  if  he  said:  I 
seek  nothing,  I  mean  nothing,  I  pursue  nothing  but  God  alone.  What- 
soever crosses  my  path  I  say  God  bless  you  to  it,  and  go  on  my  way 
to  God. 

What  worse  harm  can  hell  and  devils  do  to  me  than  hinder  my 
loving  Him  for  whom  all  creatures  continually  yearn?  Let  a  man 
press  onward  with  all  his  might  to  God  through  everyone  of  his 
life's  happenings;  let  him  make  no  great  matter  of  what  occurs  to 
him,  whether  sweet  or  bitter.  Let  it  all  flow  away  behind  you;  med- 
dle with  it  no  more,  for  it  has  ceased  to  concern  you;  follow  God 
with  all  your  best  reason.  Thus  may  one  attend  to  every  external 
duty  without  externizing  himself;  thus  does  God  remain  present  to 
his  mind  amid  a  multiplicity  of  affairs,  while  he  remains  safe  from 
the  effects  of  that  multiplicity.  That  happy  state  comes  only  from 
refusing  to  fasten  one's  spirit  upon  anything  whatsoever  except  God 
alone.  Go  not  forward  or  backward  or  sideways;  take  no  account 
of  pleasure  or  profit,  men's  favor  or  their  disfavor,  but  simply  and 
solely  consider  God. 

If  thou  shouldst  unwittingly  fail  in  this,  and  some  motive  that  is 
not  God  should  for  a  moment  control  thee,  rise  up  again  very  quickly 
with  an  act  of  thy  reason ;  turn  the  good  ship  into  the  right  course 
by  the  rudder  of  holy  discretion.  If  God's  servitor  begins  his  work 
with  an  upright  intention,  and  so  continues  it,  then  no  matter  what 
feeling  of  multiplicity  he  may  experience,  it  will  not  essentially  hurt 
him;  it  will  not  be  enough  to  mislead  him.    God  may  not  be  present 


678  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

to  his  understanding,  but  without  doubt  He  dwells  at  home  with  him 
in  his  more  inward  spirit.  If  he  makes  sure  to  commit  no  deliberate 
faults,  nor  to  cleave  wilfully  to  creatures,  let  not  his  outward  occu- 
pations or  any  occurrences  whatsoever  disturb  his  peace  of  soul.  In 
case  his  devotional  exercises  or  his  external  duties  do  disturb  his 
peace,  that  plainly  shows  that  he  has  failed  in  interior  recollection, 
and  has  not  done  his  task  rightly;  he  has  not  based  his  doing  and 
his  not  doing  exclusively  upon  God. 

When  a  man  becomes  aware  that  God  is  not  his  only  motive,  then 
he  must  strive  with  all  his  might  to  make  Him  so.  He  must  cast 
out  all  else  but  God,  of  whatever  name  or  nature  it  may  be.  Other- 
wise he  is  like  a  man  shot  with  an  arrow,  and  which  he  will  not  allow 
to  be  extracted  because  of  the  pain  that  it  will  cause — meantime  his 
flesh  swells  and  putrifies.  So  in  very  truth  is  it  with  thy  soul.  If 
anything  that  is  not  God,  or  not  on  account  of  God,  holds  place  there, 
be  sure  that  God  will  not  abide  in  thee.  If  thou  wilt  not  suffer  the 
first  sharp  pain  of  detachment  from  creatures,  then  the  later  pain  will 
be  much  worse,  misery  upon  misery  increasing  beyond  all  comprehen- 
sion. The  spirit  of  a  man  must  go  to  God  clean  and  empty  of  crea- 
tures. It  must  stand  ready  for  the  word  and  beck  of  God,  as  if  to 
say:  Dear  Lord,  if  I  could  but  give  Thee  joy  in  all  my  good  works 
and  in  all  my  dealings  with  men,  to  that  task  I  would  humbly  devote 
myself.  Another  thing  is  this:  Whenever  opportunity  serves,  one 
must  fly  from  multiplicity  and  gladly  choose  to  turn  inwardly  to  soli- 
tude with  all  his  faculties. 

A  man  must  serve  God  not  as  he  himself  wills,  but  according  to 
the  blessed  will  of  God,  and  this  rule  extends  to  everything,  both  of 
the  outer  and  the  inner  life.  When  one  has  not  God  as  his  interior 
guest  he  goes  onward  with  uncertain  step,  as  the  Scripture  says: 
"Woe  to  him  that  is  alone,  for  when  he  falleth  he  hath  none  to  lift 
him  up"  (Eccles.  iv,  10).  But  if  a  man  be  on  his  guard,  and  if  his 
soul  is  like  a  well-garrisoned  fortress,  then  the  enemy  assaults  him 
in  vain.  God  is  our  soul's  garrison;  keep  Him  with  you  securely, 
always  realize  His  holy  presence.  When  one  thus  possesses  God  he 
stands  in  need  of  little  else;  any  little  provision  of  this  world's  com- 
fort suffices  him;  nor  is  he  disturbed  by  contradictions  in  his  labors, 
or  opposition  from  the  men  around  him.  If  God  be  felt  within  the 
soul,  it  makes  more  progress  in  virtue  under  external  difficulties  than 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  gjg 

when  all  is  favorable.  But,  of  course,  nature  feels  this  unpleasantly, 
and  one  stands  his  ground  only  with  an  efifort;  especially  does  he 
need  constant  recollection  of  the  spirit  in  God. 

The  best  state  of  things  for  us  is  not  prosperity;  then  everything 
goes  on  of  itself,  and  very  smoothly.  How  can  one  tell  if  he  be  in 
reality  a  true  minister  of  Christ  if  he  suffers  no  adversity  for  Him? 
But  thou  mayest  ask:  Suppose  a  man  fails  in  fidelity  under  stress 
of  adversity?  Let  him  rise  up  again  quickly,  acknowledge  his  misery 
and  nothingness  before  God,  and  renew  his  spirit  of  recollection- 
all  this  the  sooner  the  better.  But  do  not  dwell  too  long  on  thv 
faults,  discussing  sadly  how  this  happened  or  how  that;  such  a  prac- 
tice is  indiscreet.  Hast  thou  been  unequal  to  duty?  Then  how  ^halt 
thou  be  made  equal  to  it  but  by  secretly  entering  deep  into  God*^ 
How  Shalt  thou  better  run  away  from  death  than  by  running  into 
Life?  Life  eternal  and  essential.  Is  there  any  better  way  to  be 
warmed  than  to  come  near  the  fire?  Lay  all  thy  cares  upon  God, 
and  He  will  arrange  everything  for  the  best.  For  thy  part  trust 
Him  implicitly  and  in  everything  that  concerns  thee;  that  done  ac- 
cept all  the  happenings  of  thy  life  in  peace  of  mind,  and  make  the 
best  of  them. 

But  if  a  man  will  not  trust  God  nor  abandon  himself  to  Him  if 
he  insists  on  striving  and  straining  and  worrying,  God  often  permits 
him  to  fall  into  deep  misery  and  want.  This  is  to  show  him  how 
far  he  can  go  under  self-guidance.  But  if  a  man  sincerely  turns  all 
care  over  to  God,  then  does  God  better  manage  his  affairs  \han  could 
all  creatures  together.  Oh,  God  is  full  of  grace;  He  is  the  fountain 
head  of  wisdom;  and  whoever  seeks  his  guidance  with  sincere  trust- 
fulness will  undoubtedly  obtain  it.  We  cannot  love  God  too  much- 
we  cannot  confide  in  Him  too  blindly-supposing  our  intention  to  b^ 
entirely  upright  and  our  fidelity  unfeigned. 

Now  how  shall  this  way  of  Hfe  be  learned?  How  shall  we  acquire 
trust  in  God,  all  peaceful  and  joyful,  extending  over  all  our  devotion^ 
all  our  good  works,  felt  in  every  place  and  under  all  conditions'^ 
This  can  only  be  learned  in  the  interior  life;  it  comes  to  us  from  con- 
stantly turning  into  the  inmost  depths  of  our  spirit.  For  this  end 
one  needs  holy  leisure,  some  freedom  from  external  duties,  fit  places 
and  times  for  retirement.  It  is  in  interior  recollection  that  thi^ 
peculiar  virtue  of  trust  in   God  is  planted   and   grows,   puts  forth 


680  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

branches  and  bears  fruit.  In  ttiis  inner  detachment  a  man  is  given 
to  know  God's  ways  and  means;  and  the  more  he  dwells  thus  alone 
with  Him  the  clearer  and  truer  does  his  knowledge  grow.  And  when 
this  guidance  fails  then  it  is  plain  that  the  spirit  of  recollection  has 
not  been  fostered ;  proper  hours  and  sufficient  time  and  fit  places  have 
not  been  set  apart  for  God's  intimate  communion;  His  guidance  has 
not  been  honestly  sought. 

You  should  know,  children,  that  some  men,  while  outwardly  spirit- 
ual, are  in  reality  devoted  to  their  own  self-chosen  spiritual  ways,  and 
on  that  account  their  lives  pass  along  and  away  without  their  know- 
ing how  they  stand  with  God.  And  they  finally  grow  to  be  content 
with  this  state,  calling  it  resignation.  But,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  it 
is  nothing  but  gross  spiritual  negligence.  Into  this  slothful  empti- 
ness of  soul  other  defects  insinuate  themselves;  God's  holy  rights  in 
the  soul  are  usurped  by  self-love  or  other  love  of  creatures.  For  it 
is  as  impossible  not  to  have  some  love  or  other  in  one's  soul  as  to 
exist  without  any  soul  at  all.  Whether  one  is  or  is  not  quite  aware 
of  this  sad  state,  it  often  enough  exists;  and  one  goes  along  blindly, 
trusting  to  a  certain  sort  of  spirituality,  certain  devout  practices  and 
good  works,  but  with  no  real  spiritual  fruit.  Such  a  man  thinks  he 
stands  on  solid  ground,  bcause  he  never  investigates  the  foundation 
of  things  in  his  inner  spirit.  At  last  he  comes  to  the  end  and  passes 
into  eternity.  He  has  not  trodden  the  way  that  is  Christ,  who  says: 
"I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth  and  the  life"  (John  xiv,  6).  Whosoever 
walks  not  in  that  way  goes  astray.  It  is  a  deadly  shame  that  a  man 
will  study  and  learn  many  things,  and  himself  he  will  neither  know 
nor  want  to  know. 

Dear  children,  no  man  should  remain  in  doubt  about  his  interior 
life ;  he  should  know  it  positively — not  merely  by  surmise,  but  actually 
— how  deep  God  dwells  in  his  heart,  and  how  strong  is  his  own  yearn- 
ing for  God.  If  he  is  void  of  this  holy  wisdom,  then  let  him  seek  it 
from  devout  and  instructed  men.  Not  fancies  and  surmises,  but  some- 
thing like  certainty  should  possess  his  mind  about  his  standing  with 
God.  Let  him  realize  that  what  he  neglects  now  he  shall  never  make 
up  for  hereafter,  where  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  all  the  Saints  could 
not  win  him  a  hair's  weight  of  merit;  no,  not  with  tears  of  blood. 
They  themselves,  in  their  lifetime,  were  ever  ready;  they  responded 
instantly  to  the  heavenly  Bridegroom  and  entered  into  the  wedding 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  681 

feast  with  all  joj.  The  others  waited  too  long,  and  when  the  cry 
was  heard,  "Lo,  the  Bridegroom  cometh!"  their  lamps  were  not 
trimmed,  and  they  came  too  late;  and  He  answered  their  call  and 
their  knocking  with  an  oath :  "Amen,  I  say  to  you,  I  know  you  not" 
(Matt.  XXV,  12).  They  were  not  His  own;  they  were  not  in  the  ranks 
of  His  familiar  friends  gathered  now  close  around  him. 

St.  Augustine  says:  ''Nothing  is  so  certain  as  death,  nothing  is 
80  uncertain  as  the  hour  of  death,  or  the  place  or  circumstances 
of  death.  Who  knows  the  time,  who  knows  the  manner  of  his  de- 
parture?" Hence,  nothing  is  so  necessary  as  that  we  shall  be  well 
prepared;  that  we  shall  be  sure  we  are  well  prepared,  not  trusting 
to  fancies  or  surmises.  It  is  to  that  end  that  we  are  here  in  our 
time  of  probation ;  it  is  not  for  the  sake  of  good  works  alone,  but  for 
the  sake  of  that  truly  instructed  mind  from  which  the  good  works 
spring  as  the  fruit  is  generated  by  the  tree. 

Let  all  our  pious  exercises  have  that  aim— more  knowledge  of  God's 
interior  ways,  and  a  nearer  approach  to  union  with  Him.  What- 
soever man  has  broken  away  from  his  life's  externalism,  and  is  ele- 
vated in  spirit  above  the  things  of  time,  and  has  ordered  his  ways  ac- 
cording to  God's  intimate  guidance,  the  same  cannot  be  involved  in 
multiplicity.  Whatsoever  touches  him  cannot  lay  hold  on  him,  nor 
distract  his  thoughts  and  affections  from  his  inner  life.  The  more 
a  man's  spirit  is  joined  to  God  the  more  quiet-minded  he  is 
the  better  ordered  is  his  life,  the  less  likely  to  be  worried  by  his  re- 
sponsibilities. Here  is  a  sign  of  a  right-minded  man:  that  all  his 
work  and  rest  shall  be  motived  and  done  in  such  a  manner  as  shall 
win  his  approval  afterwards  when  he  is  in  his  better  spiritual  con- 
dition. So  that  when  his  dead  body  shall  be  buried  in  the  earth  his 
soul  may  instantly  be  united  to  the  infinite  Godhead.  It  is  for  this 
end  alone  that  God  has  placed  us  in  this  life;  and  if  we  fail  to  attain 
it  now  we  fail  forever. 

Whose  image  and  superscription  is  stamped  on  the  coin?  To  him, 
whether  God  or  a  creature,  the  tribute  must  be  paid  without  fail.' 
Look  often,  therefore,  into  thy  deeper  thoughts,  and  read  the  super- 
scription on  them:  that  is  to  say,  who  or  what  is  thy  best  beloved? 
Whom  dost  thou  have  mostly  in  view  in  thy  purposes?  What,  for  the 
most  part,  solaces  thee  and  rejoices  thee  and  stirs  thy  affections? 
Thou  art,  perhaps,  really  inclined  towards  God  and  heavenly  things. 


682  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

lovest  the  company  of  God's  friends,  art  pleased  with  public  divine 
service,  thy  mind,  will,  words  and  behavior  given  to  God.  But  ask 
thyself  if  thy  motive  be  not  thy  own  advantage,  thy  honor  among 
religious  persons,  thy  comfort  and  convenience,  thy  friendships,  alas, 
perhaps,  even  thy  pecuniary  advantage.  Is  it  not  all  this,  or  part 
of  it,  that  draws  thee  and  holds  thee,  rather  than  divine  things  con- 
sidered in  themselves?  If  any  man  will  discreetly  question  his  soul 
about  these  matters,  he  will  obtain  true  knowledge  of  himself.  That 
will  give  him  humble  confidence  that  he  really  knows  himself;  sur- 
mises and  guesses  and  uncertainties  are  done.  If  there  is  anything  in 
thy  deeper  spirit  that  is  not  simply  and  purely  God  or  has  not  God 
for  its  origin,  whether  it  be  thy  own  self  or  anything  else,  great  or 
little,  then  thou  hast  not  God  within  thee — supposing,  of  course,  that 
this  be  wilful  and  deliberate.  Thou  mayst  weep  an  ocean  of  tears, 
that  helps  nothing;  thou  must  give  thy  spirit  up  wholly  to  God,  or 
do  without  Him  in  time  and  eternity. 

O,  children,  what  ails  these  poor  men,  that,  having  open  eyes,  they 
yet  will  not  see?  They  are  not  alarmed  at  the  cunning  self-deceptions 
of  our  fallen  nature,  its  secret  tendencies  to  selfhood,  its  constant  re- 
turn to  self,  its  steadfast  regard  to  self  alone  in  all  communication 
with  creatures,  and  even  in  the  service  of  God.  A  man  must  hasten 
forward  without  stopping.  Time  is  short,  and  whatsoever  has  to  do 
with  God,  even  the  smallest  of  His  afifairs,  is  of  greater  weight  than 
all  this  earth's  treasures  put  together.  Therefore,  set  to  work 
earnestly,  both  inwardly  and  outwardly,  to  make  everything  point  to 
God,  and  to  God  alone.  Pray  for  a  heart  quite  disengaged,  so  that 
God  may  work  His  blessed  will  within  thee.  May  He  help  us  to  that 
freedom  and  detachment  of  spirit.     Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  683 


Watrlytng  for  SxlmhB  unh  ^ntmwB 

Synopsis— Watching  is  a  universal  religious  obligation — For  souls  as- 
piring to  perfection,  it  is  needed  especially  in  regard  to  interior 
defects — These  range  from  hidden  lusts  to  foolish  delusions  of 
spirit — God  sharpens  the  gaze  of  faithful  souls — A  icatchful  spirit 
is  constantly  rewarded  with  precious  graces. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  ST.  AUGUSTINE. 

Watch  ye,  therefore,  because  you  know  not  what  hour  your  Lord  will  come. — 
Matt,  xxiv,  42. 

The  evil  spirit  strives  with  all  his  might  and  all  his  cunning  to 
lead  us  astray  into  eternal  loss.  He  watches  for  an  unguarded  hour, 
yea,  even  a  thoughtless  moment,  to  destroy  us.  As  a  robber  watches 
for  a  window  left  open  through  forgetfulness,  so  does  the  prowling 
demon  take  note  of  our  omitting  our  daily  devotions,  or  performing 
them  sluggishly;  then  he  slips  into  our  soul's  house  and  steals  our 
treasure.  Therefore,  carefully  close  your  windows;  that  is  to  say,  be 
wide  awake  and  on  your  guard  against  temptations.  Hold  all  your 
soul's  powers  well  together  in  recollection;  watch  incessantly.  As 
soon  as  thou  art  conscious  of  a  proud  thought  or  stubborn  self-will 
or  self-conceit,  be  sure  that  the  enemy  of  souls  is  at  hand  hoping  to 
carry  off  a  rich  booty  of  thy  spiritual  goods. 

Children,  there  are  those  in  this  world  who  practice  fine  devotions, 
hold  high  names  and  bear  great  fame  as  religious  men,  but  who  are 
full  of  self-approval;  and  this  has  so  far  cut  down  their  merit  that 
in  the  life  to  come  they  will  be  very  thankful  to  have  a  place  among 
rude  Christians  of  no  name  and  wholly  ignorant,  poor  peasants,  but 
humble  servants  of  God.  And  there  are  poor,  simple  creatures  whom 
nobody  notices,  without  learning  and  without  showy  good  works, 
but  yet  sunk  down  before  God  in  real  humility,  who  will  be  placed 
so  high  that  many  a  pretentious  and  self-satisfied  Christian  will 
hardly  be  able  to  see  them.  Watch,  therefore,  with  a  wakeful  spirit. 
Keep  your  soul's  eyes  wide  open.     Look  to  divine  truth  only  in  all 


684  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

your  thoughts,  words  and  deeds;  yea,  even  in  your  virtuous  actions; 
abound  in  patient  suffering;  ever  glance  warily  around,  both  in  your 
outward  and  your  inward  progress  towards  perfection. 

Children,  you  little  dream  how  perilous  is  your  state  of  natural 
weakness,  and  how  deep  a  stain  your  miserable  sins  leave  on  your 
soul.  You  little  appreciate  the  inestimable  favors  God  ever  stands 
ready  to  grant  you,  and  which  you  fail  to  get  by  reason  of  your 
supineness.  Let  me  ask:  Do  you  appreciate  what  it  means  to  pass 
incessantly  under  the  eye  of  God,  searching  your  inmost  soul?  Do 
you  realize  that  all  your  evil  comes  from  your  not  living  and  acting 
in  God's  truth?  How  we  sinners  should  wither  aw^ay  with  fear  and 
shame  as  we  read:  '"The  just  man  shall  scarcely  be  saved"  (I  Peter 
iv,  18).  St.  Augustine  explains  this  as  follows:  "Woe,  and  again 
woe,  to  all  our  righteousness  if  God  will  not  judge  us  according  to 
His  mercy."  Hence,  if  you  but  understood  the  deadly  danger  of  all 
who,  in  practicing  religion,  think  of  anything  but  God  alone,  your 
human  weakness  could  not  stand  it.  Thus  does  the  holy  man  Job 
speak:  "I  have  sinned:  what  shall  I  do  to  Thee,  O  keeper  of  men? 
Why  hast  Thou  set  me  opposite  to  Thee,  and  I  am  become  burdensome 
to  myself?"     (Job  vii,  20). 

The  Lord  bids  us  watch  for  Him,  our  loins  girded,  burning  lamps 
in  our  hands,  awaiting  His  coming  to  the  marriage  feast.  Of  this 
watching  I  have  just  now  discoursed  to  you.  But  you  must  observe 
three  points.  The  girding  of  the  loins  may  be  like  binding  a  man 
with  a  rope,  so  that  he  can  be  drawn  about  against  his  will,  as  you 
would  lead  a  well-broken  horse,  keeping  him  on  the  safe  road,  pulling 
him  back  from  the  edge  of  a  pit.  The  loins  may  mean  the  lusts  of 
our  sensual  nature,  which  we  break  under  the  discipline  of  reason, 
hold  together  in  bondage,  never  allowing  them  free  play.  The  second 
point  is  to  have  lighted  lamps  in  your  hands.  And  this  means  the 
sweet  zeal  of  burning  charity,  both  felt  within  and  active  without. 
That  lamp  must  never  leave  your  hand;  you  must  do  works  of  affec- 
tion on  every  possible  occasion,  and  with  all  eagerness,  but  especially 
among  your  nearest  brethren.  The  third  point  is  waiting  for  your 
Lord's  coming  to  His  marriage  feast:  "Blessed  are  those  servants 
whom  the  Lord,  when  He  cometh,  shall  find  watching.  Amen,  I  say 
to  you,  that  He  will  gird  Himself  and  make  them  sit  down  to  meat, 
and,  passing,  will  minister  to  them"  (Luke  xii,  37). 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  685 

This  marriage  feast  is  in  the  inmost  soul  of  a  man,  the  place  in 
which  God's  blessed  image  is  set  up.  The  nearness  of  the  soul  to  God 
and  God  to  the  soul  there,  the  wonders  He  works  in  that  inner  sanc- 
tuary, the  sweetness  of  the  joy  He  dispenses  there — all  this  passes 
sense  or  reason  to  understand.  Men  usually  know  nothing  of  this 
celestial  banquet,  except  those  who  have  diverted  their  hearts'  desires 
from  all  created  things,  and  have  resolved  with  eternal  steadfastness 
to  be  content  with  God  alone.  The  rest  of  men,  whose  satisfaction  is 
found  in  themselves  and  in  what  they  own,  who  rest  on  creatures 
whether  alive  or  dead,  who  do  this  wilfully  and  deliberately — with 
them  has  God  nothing  to  do  in  this  spiritual  union. 

Upon  these  tardy  and  slothful  souls  the  enemy  fixes  his  eye.  Seeing 
their  Lord  is  long  in  coming,  he  insinuates  some  treacherous  joy 
into  their  hearts,  hoping  that  they  will  be  absorbed  in  it.  Dear  child, 
be  not  deceived  by  this.  Be  resigned  to  wait  for  thy  Lord :  "And  if 
He  shall  come  in  the  second  watch,  or  come  in  the  third  watch,  and 
find  them  so  watching,  blessed  are  those  servants"  (Luke  xii,  38). 
Then  will  He  sit  them  down  to  serve  them;  that  is  to  say.  He  will 
give  them  a  foretaste  of  the  everlasting  marriage  feast.  And  while 
they  patiently  wait  He  will  secretly  visit  their  souls  with  comfort, 
lest  the  tedium  of  delay  should  overcome  them — He  imparts  some 
drops  of  the  sweetness  of  His  own  love  to  strengthen  theirs. 

St.  Gregory  comments  on  these  words  of  the  Psalmist:  "Lo,  I 
have  gone  far  off  flying  away;  and  I  abode  in  the  wilderness''  (Ps. 
liv,  8).  "When,"  says  he,  "an  interior  man  has  waited  on  God,  and 
when  he  has  yet  again  waited,  then  let  him  still  further  wait  and 
withdraw  himself  from  all  things  and  enter  into  the  wilderness." 
This  wilderness  consists  in  giving  up  all  the  multiplicity  of  one's  out- 
ward powers ;  but  more  than  that,  it  includes  the  renouncing  as  much 
as  possible  the  multiplicity  in  the  interior  powers  of  the  soul,  namely, 
the  images  of  the  mind,  the  forms  and  figures  of  the  imagination, 
the  multiplicity  of  the  thoughts.  Thus  removed  from  forms  and 
figures,  a  man's  interior  life  is  lived  in  solitude.  Now  this  is  painful 
to  human  nature.  But  when  one  has  endured  the  pain  patiently  and 
lived  through  the  strain  and  stress  upon  his  mind,  at  last  the  Lord 
comes  to  him — that  Master  whom  he  has  so  lovingly  waited  for.  In 
an  hour  he  dreamed  not  of  the  Lord  is  with  him.  Sudden  as  the  wink- 
ing of  an  eye  is  His  coming  to  reward  his  beloved's  faithful  waiting. 


686  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

But  when  this  has  happened,  and  has  endured  I  know  not  how 
long,  what  follows?  Then  the  Lord  would  elevate  him  yet  higher  in 
His  love.  And  with  that  purpose  He  strikes  him  down  again,  and 
oppresses  him  with  a  tedium  of  waiting  more  dreary  than  before. 
He  thus  withdraws  His  conscious  presence  lest  the  soul  should  cleave 
with  proud  self-complacency  ta  the  interior  sweetness  (already 
granted. 

It  is  for  him  that  Jeremias  speaks:  "I  sat  alone,  because  Thou 
hast  filled  me  with  threats"  (Jer.  xv,  17).  What  does  that  mean, 
but  that  after  a  man  has  entered  into  his  quiet  rest  of  soul  the  Lord 
comes  and  threatens  him  terrifically,  as  if  with  both  hands..  One 
hand  casts  over  him  a  thick  inner  darkness  in  his  sad,  solitary  jour- 
ney; he  knows  nothing  now;  he  has  nothing;  and  he  feels  that  all 
calamity  has  come  upon  him.  Especially,  sins  and  temptations  seem 
to  overwhelm  him — pride  and  impurity  and  denial  of  the  faith  and 
all  else  that  he  dreamed  he  had  got  rid  of  forever.  As  this  awful 
hand  of  God  is  raised  in  threat  against  him,  these  direful  temptations 
are  upon  him.  The  other  hand  is  the  portent  of  eternal  loss.  God 
seems  to  be  ready  to  arraign  him  for  his  sins,  and  to  condemn  him 
to  the  deepest  hell.  O  how  these  two  awful  hands  crush  this  poor 
man's  soul.  And  yet  all  this  cruel  trial  is  intended  by  God  to  purge 
that  soul  of  the  venom  of  pride.  Children,  in  those  who  bow  down 
humbly  beneath  these  two  threatening  hands  all  evil  love  is  quenched ; 
in  a  single  instant  it  is  cured  more  perfectly  than  by  many  years  of 
external  religious  exercises. 

Now,  when  one  has  thus  journeyed  into  the  prophet's  solitude  and 
patiently  dwelt  there,  at  least  a  partial  relief  comes  at  last.  The 
storms  of  passion  are  stilled,  the  forms  and  figures  of  distracting 
thoughts  are  wiped  away.  Then  God,  accompanied  by  His  holy 
angels,  enters  the  wilderness  and  finds  the  soul,  and  in  an  instant  of 
time  endows  him  with  a  gift  of  active  love.  Some  noble  mission  of 
love  is  committed  to  him,  perhaps  an  affair  of  deep  moment  for  all 
Christendom,  for  the  living  or  the  dead — in  one  quick  flash  is  this 
given  to  him.  Then  it  is  as  if  our  Lord  said  to  him :  Thou  needst 
say  no  word  to  Me;  I  well  know  what  thou  dost  desire — and  then  He 
grants  that  man  what  he  wishes.  This  is  the  one  who  fulfils  the 
words:  "The  true  adorers  shall  adore  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in 
truth"  (John  iv,  23).     But  yet  the  demon  is  allowed  to  tempt  him; 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  687 

and  he  now  once  more  casts  into  his  mind  thoughts  of  woe  and  suf- 
fering. Let  him  pay  no  heed  to  these.  If  he  is  not  regardful  of  them, 
then  the  evil  one  must  go  his  way  shamefaced  and  empty-handed; 
and  that  soul  remains  much  benefited  by  Satan's  onslaught. 

In  some  countries  men  are  met  with  who  have  a  false  detachment 
of  spirit.  These  quit  doing  all  good  works  whatsoever.  They  even 
avoid  good  thoughts;  and  they  boast  that  they  have  attained  to  free- 
dom of  spirit.  They  refuse  to  join  in  devout  exercises,  and  they  will 
not  practice  virtue;  they  have  got  beyond  all  that.  But  in  reality 
there  is  an  imp  of  Satan  seated  in  such  a  soul,  who  hinders  all  in- 
terior or  exterior  means  of  disturbing  these  misguided  spirits  and 
getting  them  out  of  their  delusion.  He  keeps  them  restful  in  thought 
and  act,  so  that  he  may  finally  lead  them  into  eternal  unrest;  this  is 
the  secret  of  their  spurious  quiet  of  soul.  Just  men  have  no  such  de- 
ceitful calm.  They  practice  religious  exercises  as  God,  by  interior 
inspirations  or  by  His  lawful  representatives,  leads  them,  both  in- 
terior and  exterior  devotions.  They  sufifer  God  to  guide  them  in  all 
their  trials  and  darkness  of  spirit ;  nor  do  they  for  a  moment  presume 
to  think  that  they  have  arrived  at  a  state  of  spiritual  quiet.  And 
yet  they  are  not  really  in  unrest.  They  journey  along  a  narrow  path 
between  rest  and  unrest,  between  hope  and  unreasonable  fear,  be- 
tween the  sense  of  security  and  that  of  distrust.  When  they  are 
vouchsafed  a  momentary  glimpse  of  true  peace,  of  real  confidence,  of 
spiritual  freedom,  instantly  do  they  cast  this  gift  into  the  abyss  of 
God's  being;  nor  do  they  cleave  to  it  with  afifection. 

Children,  the  men  who  are  in  this  narrow  road  should,  before  all 
things,  tread  in  the  footsteps  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  stricter 
they  observe  this  the  more  perfectly  detached  will  they  become.  Then 
in  due  time  God's  hands  shall  cease  to  threaten;  these  are  now  become 
open  hands,  beckoning  with  all  love;  and  presently  our  Lord's  hands 
and  arms  and  heart  will  embrace  them  most  tenderly,  and  lift  them 
upwards  high  above  all  created  things.  Now  falls  away  every  thought 
of  natural  existence,  and  it  wearies  them  to  so  much  as  think  of  any- 
thing that  is  not  purely  and  simply  God. 

Then  the  Lord  turns  their  eyes  back  on  the  narrow,  dark  and  toil- 
some road  they  have  travelled,  and  instructs  them  fully  in  its  mean- 
ing. After  that  no  man  can  hurt  them,  and  they  are  well  repaid  for 
all  their  misery. 


688  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

To  those  who  glory  in  a  false  freedom  all  this  is  not  right.  They 
presume  upon  a  counterfeit  detachment  of  spirit.  They  will  some- 
times continue  in  this  delusion  for  forty  years  or  more,  doing  great 
works  meanwhile,  and  following  in  all  things  their  self-chosen  spirit- 
ual methods.  They  will  not  walk  in  the  narrow  path;  for  in  a  great 
multitude  there  will,  perhaps,  be  scarcely  one  or  two  willing  to  do  it. 
And  all  the  others  will  look  on  these  with  disapproval,  trying  them 
sorely,  and  thereby  unwittingly  helping  them  in  their  hard  task.  If 
one  of  these  favored  souls  does  the  least  thing  amiss,  the  others  chide 
him  very  severely.  Dear  child,  if  that  be  thy  misfortune,  bear  it 
patiently.  If  a  bitter  answer  escapes  thee,  do  not  be  disheartened. 
Enter  into  thyself,  confess  thy  fault,  and  bear  the  reproach  of  con- 
science manfully.  Keep  still  and  thank  God  that  thou  hast  the  grace 
to  own  thy  defect.  And  it  is  consoling  to  know  that  if  thou  hadst 
been  very  patient  under  reproof  it  might  have  been  the  occasion  of 
a  greater  sin,  namely,  that  of  spiritual  pride.  Humble  thyself  and  go 
on  thy  way.  Everything,  be  it  straight  or  crooked,  will  prepare  thee 
for  God's  coming.  All  things  will  work  together  for  thy  good,  if  thou 
wilt  but  be  watchful  over  thyself.  Whosoever  thus  waits  for  the 
Lord  with  watchful  eyes,  as  did  St.  Augustine,  him  will  the  Lord 
sit  down  at  His  heavenly  banquet,  and  He  will  serve  him  with  all 
joy.    May  God  grant  this  to  happen  to  all  of  us.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  689 


SIl|f  g^u^ir? marg  of  t\}t  (ttnuaa  of  fflljrtBl 

Synopsis — Jesus  crucified  rules  mankind  from  His  cross — This  means 
the  law  of  sacrifice  in  our  lives — Some  reflections  on  Holy  Com- 
munion— How  the  love  of  Christ  leads  us  to  crucify  our  flesh. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  THE  EXALTATION  OF 

THE  HOLY  CROSS. 

And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  things  unto  Myself. — 
John  xii,  32. 

Today  we  celebrate  the  Exaltation  of  the  Holy  Cross,  on  which 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  salvation  of  the  whole  world,  suffered  and 
died  out  of  love  for  us.  By  the  Cross  of  Christ  we  are  born  again 
into  that  high  nobility  in  which  God  first  created  us.  Let  us  love  it 
well  in  this  new  birth  of  love,  for  its  dignity  cannot  be  expressed  in 
words.  Said  our  Lord :  "And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth, 
will  draw  all  things  unto  Myself."  He  means  our  hearts'  love;  He 
would  draw  our  hearts  away  from  all  joy  in  creatures,  draw  them  to 
Himself.  He  would  draw  us  away  from  proud  self-complacency,  and 
from  attachment  to  things  of  the  senses.  He  would  be  lifted  up  in 
our  hearts  and  be  made  great  and  powerful  there.  Wheresoever  God 
is  great  there  all  creatures  are  little.  In  Him  all  transitory  things  are 
as  nothing  at  all. 

This  blessed  cross  is  nothing  else  but  Christ  crucified,  who  is 
exalted  high  above  all  saints  and  angels,  all  bliss  and  happiness  of 
all  creatures  taken  together.  And  as  His  rightful  place  is  the  highest, 
so  will  He  dwell  within  us  elevated  to  the  highest  place,  the  most 
interior,  the  most  receptive  place  in  our  spirit.  By  that  means  He 
will  draw  the  lowest  powers  of  our  nature  into  submission  to  the 
highest,  and  both  highest  and  lowest  He  will  draw  into  union  with. 
Himself.  If  we  will  but  yield  to  Him  in  this,  then  will  He  draw  us- 
out  of  ourselves  and  into  Himself,  into  His  highest  and  most  interior 
life.  And  that  must  needs  be.  For  if  I  shall  be  drawn  into  His  life, 
I  must  of  necessity  receive  Him  into  mine ;  as  much  of  mine,  so  much 
of  His.    Such  is  the  even  trade  between  Him  and  me. 


690  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

But,  alas,  how  much  is  this  holy  cross  forgotten.  How  very  gener- 
ally is  the  interior  ground  of  our  hearts  shut  against  it;  it  is  barred 
out  by  love  of  created  things.  Love  for  created  things  rule  souls  in 
our  day,  souls  of  men  in  the  world,  and  those  even  in  more  spiritual 
states  of  life.  Many  hearts  are  lost  to  God  by  loving  creatures,  the 
blindest  love  and  the  direst  misfortune  in  the  world.  If  we  could 
but  appreciate  God's  anger  over  this  when  men's  souls  are  arraigned 
in  His  court,  we  should  wither  away  with  fear.  But  men  go  so  far 
as  to  make  jokes  about  this,  doing  it  sometimes  habitually.  Disre- 
gard of  eternal  penalties  is  deemed  a  mark  of  honor — a  misery  over 
which  God's  saints  in  heaven,  were  such  a  thing  possible,  would  weep 
tears  of  blood.  The  wounds  of  Christ  would  bleed  afresh  over  so 
awful  a  deed  as  shutting  out  Christ's  cross  from  our  souls,  for  whose 
welfare  He  lived  His  Divine  life  on  earth  and  suffered  His  cruel  death. 
May  God  pity  us  all. 

Children,  this  is  no  invention  of  mine,  for  you  know  that  all  holy 
Scripture  holds  up  the  supremacy  of  Christ's  cross.  Says  the  Gospel : 
"No  man  can  serve  two  masters.  For  either  he  will  hate  the  one  and 
love  the  other,  or  he  will  sustain  the  one  and  despise  the  other.  You 
cannot  serve  God  and  mammon"  (Matt,  vi,  24).  And  again  does 
Ohrist  teach :  "If  thy  right  eye  scandalize  thee,  pluck  it  out  and  cast 
it  from  thee"  (Matt,  v,  29).  And  about  fixing  our  heart  on  worldly 
goods.  He  says :  "Where  thy  treasure  is,  there  is  thy  heart  also"  (Matt. 
vi,  21).  St.  Augustine  comments  on  this:  "Dost  thou  love  the  earth? 
Then  thou  art  of  the  earth  earthly;  for  thy  soul  is  more  truly  present 
with  what  it  loves  than  it  is  present  with  the  body  to  which  it  gives 
life."  And  St.  Paul  teaches :  "If  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  and 
of  angels  *  *  *  and  if  I  should  distribute  all  my  goods  to  feed 
the  poor,  and  if  I  should  deliver  my  body  to  be  burned,  and  have  not 
charity,  it  profiteth  me  nothing"  (I  Cor.  xiii,  1-3). 

Now,  my  dear  children,  be  very  thankful  to  God  for  the  wonderful 
privilege  of  receiving  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord  in  Holy  Com- 
munion, a  favor  often  granted  you  as  members  of  your  order.  For  this 
brings  you  very  close  to  the  cross  of  Jesus  crucified.  Often  receive 
our  Lord.  I  trust  with  all  my  heart  and  soul  that  this  devout  prac- 
tice of  frequent  communion  shall  not  be  discontinued  in  these  danger- 
ous times.  Nature  cannot  stand  alone ;  either  it  must  fall  lamentably, 
or  with  all  its  powers  cling  to  God  for  support.  And  do  not  suppose 
that  this  is  a  question  of  perfection ;  no,  but  rather  of  preservation  from 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  g92 

our  Innate  weakness,  and  salvation  from  eternal  loss.  Our  Lord  teaches 
that  the  well  need  not  a  physician,  but  the  sick.  And  this  need  of  vital 
help  IS  seen  in  our  times  far  and  wide,  and  even  among  persons  con- 
secrated to  God. 

But  let  no  one  sit  in  judgment  on  those  who  are  not  perfect  in  their 
good  works  If  these  observe  the  rules  of  their  holy  order  as  far  as 
they  are  able,  that  is  enough,  so  long  as  they  have  a  good  will  to  do 
al  the  rest,  and  are  lawfully  dispensed  from  stricter  observance  It 
takes  no  great  learning  for  this  much.  Let  them  cheerfully  comply 
with  their  rule  as  far  as  they  can,  meanwhile  keeping  their  eyes  wide 
open  against  all  deadly  dangers.  To  this  end  let  even  our  younger 
members  often  and  gladly  approach  Holy  Communion.  I  will  answer 
for  the  older  ones.  They  have  communicated  often  and  fervently  in 
former  years  when  times  were  not  so  wicked.  They  have  been  de- 
voted y  attached  to  our  order  and  lovingly  obeyed  its  rules.     They 

7t  nffi  .  r'vJ''^  ""P  '^"'^  P'""'  '""'''"^  ^^  fortnightly  communion. 
It  sufficed  for  their  perfection  in  better  days  than  these.  But  the  de- 
generacy of  our  younger  people  calls  for  a  yet  more  frequent  use  of 
Holy  Communion  on  their  part,  in  order  to  overcome  their  evil  incli- 
nations. We  need  more  help  of  divine  grace  and  more  frequent  Com- 
munion nowadays,  if  we  would  keep  our  footing  in  the  higher  ways  of 
perfection.  Alas,  everything  seems  sinking  down  into  the  pit  of  beastly 
lust  and  sensual  enjoyment. 

„  I  """  ""f '""="•  P«'-'e'=tion  of  you  than  that  you  love  your  holy 
order,  and  that  you  resolve  to  keep  its  sacred  rules  to  the  best  of  your 
ability  Observe  strict  silence  iu  every  place  and  time  prescribed,  but 
espeaally  at  table  and  in  choir.  Be  on  your  guard  against  the  ea^t 
famiUanty  with  any  who  may  lead  you  away  from  God-the  older 
members  for  he  sake  of  edification  and  recollection,  the  younger  ones 
ou  account  of  natural  frailty.  Do  this  with  deep  sincerity,  and  God 
w.ll  grant  you  His  own  familiar  company,  and  then  it  will  be  easy 
enough  to  fiy  from  ail  that  may  sully  the  purity  of  your  heart  I  as 
sure  you  that  the  intolerable  evils  that  have  fallen  on  certain  monas- 

ioTanr-f  :r\'T  ''T''  "'  ^"'^  ™'^  ^"-^  dangerous  arc 

nL    ^,1  f    ™'""'°'  "  ^"'  """S  *"«■"  t°  "«<>■•  destruction. 

Dear  children,  if  in  your  spiritual  life  you  do  not  feel  sweetness 

of  devotion,  M  that  not  distress  you.    What  is  worth  more  than  all 

taste  of  sweetness  is  to  do  what  good  lies  in  your  power,  and  to  be  in- 

tenorly  detached  from  earthly  things.    Bitterness  of  soul  suffered  for 


692  Tbe  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

God's  sake  will  bring  you  nearer  to  Him  in  living  truth  than  all  man- 
ner of  sensible  devotion.  Our  Lord  cried  out  on  the  cross :  "My  God ! 
My  God!  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  Me?"  (Matt,  xxvii,  46).  And  in 
the  agony  in  the  garden  He  exclaimed  to  His  Father:  "Not  what  I 
will,  but  what  Thou  wilt."  (Mark,  xiv,  36).  Will  you,  dear  children, 
be  afraid  to  follow  Him?  Listen  to  Him  again:  "If  any  man  will 
come  after  Me,  let  him  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross  daily  and  fol- 
low Me."     (Luke  ix,  23). 

Children,  the  cross  means  Christ  crucified.  He  must  be  born  in  us, 
and  in  all  our  soul's  powers,  will,  memory  and  understanding;  yes, 
and  even  in  our  outward  life  of  the  five  senses  must  Christ  crucified 
be  given  full  mastery.  St.  Paul  teaches :  "They  that  are  Christ's,  have 
crucified  their  fiesh  with  the  vices  and  concupiscences"  (Gal.  v,  24). 
That  means  the  taming  of  our  unruly  sensual  tendencies  under  the 
dominion  of  Christ  crucified.  And  our  irascible  tendencies  must  also 
be  subjugated.  We  must  easily  give  up  to  others,  and  that  in  all  law- 
ful things  whatsoever.  We  must  easily  believe  others  are  right  and 
ourselves  wrong.  We  must  abhor  strife,  and  become  kindly-mannered 
and  good-natured,  silent  under  insult,  and  as  easily  led  by  our  neigh- 
bor as  a  feather  is  wafted  by  the  wind. 

If  thou  art  in  a  gathering  of  men,  and  seest  the  others  chattering 
and  noisy,  dear  child,  learn  a  lesson  of  silence  from  that,  turn  into 
thy  own  thoughts  and  sit  still.  If  a  man  would  learn  a  trade  how 
is  he  going  to  do  it  if  he  will  not  let  himself  be  taught?.  If  thou  un- 
dertakest  a  fencing  bout,  thou  shalt  be  worsted  and  suffer  hurt  unless 
thou  dost  practice  beforehand  under  a  master.  Thus,  also,  in  the  Lord's 
warfare  we  learn  how  to  win  the  victory  over  ourselves  by  suffering 
contradictions.  As  to  the  two  interior  faculties,  the  understanding 
and  the  will,  the  powers  of  knowing  and  of  loving,  the  cross  of  Jesus 
crucified  must  be  taken  up  and  carried  in  them  most  manfully,  that 
the  all-loving  Eedeemer  may  be  borne  in  our  inmost  spirit. 

Thus  it  is  that  we  are  to  be  born  again  in  God,  to  be  made  the  fruit 
of  His  spirit.  St.  Peter  says:  "As  new-bom  babes,  desire  the  rational 
milk  without  guile"  (I.  Peter  ii,  2).  If  thus  you  live  to  God,  every 
day  of  yours  is  a  day  of  the  dedication  of  God's  living  temple;  all 
your  sins  will  be  forgiven  by  this  new  birth  in  Christ  crucified.  May 
God  help  us  to  His  Son's  blessed  cross,  that  we  may  be  nailed  to  it 
and  hang  upon  it,  and  that  by  it  we  may  be  constantly  born  into  new- 
ness of  life.     Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  693 


3nt^H0r  Olnirifixiott 

Synopsis — Christ  crucified  draws  all  our  being  inward  to  Himself — The 
interior  life  is  a  sweet  and  bitter  crucifixion,  followed  by  resurrec- 
tion— Tfie  hard  truth  that  not  in  joy  but  in  pain  we  are  joined  to 
God — Wartiing  against  despondency. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  THE  EXALTATION  OF 

THE  HOLY  CROSS. 

And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  things  to  Myself. — 
John  xii,  32. 

This  is  the  Feast  of  the  Exaltation  of  the  Holy  Cross,  whose  dignity 
pasBes  the  power  of  words  to  tell,  by  which  all  glory  of  time  and  eter- 
nity is  given  us ;  for  when  we  think  of  the  cross  we  call  to  mind  Him 
who  died  upon  it.  On  this  day  religious  communities  with  all  solemn- 
ity pay  high  honor  to  the  Cross,  and,  when  their  rule  requires  it,  they 
begin  today  a  season  of  fasting — a  practice  profitable,  not  only  to 
them,  but  to  all  others  who  may  be  able  to  observe  it. 

We  recall  today  how  a  Christian  Emperor  recovered  the  true  cross 
from  a  heathen  King,  and  how  he  began  to  bear  it  with  royal  pomp 
into  Jerusalem.  But  his  pomp  was  not  suitable  to  that  symbol  of  pain 
and  sorrow,  and,  therefore,  God  miraculously  closed  the  gate  of  the 
city  against  him,  and  stationed  an  angel  there  to  bar  him  out,  who 
said  to  him :  "Thou  comest  here  carrying  the  cross  with  majestic 
splendor,  whereas  He  who  died  upon  it  was  driven  out  of  this  city  in 
shame  and  ruin,  bearing  it  on  His  bruised  shoulders  and  walking  pain- 
fully along  barefoot."  Upon  hearing  these  words  the  Emperor  quickly 
got  down  from  his  horse,  stripped  oflf  his  precious  robes,  even  to  his 
shirt,  laid  aside  his  glittering  crown  and  took  off  his  shoes;  then  in 
that  poor  plight,  shouldering  the  holy  cross,  he  started  forward.  The 
gates  flew  open  before  him,  and  he  entered  the  city  and  set  the  cross 
up  in  its  place,  and  many  miracles  were  wrought  by  it  on  the  blind 
and  lame  and  sick. 


694  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Our  Lord  said :  "And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw 
all  things  to  Myself."  Man  is  what  is  meant  by  all  things,  for,  as  St. 
Gregory  says,  man  has  in  him  all  forms  of  matter  and  of  life.  Now 
we  meet  with  men  who  have  found  the  cross,  for  God  has  drawn  them 
to  it  and  to  Himself  with  many  sorts  of  pains,  and  with  various  pious 
exercises.  But  these  sufferings  must  not  only  be  found  by  us — as 
was  the  material  cross  of  Christ  by  that  Emperor — but  they  must  be 
exalted  in  the  soul  and  made  supreme  there.  If  a  man  will  but  enter 
into  himself  he  will  find  the  cross  twenty  times  a  day.  Painful  things 
are  always  happening,  and  these  crucify  him,  if  he  will  but  have  it 
so.  But  it  is  quite  possible  that  he  does  not  exalt  these  crosses  to 
their  proper  height;  he  does  not  make  right  use  of  them.  We  should 
lift  up  the  full  weight  of  the  cross  of  life  in  God;  that  is  to  say,  we 
should  accept  all  our  own  pains  and  troubles,  inner  and  outer,  both 
those  of  the  soul  and  those  of  the  body,  with  hearty  and  cheerful  will- 
ingness. It  is  thus  that  a  man  is  drawn  into  God ;  for,  as  Christ  says, 
it  is  when  He  is  lifted  up  that  He  will  draw  all  things  to  Himself. 

Again  do  we  find  men  who  bear  the  cross,  indeed,  but  it  is  in  the 
way  of  outward  piety,  following  too  mechanically  the  routine  of  their 
order,  in  choir,  at  holy  reading,  in  the  refectory.  A  little  honor  is,  in- 
deed, done  our  Lord  in  this  way  of  the  outward  life.  But,  dear  chil- 
dren, do  you  think  that  God  has  created  you  to  be  his  little  singing 
birds?  No,  but  He  would  have  you  to  be  His  special  friends,  and  the 
spouses  of  His  Holy  Spirit.  Yes,  you  carry  Christ's  cross  outwardly, 
but  you  are  careful  to  keep  it  out  of  your  interior  life,  and  you  lay  it 
aside  and  take  a  rest  from  it  whenever  you  can.  Such  as  these  carry 
the  cross,  not  with  our  Lord,  but  with  Simon  the  Cyrenian,  who  was 
forced  to  carry  it.  But  after  all,  even  this  is  good.  They  do  carry 
Christ's  cross ;  it  guards  them  from  many  defects,  it  helps  them  against 
gross  frivolity  of  mind,  and  it  saves  them  many  a  pang  in  purgatory, 
perhaps  even  from  the  eternal  pains  of  hell. 

"I  will  draw  all  things  to  Myself,"  says  our  dear  Lord.  Now,  if 
one  will  draw  things,  he  first  gathers  them  together.  And  so  our  Lord, 
when  He  is  going  to  draw  us,  gathers  our  senses,  our  words  and  works, 
our  thoughts  and  intentions,  our  imaginations  and  our  longings,  our 
understanding,  our  will  and  our  love — all  these  he  attracts  towards 
Him.  And  when  they  are  well  assembled  together  He  absorbs  them 
into  Himself,  and  away  from  all  alien  attractions.    For  be  sure  of  this : 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  695 

if  thou  shalt  be  drawn  to  Christ,  then  all  that  thou  cleavest  to  must  be 
cut  off,  all  and  every  satisfaction  whatsoever,  interior  and  exterior. 
This  detachment  is,  indeed,  a  heavy  task,  all  the  heavier  in  proportion 
to  how  strong  the  attachment  was.  For  all  joy  and  love  thou  hast 
in  created  things,  call  it  by  what  name  thou  pleasest,  however  holy 
and  godly  it  may  seem  to  thee — all  must  be  stripped  ofif  thee,  as  the 
royal  robes  were  stripped  from  that  Emperor,  if  thou  art  to  be  drawn 
to  God  and  exalted  on  His  holy  cross. 

This  is  the  first  degree,  and  it  concerns  a  man's  outward  life. 
Should  he,  however,  wish  to  raise  the  cross  in  his  interior  life,  then 
he  must  needs  give  up  all  interior  joy.  He  must  renounce  all  attach- 
ment to  the  joys  of  his  spirit,  even  such  as  flow  from  the  practice  of 
virtue.  Learned  men  dispute  as  to  whether  or  not  a  man  may  law- 
fully enjoy  the  pleasure  of  virtue  as  such,  maintaining  that  we  can 
only  have  the  profit  of  a  virtuous  act,  and  must  reserve  all  our  joy 
for  God  Himself,  and  for  Him  alone.  Yet  it  must  be  said  that  one 
cannot  practice  virtue  without  feeling  some  joy  in  it;  but  this  must 
be  without  any  sense  of  ownership. 

Children,  what  do  you  think  joy  or  satisfaction  really  is?     Is  it 
that  a  man  can  fast,  watch,  pray,  keep  the  rule  of  his  order?    But  I 
tell  you  that  our  Lord,  when  He  would  have  me  keep  my  order's  rule 
in  the  right  spirit,  will  deprive  me  of  joy  in  doing  all  this.     What  do. 
you  suppose  God  means  by  sending  dry  times  into  your  observance- 
of   the  rule?     Seldom  is    one  day  like    another.     Now  I  am    full  of 
devotion ;  yesterday  I  was  empty  and  barren.    At  one  time  I  am  at- 
tentive to  prayer;  at  another  my  mind  is  overrun  with  all  sorts  of" 
distractions.    Dear  children,  this  is  the  cross  of  Christ.     Accept  theser 
dreary  changes  from  His  hand  in  all  patience,  and  they  will  become 
a  lovely  cross  to  your  souls.     If  thou  wilt  but  offer  them  all  up  to 
God  in  total  resignation  of  spirit,  and  thank  Him  sincerely  for  them, 
thou  shalt  by  their  means  be  drawn  close  to  Christ  crucified  and  ex- 
alted with  Him,  magnifying  God  in  all  the  happenings  of  thy  life. 

The  Son  of  Man  must  be  lifted  up  on  the  cross.  Many  among  us, 
dear  children,  are  clean  of  heart,  but  they  fail  in  this:  they  are  too 
hungry  for  the  sweet  feelings  of  religion.  They  would  have  their 
minds  full  of  emotional  happiness.  Dear  child,  give  over  all  that. 
Attend  diligently  to  real  disengagement  of  spirit.  Be  afraid  of  in- 
terior sweetness;  look  on  thyself  as  unworthy  of  such  favors.     Love 


696  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

the  cross  that  is  found  in  trial  and  temptation;  love  it  better  than 
the  sweet  flowers  of  pious  emotion.  Make  up  thy  mind  that  thou, 
like  everyone  else,  must  bear  the  cross.  Our  Lord  said  to  the  two  dis- 
ciples on  the  road  to  Emmaus:  "Ought  not  Christ  to  have  suffered 
these  things,  and  so  to  enter  into  His  glory?"  (Luke  xxiv,  26).  Can 
it  be  otherwise  with  thee,  His  disciple?  Now,  therefore,  if  any  bright 
light  illumines  thy  inner  soul,  or  any  great  sweetness  refreshes  its 
taste,  let  not  the  enjoyment  of  that  gain  control  over  thee.  Stop 
not  with  it  so  long  as  to  ask :  What  is  this  gift  of  God?  But  quickly 
fall  back  on  thy  own  nothingness  and  do  no  otherwise. 

Our  Lord  said:  "If  any  man  will  come  after  Me,  let  him  deny 
himself  and  take  up  his  cross  daily  and  follow  Me"  (Luke  ix,  23). 
It  is  not  with  prosperity,  but  with  the  cross  that  a  man  follows  God. 
When  St.  Andrew  saw  his  cross  he  cried  out:  "All  hail  to  thee,  thou 
most  lovely  cross.  Long  have  I  craved  with  all  my  heart  to  have 
thee.  Lift  me  up  from  among  men  and  place  me  with  my  Master," 
To  be  made  like-minded  with  that  apostle  is  not  the  work  of  a  day 
or  two.  Thou  must  set  thyself  to  constantly  search  thy  soul  and 
overcome  thyself  in  all  things.  Thou  must  also  keep  strict  account 
of  thy  sins  and  imperfections.  What  if  thou  art  weak  and  fallest 
seventy  times  a  day.  Never  give  up;  rise  again  each  time  and  go 
forward  courageously.  Keturn  to  God  so  quickly  and  so  sincerely 
that  thy  sins  are  pardoned  thee  even  before  thou  hast  time  to  tell 
them  in  confession.  Let  not  thy  sinful  tendencies  affright  three. 
Many  a  fault  of  thine  is  permitted  by  God,  not  so  much  to  hurt 
thee  as  to  help  thee.  For  does  it  not  cause  thee  to  own  to  thyself 
that  thou  art  but  nothingness?  Does  not  the  shame  of  it  lead  thee 
to  mortification  and  detachment?  Carefully  avoid  all  despondency. 
When  a  man  knows  that  he  has  a  good  will,  that  he  is  glad  to  obey 
Ood,  then  no  matter  how  weak  he  may  be  let  him  be  full  of  courage. 
No  one  in  this  life  is  free  from  sin  as  our  Blessed  Lady  was.  There- 
fore, be  content  to  strive  manfully,  to  suffer  patiently,  to  bear  thy 
cross  in  union  with  Christ.  St.  Paul  says:  "We  know  that  to  them 
that  love  God  all  things  work  together  unto  God."  (Rom.  viii,  28)  ; 
and  the  gloss  says  that  this  includes  even  our  sins.  Be  silent;  fly 
to  God;  consider  thy  nothingness;  stay  at  home  in  thy  own  interior 
life,  nor  need  thou  run  to  thy  father  confessor  after  every  little  de- 
fect.    St.  Matthew,  all  unprepared  and  all  un instructed  as  he  was. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  697 

yet  rose  up  the  moment  he  was  called  and  followed  the  Lord.  And 
if  thou  catchest  thyself  in  some  fault,  do  not  make  too  much  ado 
about  it.  Let  Divine  truth  itself  guide  thee  about  it,  and  be  thou 
faithful  in  all  peace  of  soul.  Nothing  can  condemn  thee  eternally 
if  thou  dost  not  mortally  turn  away  trpm  God  and  wilfully  give  thy 
affection  to  creatures.  All  thy  faults  may  be  turned  to  good  ac- 
count by  humbling  thee,  if  thou  wilt  but  keep  God  in  thy  mind  and 
in   thy   heart. 

But  let  me  warn  you  frankly.  If  you  allow  creatures  to  absorb 
you,  and  that  wilfully,  and  if  you  seek  dangerous  occasions  of  sin, 
therein  is  your  damnation.  And  if  God  does  afterwards  give  you 
the  grace  of  true  repentance  (but  upon  this  you  dare  not  reckon), 
you  shall,  at  all  events,  suffer  an  awful  purgatory — if  you  but  knew 
how  bitter,  you  would  wither  away  with  fright.  And  if  in  that  state 
of  mortal  sin  you  receive  Holy  Communion,  it  is  as  if  you  took  a 
sweet,  delicate  little  child  and  cast  him  into  a  filthy  cesspool.  Thus 
do  you  treat  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  who  gave  Himself  for  your 
salvation.  And,  furthermore,  your  confessions  will  be  sacrilegious 
if  you  are  not  resolved  to  avoid  the  proximate  occasions  of  mortal 
sin— a  calamity  from  which  the  Pope  and  all  his  cardinals  could 
not  save  you ;  for  your  sorrow  is  vain,  and  you  become  guilty  of  the 
body  and  blood  of  the  Lord. 

I  have  already  quoted  our  Lord's  words:  "If  any  man  will  come 
after  Me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  daily  and  follow 
Me."  Many  a  devout  Christian  takes  this  doctrine  of  self-abnegation 
so  seriously  that  words  cannot  express  how  hard  they  are  driven 
onward  to  every  sort  of  self-denial,  and  how  deeply  they  long  for 
the  cross.  And  very  rightly,  too.  What  costs  little  is  worth  little. 
"And  this  I  say:  He  that  soweth  sparingly  shall  reap  sparingly" 
(II.  Cor.  ix,  6).  So  says  St.  Paul.  And  our  Lord:  "With  what 
measure  you  mete  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again"  (Matt,  vii,  2). 

But,  dear  children,  what  is  the  good  of  my  exhorting  you  to  take 
up  the  cross  if  you  will  still  obstinately  cling  to  your  old  ways  of  ex- 
ternal devotions?  Thou  must  give  thyself  up;  thou  must  die  to 
thyself  in  thy  interior.  The  Lord  has  said:  Follow  me.  And,  in- 
deed, the  servant  always  follows  his  master;  he  does  not  go  before 
him.  Nor  are  things  arranged  to  suit  the  servant's  will,  but  the 
Lord's.    This  applies  to  the  inner  no  less  than  to  the  outer  life.    We 


698  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

need  no  higher  learning  than  duly  to  understand  what  it  means  to 
be  a  servant  of  God  interiorily — to  give  all  our  mental  energies  to 
do  our  Master's  will  in  all  things. 

Child,  the  grain  of  wheat  must  die  before  it  can  bring  forth  fruit; 
so  must  thou  in  all  sincerity  die  to  thy  own  will :  A  man  must  go 
out  and  away  from  his  own  will.  If  he  then  gives  himself  up  inter- 
iorly to  God  it  is  with  him  as  if  he  had  not  possessed  any  will  of  his 
own.  Once  a  devout  nun  stood  singing  in  choir,  and  in  her  heart  she 
sang  as  follows:  "Lord,  this  time  is  now  thine  and  mine,  but  if  I 
turn  inwards  to  thee,  then  this  time  is  thine  and  not  mine." 

If  one  is  going  to  give  himself  to  God,  he  must  do  so  by  unlimited 
renunciation  of  his  own  will.  Every  man  is,  as  it  were,  three  men; 
the  animal  man,  living  according  to  his  senses;  the  reasonable  man 
guided  by  his  understanding;  and  finally  the  Godlike  man,  or 
the  man  formed  on  God's  pattern.  This  is  the  highest  man,  and  it  is 
the  interior  man.  Into  this  interior  manhood  must  we  turn  our 
thoughts,  with  it  must  we  lie  prostrated  at  God's  feet  in  the  abyss 
of  His  diety,  delivered  over  to  Him  bound  hand  and  foot,  quite  gone 
out  of  ourselves.  The  two  lower  natures  we  must  trample  under 
foot.  In  view  of  this  it  is  that  St.  Bernard  speaks :  "We  must  with- 
draw the  animal  man  from  the  things  that  he  possesses  with  love. 
How  hard  a  cross  that  is  you  know  full  well."  And  he  continues: 
"It  is  not  a  whit  less  hard  to  draw  the  outward  man  back  into  the 
inward  man;  to  change  from  a  life  of  visible  things  to  one  of  things 
invisible,  deep  in  the  recesses  of  the  soul."  And  St.  Bernard  is  in 
this  justified  by  St.  Augustine.  All  the  afflictions  of  the  two  lower 
orders  of  life,  which  seem  to  hinder  our  turning  inward  to  the  highest 
order,  if  we  did  but  accept  them  as  crosses  and  offer  them  lovingly  to 
God,  instead  of  hindering  us  will  help  us  to  our  inner  perfection: 
and  this  includes  all  trials  of  the  mind  as  well  as  pains  of  the  body. 
We  should  readily  leave  them  behind  us,  and  diverting  our  souls 
from  Ihem,  turn  quickly  to  God  in  our  highest  spirit. 

Thus  did  Abraham.  When  he  went  up  the  mount  of  vision  to 
sacrifice  his  son,  he  left  his  servant  and  the  ass  at  the  foot.  Our 
animal  nature  is  but  a  beast,  our  natural  understanding  is  but  a 
servant;  these  serve  us  to  bring  us  to  the  mount  of  vision  and  of  sacri- 
fice. Let  them  both  remain  below,  while  we  go  up  alone  with  our  son, 
namely  our  interior  spirit.  Ascending  to  the  summit  we  shall  there 
offer  our  best  and  highest  gift,  our  very  spirit  itself,  to  God.     Give 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  699 

thyself  up  instantly  to  God.  Enter  into  His  hidden  depths,  and  there 
give  Him  the  hidden  life  of  thy  soul.  As  the  Psalmist  says  to  God: 
"Thou  Shalt  hide  them  in  the  secret  of  Thy  face  (Ps,  xxx,  21).  In 
this  secret  union  with  God,  the  created  spirit  has  returned  again 
into  conformity  with  its  uncreated  type,  as  it  existed  in  the  Divine 
plan  in  eternity,  though  yet  remaining  in  its  own  created  existence: 
and  nevertheless  it  is  in  God,  because  in  the  Divine  abyss  all  things 
are  as  it  were  in  God,  When  a  man  reaches  this  state,  says  Proclus, 
all  that  may  affect  his  outer  nature,  as  poverty  and  pain,  he  no  longer 
adverts  to.  As  the  Psalmist  again  says:  "Thou  shalt  hide  them  in 
the  secret  of  Thy  face,"  and  then  adds:  "From  the  disturbance  of 
men"  (Ps.  xxx,  21).  These  souls  now  follow  our  Lord  in  His  union 
with  the  Father,  as  He  said:  "In  that  day  you  shall  know  that  I  am 
in  the  Father,  and  you  in  Me,  and  I  in  you"  (John  xiv,  20). 

That  we  may  all  thus  be  drawn  to  our  Lord,  God  grant  us  in  His 
mercy.  As  Christ  crucified  would  draw  all  things  to  Himself,  may 
He  draw  us;  and  may  He  exalt  us  with  the  exaltation  of  His  cross, 
placing  us  in  the  holy  heights  of  His  true  love.  May  all  this  be  granted 
us  by  Him  who  has  gone  before  us  bearing  His  cross  and  ours,  and 
on  it  has  died  for  us.    Amen. 


"^00  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — Perfection  summarized  is  union  toith  Jesus  crucified^-Need 
of  adjusting  our  motives  to  those  of  Calvary — Lessons  drawn  from 
the  four  parts  of  the  cross  are  humility,  purity  of  heart,  love  of  God 
and  of  neighbor — How  the  cross  attracts  even  hard  sinners. 


THIRD  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  THE  EXALTATION  OF 

THE  HOLY  CROSS. 

I  was  exalted  like  a  cedar  in  Libanus,  and  as  a  cypress  tree  ou  Mount  Sion.— 
Eccles.  xxiv,  17. 

This  is  the  feast  of  that  glorious  cross,  whose  praises  no  words  can 
rightly  express.    Let  us  apply  our  text  to  the  cross's  lessons. 

On  Mount  Libanus  grows  the  incense,  whose  fragrant  vapor  typifies 
a  spiritual  offering  of  great  excellence  made  by  man  to  God.  They 
say  that  the  smoke  of  burning  cedar  wood  cures  the  poison  of  snake 
bite,  as  the  cross  of  Christ  cleanses  our  souls  of  the  devil's  venom. 
Cypress  wood,  they  tell  us,  is  that  medicine  which  stops  vomiting, 
and  helps  a  sick  man  to  retain  good  food  in  his  stomach.  Even  so, 
if  a  man  will  but  take  and  keep  within  his  soul  the  cross  of  Christ, 
the  sweet  and  nourishing  food  of  God's  word  will  abide  in  him.  All 
the  teachings  of  God's  holy  servants  and  prophets  will  feed  his  soul, 
not  a  morsel  of  the  Divine  food  being  lost;  and  it  will  strengthen  him 
unto  eternal  life :  this  is  the  effect  of  one's  loving  Christ's  cross.  And 
the  cross  has  a  sweet  fragrance  of  its  own  besides,  very  attractive  and 
very  strengthening,  a  sweetness  surpassing  all  other,  a  power  to  win 
above  all  other.  As  the  Lord  said  of  His  exaltation:  ''And  I,  if  I 
be  lifted  up  from  earth,  will  draw  all  things  to  Myself"  (John  xii,  32). 
As  He  was  Himself  attracted  to  the  cross,  so  fondly  drawn  to  it  that 
He  must  be  hung  high  upon  its  arms,  so  would  He  draw  all  men  to 
it  with  the  same  power,  namely  the  power  of  humility,  and  of  patience, 
and  of  love.  Just  as  He  suffered,  so  must  we  in  like  manner  suffer, 
each  one  imitating  Him  to  the  best  of  his  ability;  so  that  we  shall  in 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  701 

spirit  be  apprehended  and  bound  with  Him,  condemned  and  put  to 
death  with  Jesus  crucified. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  stripped  naked  when  He  was  crucified. 
Not  a  stitch  of  clothing  was  left  on  His  body,  and  right  before  His 
dying  eves  his  garments  were  gambled  for.  Now  I  know  as  sure  as 
there  is  a  God,  that  if  thou  shalt  come  to  thy  best  spiritual  state,  thou 
must  be  stripped  naked  of  every  single  thing  that  is  not  God — not 
a  thing  must  remain  to  thee.  And  then  all  that  thou  hadst  must  be 
made  a  joke  and  a  game  of  before  thy  eyes  and  counted  as  nothing 
worth,  and  thy  fellow  men  must  reckon  thee  to  be  a  fool.  The  Lord 
said :  "If  any  man  will  come  after  Me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take 
up  his  cross  daily,  and  follow  Me"   (Luke  ix,  23). 

And  again  He  said:  "If  thou  wilt  be  perfect,  go  sell  what  thou 
hast,  and  give  to  the  poor,  and  thou  shalt  have  treasure  in  heaven : 
and  come  follow  Me"  (Matt,  xix,  21)  ;  that  is  to  say,  follow  Him  in 
the  way  of  the  cross.  And  this  is  the  practical  lesson  of  the  feast  of 
the  exaltation  of  the  holy  cross.  We  read  in  the  Apocalypse,  of  the 
dreadful  plagues  that  God  shall  send  before  the  day  of  judgment,  but 
the  exact  time  is  not  written,  and  we  are  still  expecting  them.  But 
an  ancient  prophet  tells  us  how  men  may  be  saved  from  these  horrors. 
God  said  to  His  destroying  angel :  "Go  through  the  midst  of  the 
city,  through  the  midst  of  Jerusalem,  and  mark  Thou  upon  the  fore- 
heads of  the  men  that  sigh,  and  mourn  for  all  the  abominations  that 
are  committed  in  the  midst  thereof"  (Ezech.  ix,  4).  And  these  men 
were  to  be  spared.  Now  this,  mark  Thou,  was  the  last  letter  of  the 
Hebrew  alphabet,  and  was  made  thus — T,  like  a  cross:  the  men  saved 
were  thus  marked  with  a  cross,  and  the  rest  were  destroyed.  The 
word  cross  means  to  us  pain.  God  spared  the  men  who  had  suffered 
pain  and  sighed  and  mourned  for  His  sake.  He  did  not  command 
the  angel  to  spare  the  learned,  nor  contemplatives,  nor  actively  zealous 
men ;  no,  it  was  only  patiently  suffering  men  who  were  to  be  spared. 
Our  Lord  did  not  say  to  mankind :  Whosoever  will  follow  Me,  let 
Him  become  a  contemplative;  by  no  means;  but  let  him  take  up  his 
cross  of  daily  suffering  and  follow  Me. 

A  word  more  about  the  cross.  The  man  who  takes  up  the  cross  of 
Christ  perfectly  is  the  best  man  on  earth.  No  plague  can  ever  strike 
him.  He  shall  suffer  no  purgatory.  Nor,  all  things  considered,  is 
there  any  great  pain  in  the  cross.  But  alas,  we  have  come  to  this: 
nobody  nowadays  thinks  that  he  can  endure  any  pain  at  all.    People 


702  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

are  grown  weak-spirited  and  delicate-natured.  The  diligence  and 
earnestness  of  former  times  has  almost  disappeared,  the  fire  of  love  is 
quenched.  Men  will  not  tolerate  the  least  discomfort.  If  we  could 
find  some  new  way  of  perfection  involving  no  manner  of  suffering, 
we  might  preach  and  propegate  it  with  success.  In  our  day  men 
love  only  themselves. 

Yet  the  cross  may  not  be  what  people  think  it  is.  It  is  not  neces- 
sarily fasting,  or  watching,  or  going  on  pilgrimages,  or  great  alms 
giving,  or  total  poverty.  All  these  serve  a  good  purpose,  indeed.  Do 
thy  share  of  them  faithfully  according  as  thy  state  of  life  and  thy 
opportunities  suggest.  But  remember  that  no  man  is  too  weak  of  body, 
or  too  old,  or  too  stupid,  but  that  he  may  yet  take  up  Christ's  glorious 
cross  and  journey  with  Him  to  eternal  life. 

The  cross  is  framed  of  four  pieces,  one  upward,  another  downward, 
and  two  sidewise.  The  upward  piece  is  true  Divine  love.  The  left 
arm  is  deep  humility :  to  this  a  man  is  nailed  by  genuine  self  abasement 
and  renunciation  of  all  things  belonging  to  him.  This  is  a  better 
virtue  than  pretentious  belittling  of  self,  which  may  easily  be  mixed 
with  secret  pride.  The  right  arm  of  the  cross,  is  true,  interior  purity 
of  heart.  By  this  one  is  nailed  fast  in  entire  voluntary  absence  of 
whatever  can  stain  the  soul  with  the  least  fleck  of  creature  love  inner 
or  outer.  The  lower  part  is  what  holds  the  feet  fast  nailed  in  holy 
obedience,  true  and  perfect:  it  means  quick  and  entire  abandonment 
of  every  sense  of  proprietorship  in  thy  own  will.  These  four  beams 
are  fastened  together  in  the  midst  into  one  cross,  and  it  is  done  by 
this  strong  bolt:  Fiat  voluntas  tua — Thy  will  be  done.  This  makes 
four  pieces  one  cross.  That  bolt  is  a  true  and  perfect  surrender  of 
one's  freedom  to  God. 

Now  notice  first  about  the  left  hand — humility.  With  St.  Augustine, 
we  consider  a  man  humble  who  gladly  accepts  suffering  for  God's  sake, 
and  willingly  continues  in  it.  Again,  a  humble  man  must  be  reduced 
to  nothing  in  his  own  eyes,  likewise  in  those  of  his  fellowmen.  He 
must  go  forth  naked  out  of  all  his  belongings,  out  of  all  that  he  is. 
Let  men  throw  dice,  if  they  please,  over  his  very  clothing ;  and  let  them 
despise  him  and  make  sport  of  him — it  is  all  welcome  to  him,  because 
he  is  nailed  to  the  cross  with  Christ  crucified.  Thy  whole  life  must 
be  despised ;  thou  must  be  regarded  as  an  imbecile ;  thy  opinions  must 
be  turned  on  thee.  And  when  thou  sufferest  all  this  and  are  direfully 
railed  at,  thou  must  not  answer  back  a  single  word;  thou  must  feel 
ashamed  to  say  a  syllable  in  thy  own  defence.    Thou  must  never  say: 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  703 

The  man  who  accuses  me  is  a  liar;  or  this:  Thou  dost  me  an  in- 
justice. But  rather  shalt  thou  love  to  keep  silence,  and  to  think  within 
thee:  Ah  this  is  a  favor;  I  am  unworthy  to  suffer  all  this;  my  accusers 
are  good  and  noble  men :  God  does  me  unmerited  honor  in  this  vis- 
itation :    And  thou  shalt  bend  thy  back  and  patiently  bear  thy  burden. 

The  right  hand,  (to  apply  our  figures  of  speech  in  a  variety  of  ways), 
is  disengagement  and  purity  of  heart.  By  this  a  man  is  nailed  to  the 
cross  by  willing  destitution  of  all  things  that  are  not  God,  all  that 
may  put  a  spot  on  the  soul's  brightness,  all  joys  of  the  senses.  The 
lower  piece  is  holy  obedience,  to  which  we  are  nailed  securely  by  entire 
submission  to  all  our  superiors  in  holy  Church.  This  obedience  is 
driven  home  by  the  nail  of  detachment  from  self-will  in  everything 
whatsoever.  The  cross's  centre,  is  our  going  forth  out  of  selfhood; 
it  is  resignation  under  no  matter  what  affliction  God  or  man  may  lay 
upon  us;  suffering  willingly  for  Christ's  sake;  and  cheerfully  ready 
for  the  cross  at  all  times. 

Perhaps  thou  mayst  protest:  Alas,  sir,  I  cannot  do  this,  I  am  too 
weak.  But  I  answer  thee:  In  thy  soul  there  are  two  wills,  a  higher 
and  a  lower,  as  Christ  had  His  Divine  and  human  wills.  Now  thy 
lower  will  wants  always  to  be  free  from  suffering;  but  the  higher 
one  says  with  Christ  to  His  Father:  "Not  what  I  will  but  what  Thou 
wilt"  (Mark  xiv,  36). 

The  head  of  the  cross  is  the  love  of  God.  Thus  the  soul  rises  upward 
without  any  interruption  from  God  or  man,  looking  to  God  in  a  state 
of  entire  abandonment,  and  saying:  "My  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
Me?"  (Matt,  xxvii,  46).  Mayst  thou  also  utter  those  words  with  Christ 
crucified.  Our  Saviour's  head  as  He  hung  dying  was  without  any  sup- 
port, and  in  His  desolate  abandonment.  His  love  gave  forth  those  words. 
Once  a  good  man  asked  our  Lord,  why  it  was  that  He  allowed  His 
friends  to  suffer  so  dreadfully.  Our  Lord  answered :  "Man  is  always 
inclined  to  harmful  satisfaction  of  the  senses;  and  therefore  I  restrain 
him  and  hinder  him  in  this,  so  that  I  alone  may  become  his  satis- 
faction." The  head  of  Christ,  which  here  may  mean  love,  hung  down 
helplessly,  having  no  support;  and  that  is  the  universal  lot  of  good  men. 

Children,  turn  which  way  you  will,  you  must  carry  your  cross  and 
hang  upon  it.  To  be  a  good  man  desirous  of  coming  to  God,  always 
means  suffering.  Some  cross  or  other  he  must  have.  If  he  runs  away 
from  one,  he  will  run  into  another.  The  man  was  never  born  who 
could  preach  well  enough  to  disprove  that  proposition ;  you  cannot 
escape  suffering.     Fly  this  way  or  that,  try  this  thing  or  that,  suffer 


704  The  Sermons  and  Spiritued  Conferences 

you  must,  there  is  no  escape.  It  may  indeed  happen  that  God  will 
now  and  then  place  His  own  shoulders  under  thy  burden,  and  lift 
its  heavier  end  off  of  thine;  thou  wilt  sigh  with  relief,  and  think  thy- 
self at  last  totally  free.  But  presently  God  withdraws  His  aid,  and 
then  the  weight  again  crushes  bitterly  down  upon  thee  with  intol- 
erable oppression.  Now  Christ  suffered  all  this  before  us  in  the 
severest  possible  pain;  and  He  has  drawn  after  Him  in  this  trial  all 
those  whom  He  most  dearly  loves.  His  cross  is  Elias's  fiery  chariot, 
bearing  our  prophet  upwards  to  heaven,  and  from  it  He  casts  forth 
His  prophet's  mantel  on  Eliseus,  His  disciple.  Our  Lord  does  this  for 
us  from  His  cross. 

Take  an  example.  A  certain  sister  of  our  order  had  often  longed 
to  behold  our  Lord  as  a  little  child,  and  once  during  her  devotions 
He  appeared  to  her  in  that  form.  But  the  Divine  Child  was  wrapped 
in  a  thorny  robe.  That  she  might  embrace  Him,  she  had  to  brave 
the  sharp  points  of  many  thorns  and  to  suffer  bitter  pain  from  them. 
Thus  was  she  taught,  that  if  any  one  would  enjoy  our  Lord  in  close 
embrace,  he  must  be  willing  to  suffer  sharp,  piercing  pain. 

But  someone  might  object :  If  I  am  only  pure  and  innocent,  all 
this  teaching  might  profit  me  better;  but  my  sins  are  too  great  that 
I  should  merit  any  such  favors  on  account  of  suffering.  But  I  answer: 
A  man  who  has  repented  of  very  grievous  sins,  may  gain  extraordinary 
merit  from  suffering,  and  that  in  several  different  ways : — nay,  his 
merit  may  possibly  be  greater  than  that  of  one  who  had  always  been 
innocent.  He  may  be  compared  to  one  who  would  make  a  great  leap : 
the  farther  he  would  leap  the  farther  backwards  he  goes  to  get  space 
for  a  long  run  before  springing  into  the  air.  So  any  man  who  goes 
far  back  from  God's  face,  that  is  to  say  retires  into  deep  humiliation 
of  spirit  on  account  of  his  sins,  will  on  that  account  spring  forward 
into  God  with  all  the  greater  force.  The  more  relentlessly  one  de- 
grades himself  in  his  own  eyes — not  simply  with  words,  but  most 
truthfully  in  his  deepest  soul  and  because  he  has  been  a  vile  sinner, — 
the  more  powerful  will  be  his  impulse  of  love;  the  more  perfectly  will 
he  become  absorbed  in  God. 

That  we  may  permit  ourselves  thus  to  be  drawn  to  Jesus  crucified, 
may  He  mercifully  grant  us.  And  may  He  enable  us  to  give  up  will- 
ingly all  created  things  for  His  sake.  May  He  who  suffered  and  died 
on  the  cross,  exalted  high  in  the  air  for  our  sakes  so  that  He  might 
draw  all  things  to  Himself — may  Jesus  crucified  exalt  us  into  His 
company  by  giving  us  the  grace  of  holy  suffering.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  795 


(gttiiitjg  %  All 

Synopsis-Hoio  striking  is  St.  Matthew's  example-Sense  of  ownership 
must  le  excluded  from  all  dealings  with  God— We  lare  not  to  he 
discouraged  ly  occasional  or  invohmtary  faults  against  this  diffi- 
cult olligation—On  the  more  hidden  and  painful  detachments  of 
perfect  souls— Christ's  passion  the  school  of  all  self-renunciation. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  ST.  MATTHEW,  APOSTLE  AND 

EVANGELIST. 

M^tf  il^V''''^^  ^"^  ^'™'     ^''"'''^  ^^^-     ^'^"'^   ^^  ""'^^^  "J^  ^°^^  followed   Him.- 

This  blessed  apostle  St.  Matthew  is  a  moving  example  to  all  men 
He  was  at  first  a  great  sinner,  as  scripture  tells  us,  and  afterwards  he 
became  one  of  the  greatest  friends  of  God.  Our  Lord  spoke  to  him; 
and  as  he  heard  the  words  they  sank  deep  down  into  his  soul  •  he 
instantly  rose  up,  left  all  things,  and  followed  Him.  Everything  de- 
pends on  our  doing  like  St.  Matthew,  following  God  in  all  truth. 

But  that  means  forsaking  everything  whatsoever  that  is  not  God 
and  that  has  gained  a  foothold  in  one's  soul.  For  God  is  a  lover  of 
hearts;  He  is  not  content  with  anything  else;  no  gift  of  outward 
things  will  satisfy  Him.  He  is  concerned  with  the  interior  life  of 
a  man;  He  would  have  a  man  cultivate  an  inner  inclination  to  all 
that  IS  virtuous,  all  that  is  Divine.  God  is  in  the  interior  life-  He 
IS  more  truly  there  in  one  minute  of  recollection  than  in  hours  of 
wordy  prayers,  or  in  singing  loud  enough  to  echo  through  the  whole 
earth,  or  in  any  amount  of  fasting  and  vigils,  if  these  are  done  with 
little  interior  spirit. 

Our  Lord  said:  ^Tollow  me,"  and  to  obey  Him  means  six  things, 
three  in  the  lower  and  three  in  the  higher  faculties.  In  the  lower 
there  must  be  humility,  gentleness,  and  patience.  The  other  thre^ 
virtues  left  are  high  above  all  our  powers,  being  supernatural:  faith 
hope  and  charity.  He  says:  Follow.  We  do  this,  in  one  way,  after 
His  own  example,  namely,  by  thanksgiving  and  praise  to  His  Father 


706  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

In  another  way  we  come  closer  to  Him,  transcending  all  methods,  and 
yielding  to  a  certain  interior  quiet.  In  this  state  our  spirit  is  turned 
inward,  and  simply  waits  for  God,  letting  Him  do  His  will  just  as  it 
may  please  Him.  We  meet  men  with  whom  all  seems  to  go  well  in 
outward  religious  exercises,  as  prayer,  fasting  and  vigils.  But  they 
have  so  absorbing  a  joy  in  these  practices  that  God  is  not  much 
reckoned  with — at  least  directly — sometimes  is  quite  forgotten ;  and 
then  He  withdraws  Himself.  The  reason  is  because  these  men  make 
themselves  the  object  of  their  devotion,  cherishing  a  sense  of  ownership 
of  spiritual  things  in  great  self  contentment.  They  forget  that  every 
good  thing  is  God's  and  not  anything  is  their  own. 

One  may  inquire  how  he  shall  be  able  to  separate  a  good  thing  from 
the  joy  there  is  in  it.  I  answer  by  a  comparison.  In  the  old  law  the 
priest  was  forbidden  to  eat  the  fat  of  the  sacrifice;  that  was  com- 
manded to  be  burnt  as  an  offering  to  God.  But  yet  the  fat  that  was  in 
the  intestines  of  the  victim  he  was  allowed  to  eat.  Now  we  may  com- 
pare the  sweetness  of  all  external  devotions  and  good  work  to  the  out- 
side fat  of  the  victim.  These  sensible  joys  we  must  cast  into  the  fire 
of  love,  and  burn  them  in  God's  honor :  He  has  appropriated  them  to 
Himself.  But  yet  a  certain  sense  of  satisfaction  inherent  to  these 
good  works  by  the  necessity  of  the  case  and  by  their  very  nature,  these 
emotions  one  may  enjoy  in  a  single-hearted  way,  though  without  any 
self  complacency. 

Now  let  us  apply  to  ourselves  the  spirit  in  which  St.  Matthew  left 
all  things  and  followed  Jesus.  The  man  who  gives  up  everything, 
and  includes  himself  in  this  renunciation,  must  follow  the  Lord  in  His 
outward  life  in  all  virtuous  practices,  and  in  universal  love.  As  to 
the  interior  life,  he  must  follow  Jesus  with  sincere  self  abandonment, 
embracing  a  real  freedom  of  spirit  about  all  devotional  practices, 
whether  inner  or  outer.  And  listen  to  what  I  have  to  say  about  myself. 
From  God  I  have  received  the  gift  of  Divine  grace;  from  holy  Church 
I  have  received  my  holy  order  of  St.  Dominic,  my  habit  and  cowl; 
and  from  her  also  comes  my  holy  priesthood;  and  so  I  am  appointed 
to  preach  and  to  hear  confessions.  Now  if  it  should  happen  that  the 
pope  and  holy  Church,  from  whom  I  have  received  all  these  privileges, 
should  ys  far  as  possible  deprive  me  of  them,  then  if  I  were  a  truly  de- 
tached man,  I  would  humbly  accept  the  deprivation  nor  so  much  as  ask 
why  it  had  been  done.  I  would  put  on  a  rough  gray  coat — if  I  could  get 
one, — and  go  my  way.    And  if  I  could  no  longer  live  with  my  brothers 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  707 

in  the  monastery,  than  I  should  submit  to  go  out  of  it.  If  I  were 
stripped  even  of  my  priestly  functions  and  of  my  power  to  hear  con- 
fessions, and  also  to  preach,  I  should  say  this :  In  God's  name  I  give  it 
all  up ;  they  gave  me  these  privileges,  they  have  taken  them  away  from 
me,  as  they  had  the  power  to  do :  I  will  not  presume  to  ask  them  why 
they  have  done  so.  I  do  not  wish,  indeed,  to  be  called  a  heretic,  nor 
would  I  like  to  be  excommunicated.  Well,  then,  if  I  had  the  grace 
to  bear  my  trial  in  that  spirit,  I  should  in  truth  be  a  detached  man, 
resigned  to  God's  will.  But  take  a  different  case,  suppose  someone 
not  invested  with  lawful  authority  should  try  to  rob  me  of  these  gifts, 
I  should  rather  suffer  death  than  submit  to  it;  and  yet  in  resisting 
with  due  moderation  I  should  remain  a  man  really  detached  and  re- 
signed to  God's  will.  And  should  holy  Church  deprive  me  of  the  sacra- 
ment outwardly,  I  must  yield  with  all  submissiveness ;  but  to  hinder 
me  from  spiritual  communion,  that  can  no  one  do.  Whatsoever  the 
Church  has  given  us,  she  can  take  away,  and  to  her  rule  we  must  bow 
without  the  least  murmuring  or  contradiction. 

So  much  for  disengagement  of  spirit  in  outward  things.  But  we 
should  go  yet  farther  in  resignation  of  proprietorship  in  inward  things. 
What  have  we  that  God  has  not  given  us?  Hence  all  that  He  gave 
us  must  be  yielded  up  to  Him  again  in  sincere  detachment  just  as  if 
we  never  had  received  it.  Dear  people,  you  whose  souls  are  occupied 
with  devout  forms  and  figures  and  thoughts,  whose  time  is  employed 
in  the  ordinary  methods  and  good  works  of  religion — I  am  not  now 
addressing  you,  do  not  apply  my  words  to  yourselves.  No ;  I  am  now 
speaking  to  those  led  by  God  in  special  ways  of  interior  darkness,  who 
have  been  guided  into  that  narrow  path  trodden  by  only  a  few.  Their 
way  is  very  different  from  that  of  others,  both  in  doing  and  refraining 
from  doing  certain  things. 

One  must  hold  his  spiritual  gifts  in  his  soul's  powers  without  any 
feeling  of  ownership.  Indeed,  God's  work  in  such  a  soul  is  in  a  region 
above  the  soul's  powers.  Let  it  rate  all  things  as  nothing  except  for 
God's  sake  alone.  But  meanwhile  all  men  are  naturally  formed  to 
possess,  to  know,  and  to  will ;  and  this  is  operative  in  the  acitvity  of  the 
powers  of  nature.  In  this  you  must  recall  the  six  things  I  already 
named.  In  the  lower  faculties  are  humility,  gentleness  and  patience; 
in  the  higher,  faith,  hope  or  confidence  in  God,  and  charity.  And  when 
God  leads  thy  soul  to  close  union  with  Him,  He  sends  faith  to  despoil 
thee  of  thy  reason,  and  of  all  knowing,  and  to  make  thee  mentally 


708  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

blind.  And  when  this  happens  to  thee,  thou  must  deny  thyself  thy 
use  of  reason,  and  of  knowing,  and  of  mental  vision.  And  after  this 
comes  hope  and  robs  thee  of  all  natural  confidence.  Finally  charity 
spoils  thy  soul,  thy  will,  of  all  sense  of  ownership. 

And  these  three  high  virtues  pass  from  the  superior  faculties  of  the 
soul  into  the  inferior  ones,  and  they  are  projected  into  the  virtues 
dwelling  there,  humility,  mildness  and  patience.  Humility  vanishes 
away  into  a  blank  feeling  of  one's  very  nothingness,  losing  even  its 
name.  This  meek  grace  had  already  robbed  the  will  of  the  pride  of 
selfish  ownership;  but  now  all  things  are  become  alike  to  the  soul  be- 
cause all  are  reduced  to  nothingness  in  the  soul's  esteem.  One  no 
longer  seems  conscious  of  being  virtuous ;  virtue  loses  its  name,  and  its 
very  being  is  lost  in  the  one  supreme  virtue,  love.  All  things  are  had 
in  even  minded  peace.  As  to  patience,  love  so  rules  the  soul  that  its 
thirst  for  suffering  seems  but  love,  and  patience  is  known  no  more  by 
its  own  name. 

Dear  children,  amid  all  this  state  of  detachment  one  may  commit 
faults.  A  fit  of  anger  may  seize  one,  and  an  ugly  word  may  escape 
one;  but  this  should  not  discourage  thee.  God  allows  this  in  order 
to  sink  thee  yet  deeper  in  thy  own  nothingness,  causing  thee  to  know 
how  unworthy  thou  art  of  receiving  even  a  good  thought  from  God. 
Upon  one  thing  everything  depends,  namely,  a  bottomless  sense  of  thy 
own  perfect  nothingness.  As  to  the  spiritual  exercises  of  persons  thus 
placed,  they  are  not  the  ordinary  outward  devotions,  nor  ordinary 
methods  of  prayer  with  forms  and  figures  in  the  imagination.  Let 
those  who  have  not  reached  so  far  diligently  cultivate  all  these,  and 
God  will  forgive  them  their  sins,  and  lead  them  through  purgatory  to 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  You  must  know  that  it  is  not  by  self-chosen 
pious  practices  that  one  arrives  at  the  more  perfect  state  we  have  been 
considering,  no,  nor  even  to  be  made  servants  of  the  servants  of  these 
favored  souls.  If  such  chosen  ones  are  only  well  advised,  they  are  above 
measure  fortunate;  and  yet  it  is  as  perilous  a  state  as  that  of  the  wild- 
est men  in  the  world,  for  it  places  souls  on  a  darksome  road ;  as  Job 
says:  '*A  man  whose  way  is  hidden,  and  God  hath  surrounded  Him 
with  darkness"  (Job  iii,  23).  In  that  desert  road  all  depends  on  a 
man  walking  in  a  state  of  entire  self-abasement,  detached  from  every 
thing  that  may  possibly  arise  before  him.  To  such  a  soul  our  Lord 
would  say :  Follow  me — come  onward  through  and  past  all  things : 
whatsoever  thou  seest  is  not  Myself — forward!  follow  Me,  never  stop. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  709 

Then  the  soul  may  ask :  Lord,  who  art  Thou,  that  I  must  follow  after 
Thee  in  this  dark,  wild  and  gloomy  road?  And  Jesus  may  answer: 
I  am  Man  and  God,  and  far  more  God  than  thou  canst  understand. 
And  O  how  happy  for  that  soul,  if  it  can  but  respond  to  the  Lord: 
Thou  art  God,  and  I  am  nothing  and  less  than  nothing.  For  in  truth 
the  infinite  and  unnamed  God  can  have  no  other  place  or  state  to  work 
His  will  in,  than  in  the  depths  of  a  soul  that  confesses  itself  to  be 
nothing. 

Philosophers  tell  us  that  when  a  new  form  of  existence  enters  a  sub- 
stance the  old  form  must  needs  be  destroyed ;  as  when  in  the  mother's 
womb  mere  matter  gives  place  to  the  animal  form,  and  then  in  God's 
due  time  the  animal  form  receives  the  rational  soul,  forming  the 
human  nature— quality,  quantity,  shape,  color,  and  the  like,  all  being 
assimilated  to  the  new  form,  fc^o  I  affirm  of  the  transformation  of 
the  soul  by  this  superesseutial  process:  all  its  forms  must  needs,  in  a 
.sense,  yield  place  to  God,  such  as  the  powers  of  knowing,  willing,  act- 
ing, feeling,  self  proprietorship.  When  St.  Paul  at  the  gate  of  Damas- 
cus was  struck  blind,  he  saw  God.  When  Elias  covered  his  head  with 
his  mantle,  the  Lord  appeared  to  him. 

And  now  all  rocks  shall  be  rent  asunder:  all  that  the  spirit  rested 
on,  is  shattered  and  torn  away.  And  when  all  natural  forms  and  con- 
ditions are  gone,  the  very  same  instant  the  soul  is  transformed.  There- 
fore must  thou  ever  keep  on  and  go  forward.  The  heavenly  Father 
says :  "Thou  shalt  call  Me  Father  and  shalt  not  cease  to  walk  after  Me" 
(Jer.  iii,  19).  As  if  to  say:  On  and  on  must  thou  go,  deeper  and 
deeper  into  the  unnamed  and  unknown  abyss,  nearer  and  nearer  to 
Me :  far  above  all  methods,  and  all  figures  of  the  mind,  thy  soul  stripped 
naked,  thy  mental  faculties  lost  in  Me.  Into  this  lost  state  of  soul 
no  ray  of  light  ever  flashes  but  only  one;  and  this  lights  up  and  reveals 
the  all  sufficient  being  of  God— one  in  essense,  one  in  life,  above  all. 
A  man  may  say  of  this  rapture  that  he  is  so  absorbed  in  God,  that 
in  himself  he  is  devoid  of  consciousness,  of  love,  and  of  spirit.  But 
this  is  not  to  be  understood  to  mean  the  effacement  of  one's  natural 
individuality,  but  tells  of  the  transformation  which  the  Spirit  of  God 
works  in  the  created  spirit  out  of  His  own  free  goodness;  and  it  tells 
of  the  created  spirit's  bottomless  feeling  of  being  lost  in  God,  and  its 
immeasurable  disengagement  from  all  that  is  not  God.  Of  this  state 
we  may  also  say  that  in  it  the  soul  learns  to  know  God,  to  love  Him 
and  enjoy  Him  in  a  transcendent  manner,  for  now  there  remains  to  it 


710  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

nothing  at  all  but  one  life,  one  being,  one  act — God.  But  if  it  should 
happen  that  a  soul  thus  favored,  should  bear  itself  with  undue  free- 
dom and  should  follow  after  any  false  guidance,  it  would  be  in  the 
most  perilous  condition  possible  in  this  life. 

The  way  and  method  to  reach  this  happy  state,  is  the  study  and 
imitation  of  the  life  and  passion  and  death  of  our  blessed  Lord.  For 
He  is  the  way  that  we  must  walk,  He  is  the  truth  that  lights  up  the 
way.  He  is  the  life  that  we  must  attain  to  live.  He  is  also  the  door ;  and 
He  tells  us  that  whosoever  enters  unto  God  through  any  other  door  is 
a  thief  and  a  robber.  Through  this  blessed  door,  then,  all  must  enter, 
breaking  down  nature's  resistence  in  the  steadfast  practise  of  virtue, 
especially  humility,  mildness  and  patience.  Be  sure  that  anyone  who 
fancies  that  he  has  come  to  perfection  without  treading  this  road, 
is  under  a  delusion.  From  such  persons  God  is  far  removed,  and  they 
are  blind  and  self-blinded. 

As  to  those  who  have  sincerely  trodden  in  our  Lord's  footsteps  and 
obtained  this  state  of  perfection,  the  authorities  of  holy  Church  from 
the  pope  down,  feel  no  uneasiness  about  them,  nor  need  they.  For 
they  obey  all  laws  out  of  love.  As  St.  Paul  says :  "If  you  are  led  by 
the  Spirit,  you  are  not  under  the  law"  (Gal.  v,18).  Life  is  never  weary 
to  such  souls,  for  tedium  never  oppresses  them.  The  same  cannot  be 
said  of  any  world-lovers,  for  their  love  palls  on  them.  Whereas  in 
these  heavenly  lovers,  their  very  existence  has  in  the  superior  powers 
of  the  soul,  been  lifted  above  time  and  its  weary  changes.  And  even 
in  their  inferior  faculties  their  life  is  full  of  freedom,  for  they  are 
detached  from  affection  for  all  things:  they  have  come  into  a  land  of 
essential  peace.  From  God  they  accept  instinctively  all  that  happens 
to  them,  and  in  the  same  spirit  they  offer  up  all  to  Him  again,  and 
so  they  abide  in  sweet  tranquility  of  mind.  And  this  is  true  of  them 
even  while  their  outward  man  is  much  disturbed  and  sorely  pained. 
O  what  happy  men  are  these.  Wherever  they  a^-e  found,  they  should 
be  honored  by  all.  But  I  fear  that  such  Divine  seed  is  but  thinly 
sowed  among  us.  Let  us  beseech  our  Lord  to  grant  us  the  grace  to 
follow  Him  in  this  manner,  and  that  we  may  acquire  these  high  priv- 
ileges.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor '^^l 


Synopsis — The  angels  are  actively  engaged  in  our  lehalf — How  dear  to 
us  should  he  our  guardian  angels— Bote  the  diffrrmt  choirs  of 
angels  are  engaged  with  different  states  and  classes  of  men. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  ST.  MICHAEL  AND  ALL  HOLY 

ANGELS. 

Their  angels  in  heaven  always  see  the  face  of  My  Father  who  is  in  heaven.— 
Matt,  xviii,  10. 

This  is  the  blessed  feast  of  the  holy  angels,  and  we  have  seen  how  it 
arose  from  the  apparition  of  St.  Michael  on  Mount  Gargano.  With 
what  words  one  may  rightly  tell  of  these  holy  spirits,  I  do  not  know, 
for  they  have  no  bodily  form,  no  hands  or  feet  or  outward  appearance. 
How  can  we  so  much  as  imagine  them? — least  of  all  describe  them.  Nor 
is  it  any  wonder  we  know  so  little  of  them,  for  what  do  we  know  of 
our  own  souls,  by  which  we  are  constituted  human  beings?  Why 
wonder,  then,  that  we  cannot  understand  these  transcendent  angelic 
beings,  whose  nobility  so  far  excells  all  human  excellence.  Hence 
it  is  not  of  their  essential  being  that  we  can  speak,  but  only  of  their 
work  with  us.  Now  their  activity  among  and  with  us,  is  conditioned 
on  this :  they  ever  behold  us  in  the  mirror  of  the  Godhead,  each  one  of 
us  in  his  own  distinct  form  and  essence.  As  God  acts  universally  upon 
us  and  without  distinction  of  this  one  or  that  one,  because  He  is  the 
infinite  God,  so  do  the  angels  act  upon  each  of  us  separately.  God's 
activity  in  us  is  infinitely  more  noble,  and  is  exclusively  His  own ;  their's 
is  in  cooperation  with  His,  as  the  rays  of  the  sun  in  the  sky  distribute 
its  light  throughout  the  earth.  Or,  again,  as  the  stars  give  us  the 
reflexion  of  the  sun's  light,  so  do  the  angels  bear  the  Divine  brightness 
to  our  souls. 

The  angels  are  divided  into  three  hierarchies,  and  each  of  these  into 
three  choirs.  Each  hierarchy  has  its  own  peculiar  office  in  God's 
work  with  us,  and  its  special  relation  to  the  three  lives  we  lead:  first, 
the  outward  bodily  life  of  the  senses ;  second,  the  interior  life  of  intel- 
ligence, our  reason ;  third,  the  high,  Godlike,  most  hidden  and  interior 


712  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

man.  All  of  these  together  are  one  and  the  same  man,  over  whom 
the  angels  have  custody.  Each  of  us  has  his  own  special  angel,  given 
him  in  baptism,  the  angel  guardian.  He  is  always  with  us,  sleeping  or 
waking,  working  or  resting,  whether  we  are  bad  or  good.  O,  if  we 
had  nothing  else  to  thank  God  for,  how  deeply  should  we  love  Him 
for  binding  each  one  of  us  so  fast  and  firm  to  such  glorious  being  as 
an  angel  of  heaven.  But,  be  it  remembered,  every  man  has  also  his 
particular  devil,  ever  actively  scheming  against  his  welfare,  just  as 
the  angel  strives  for  his  salvation.  And  let  me  say  this:  if  a  man 
were  only  wise  and  diligent,  the  devil's  warfare  would  serve  him 
better  than  the  angel's  care,  for  without  a  battle  there  is  no  victory. 

As  to  the  hierarchies,  the  lowest  is  called  that  of  the  Angels,  pure 
and  simple,  who  serve  us  in  our  outward  life,  warning,  guiding,  and 
helping  in  the  way  of  virtue  and  peace  with  sleepless  zeal.  Without 
this  guardianship,  what  calamity,  think  you,  would  not  fall  upon  man- 
kind. We  should  be  exposed  helplessly  to  the  plots  of  the  malignant 
demons.    Against  these  the  good  Angels  ever  assist  us. 

Above  the  Angels  are  the  Archangels,  and  these  are  like  angelic 
priests,  for  their  office  is  to  help  us  to  profit  by  the  sacraments  of  holy 
Church,  especially  by  the  worthy  reception  of  Holy  Communion.  Above 
these  again  stand  the  order  of  blessed  spirits  called  the  Virtues,  ever 
urging  us  onward  in  the  practice  of  various  kinds  of  natural  and 
moral  virtues;  and  in  addition  to  that,  they  win  us  by  their  secret  in- 
fluence to  the  practice  of  the  holier  virtues  of  faith,  hope  and  love, 
Happy  are  the  men  who  obey  their  sweet  whispers,  and  who  live  in 
familiar  friendship  with  them.  To  such  men  the  practise  of  virtue 
grows  so  easy  and  its  fruit  so  delicious  as  to  become,  as  it  were,  a 
part  of  their  very  nature.  Children,  against  these  good  men,  the 
fiends  who  have  fallen  from  this  order  of  the  Virtues,  level  their 
fiercest  strokes.  All  their  cunning  devices  are  set  to  work  to  hinder 
their  salvation ;  for  they,  if  they  but  persevere  to  the  end,  will  be 
given  the  places  in  that  rank  of  heavenly  spirits  from  which  those 
demons  themselves  have  fallen.  The  maliginty  of  these  evil  spirits 
is  inevitably  great,  and  it  works  incessantly.  We  must  stand  our 
watch  against  them  with  sleepless  vigilence;  for  often  times  their 
deadliest  scheming  takes  the  form  of  something  good.  Especially  do 
they  strive  to  divide  and  scatter  our  affections  away  from  God,  and 
to  waste  them  upon  a  multiplicity  of  created  things.  Often  enough, 
when  one  has  reached  a  state  of  moderate  virtue,  the  demons  will  do 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  713 

their  utmost  to  hinder  him  from  advancing  to  that  further  state  of 
perfection  which  God  would  have  him  reach.  This  is  a  very  dangerous 
condition  to  him,  and  the  devil  is  well  aware  of  it :  in  our  times  there 
are  more  souls  thus  halted,  while  God  calls  them  to  go  forward, 
than  at  any  previous  time.  St.  Bernard  says:  "In  the  way  of  God, 
to  stand  still  is  to  go  backward." 

In  this  state  of  stagnation  are  all  those  worldly  hearts,  who  say: 
We  do  as  many  good  works  as  others  do,  and  that  amply  suffices  for 
us ;  indeed,  we  are  better  than  those  who  pretend  to  greater  perfection  ; 
and  we  will  continue  in  the  good  ways  of  those  who  have  gone  before 
us.  But  when  some  great  trial  comes  upon  these  men,  then  shall  we 
hear  their  lamentations:  it  will  be  shown  that  they  were  not  as  good  as 
they  thought  they  were.  The  evil  spirits  will  work  their  fiendish  will 
upon  them,  and  at  last  lead  them  away  without  resistance.  The  con- 
trary will  be  the  case  with  fervent  spirits,  who  have  hearkened  to  the 
counsel  of  these  good  Angels.  When  their  trials  are  passed  and  gone, 
they  will  be  found  all  purified  and  made  holy  by  them ;  they  will  be, 
as  it  were,  on  terms  of  familiar  friendship  with  those  bright  spirits, 
who  will  continue  to  conduct  them  towards  a  happy  end. 

Of  the  other  and  superior  orders  in  the  hierarchy  of  blessed  spirits, 
we  are  told  that  they  are  given  custody  over  men's  intelligence,  by 
which  we  are  raised  above  all  other  bodily  creatures,  and  are 
made  like  the  Angels  themselves.  They  are  called  the  Powers, 
the  Principalities,  and  the  Dominations.  These  principally  as- 
sist those  men  who  have  made  some  progress  in  virtue,  aiding 
them  to  self  mastery,  as  well  over  ,the  senses  and  the  outward 
life  as  over  interior  faculties  of  the  soul.  By  their  aid  a  man 
can  rightly  guide  his  thoughts,  and  words  and  deeds,  attaining 
a  noble  freedom  from  our  naturally  vicious  inclinations.  Thus 
it  is  related  of  St.  Francis,  that  he  was  given  such  a  mastery  over  his 
external  nature  that  when  he  made  up  his  mind  to  do  any  good  work, 
his  body  seemed  instantly  to  respond  and  to  say :  Behold  Me  before 
thee,  ready  to  obey.  These  men  are  as  it  were  the  princes  of  this  world, 
for  they  are  free  from  nature's  corrupt  constraint  and  subject  to  no 
weakness,  ruling  all  movements  of  their  inner  and  their  outer  nature 
according  to  God. 

And  when  the  evil  spirits  see  these  souls  thus  full  of  power  for  good, 
they  are  devoured  with  incredible  hate;  they  cannot  bear  the  thought 
that  these  shall  take  the  places  in  heaven  they  themselves  have  forfeited. 


714  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

One  can  hardly  imagine  the  violence  of  the  temptations  they  launch 
against  them,  the  like  of  which  commonplace  worldlings  have  never 
known.  But  when  these  souls  are  almost  driven  mad  with  their  trials, 
then  come  the  angelic  Princes,  members  of  the  choir  of  the  Princi- 
palities, and  rescue  them  from  their  enemies:  thus  the  victory  is  won. 
After  that  the  fiend  molests  them  no  more.  The  demon's  pride  is  now 
fatally  hurt,  and  he  dreads  another  conflict  with  so  powerful  a  foe. 
And  then  a  mighty  angel  of  that  choir  called  the  Powers,  becomes 
active  in  such  a  soul.  By  his  means  a  man's  reason  becomes  so  strong, 
that  he  is  able  to  detect  the  treacherous  purposes  of  the  demons,  as 
St.  Paul  says  that  neither  the  mighty  ones  of  this  world  nor  those  of 
hell  itself  could  ever  overcome  him.  After  this  comes  the  third  hierarchy 
to  do  their  holy  work  in  the  innermost  soul,  where  man  is  transformed 
and  new  made  in  God. 

Of  these  the  first  choir  is  called  the  Thrones,  the  second  the  Cherubim, 
the  third  the  Seraphim.  The  first  makes  a  man's  inner  spirit  a  royal 
throne  for  God.  There  He  rests  and  dwells  and  rules  with  Divine  joy ; 
there  He  judges  and  rewards  this  soul,  and  guides  all  its  activity,  both 
interior  and  exterior.  Now  does  such  a  man  become  so  immovably 
fixed  in  his  freedom  from  evil,  that  scarcely  anything  is  so  hard  or 
so  enticing,  so  sweet  or  so  bitter,  as  to  be  able  to  disturb  him.  As  St. 
Paul  says:  "I  am  sure  that  neither  death  nor  life — nor  any  other 
creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is 
in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord"  (Rom.  viii,  38,  39).  A  hundred  deaths  could 
not  move  such  a  soul  from  God.  He  is  like  a  man  on  the  point  of 
death,  to  whom  all  honor  and  shame  are  alike  indififerent,  for  he  is 
now  turned  to  the  other  life.  So  is  this  interior  man  always  turned 
with  a  life  and  death  determination,  towards  God  enthroned  in  the 
remotest  chamber  of  his  spirit.  Peace  of  soul  possesses  him  under  all 
happenings,  for  he  has  the  Prince  of  peace  within  him ;  as  David  said 
of  God:  "His  place  is  in  peace"  (Ps.  Ixxv,  2).  Dear  child,  may  God 
grant  thee  this  place  of  peace  in  thy  soul,  and  may  His  holy  angel  help 
thee  to  guard  it  securely  from  all  disturbance.  Be  silent,  avoid  men, 
suffer  patiently,  and  sit  down  in  peace.  In  all  confidence  remain  at 
home  with  thyself,  seldom  go  abroad,  keep  careful  watch  over  thy 
thoughts,  shrink  away  from  contentions  and  disturbances;  watch  Him 
who  is  enthroned  within  thee  all  powerful,  all  glorious.  Never  let 
there  be  the  least  interruption  to  His  peaceful  sway  over  thee. 

And  after  this  the  Cherubim  take  up  their  part,  which  is  to  pour 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  715 

a  brilliant  light  into  the  soul,  casting  as  it  were  with  quick  flashes  the 
tints  of  the  Divine  beauty  upon  that  soul.  By  these  Divine  gleams  of 
heavenly  splendor,  the  soul  is  so  penetrated  with  the  light  of  wisdom, 
that  were  it  necessary  it  could  instruct  the  whole  race  of  mankind  with 
the  brightest  teaching.  And  this  enlightenment  is  given  in  flashes, 
ever  growing  quicker,  truer,  more  splendid,  and  more  certain. 

Finally  come  the  burning  Seraphim  with  their  blazing  fire  of  love.  In 
an  instant  these  set  the  soul's  depths  on  fire.  Then  does  a  man's  love 
blaze  out  so  wide  and  so  hot,  that  it  enwraps  and  includes  in  itself  all 
things  whatsoever.  He  feels  as  if  he  would  set  fire  to  all  men  and  to 
all  things  and  consume  them  with  his  love — and  this  feeling  comes  to 
him  instantaneously.  And  it  is  so  vehement  a  fire  that  he  would  him- 
self love  to  be  burnt  up  with  love. 

All  this  happens  in  the  inmost  depths  of  the  enlightened  soul.  But 
yet  it  is  exhibited  in  both  the  interior  and  exterior  faculties.  These 
are  now  Divinely  ordered.  Such  a  man  is  so  far  detached  from  affection 
for  earthly  things,  so  virtuous,  peaceful  and  quiet,  that  not  the  least 
im.perfection  can  be  noticed  in  any  of  his  words  or  acts.  And  mean- 
while he  reckons  himself  as  nothing  at  all.  All  these  marvels  of  grace, 
of  angelic  inter-position  in  his  spirit,  seem  to  him  no  more  his  own  than 
if  they  had  been  operated  in  another  man  a  thousand  miles  distant. 
He  cherishes  no  attachment  whatsoever  for  all  that  God  does  in  him 
or  can  do — only  to  God  is  he  given  over,  and  to  Him  wholly  and  entirely. 
He  places  himself  last  of  all  in  the  entire  race  of  mankind.  These  souls 
are  the  very  heaven  in  which  the  Divine  Spirit  dwells,  as  our  text  says  -. 
"Their  angels  in  heaven  always  see  the  face  of  My  Father  who  is  in 
heaven.''  May  God  grant  us  all  the  grace  to  reach  this  holy  state. 
Amen. 


716  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


f?iniojisis — The  multitude  who  heard  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  is  typi- 
cal of  heaven — Poverty  leads  the  holy  throng — Involuntary  pov- 
ei'ty,  a  state  dear  to  our  Lord — Voluntary  poverty  includes  a  deep 
love  for  the  poor — The  other  beatitudes  considered  in  detail. 


FIRST  SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  ALL  SAINTS. 

And  seeing  the  multitudes,  He  went  up  into  a  mountain,  and  when  He  was  set 
down,  His  disciples  came  unto  Him.  And  opening  His  mouth,  He  taught  them 
saying:  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit:  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — 
Matt.  V,  1-3. 

Thus  it  was  that  our  Lord  taught  us  the  eight  Beatitudes.  The  moun- 
tain into  which  Jesus  went  up,  may  be  considered  as  His  own  Divine 
beatitude,  by  which  He  is  one  with  His  Father.  There  followed  Him 
a  great  multitude  of  all  His  beloved  saints,  whose  solemnity  we  this  day 
celebrate.  And  how  variously  did  all  these  follow  Him,  each  one  accord- 
ing to  his  different  calling  from  God.  It  behooves  us  to  do  likewise, 
everyone  of  us  observing  closely  what  his  vocation  from  God  may  be, 
and  therein  to  abide  in  peace. 

Let  us  honor  these  great  servants  of  God  with  all  earnestness.  And 
now  what  is  the  best  honor  we  can  do  them?  It  is  to  cultivate  entire 
detachment  of  spirit  from  all  created  things;  and  then  to  sink  deep 
into  the  heart  of  God  as  they  did,  and  to  be  lost  there.  That  is  their 
beatitude ;  no  other  can  be  ours.  This  sentiment  is  the  best  celebration 
of  their  holy  feast. 

Let  us  closely  study  this  holy  multitude,  assembled  on  God's  moun- 
tain, each  one  placed  and  ranked  as  God  has  differently  drawn  and 
appointed  him.  First  came  the  ancient  Fathers  of  the  old  law,  who 
spent  their  lives  in  ardent  sighings  for  the  coming  of  the  Redeemer. 
They  were  filled  with  God's  hope  and  love ;  and  not  only  outwardly  but 
inwardly  they  were  disengaged  from  all  things  that  were  not  God. 
With  great  charity  did  they  share  all  their  possessions  with  God's 
chosen  people.  They  were  deeply  concerned  lest  any  fault  should  stain 
that  race,  out  of  which  was  to  spring  forth  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  717 

They  lived  without  any  proprietorship  of  their  own  flesh,  which 
was  dedicated  to  the  birth  of  the  Messiah.  Of  this  race  it  is  read  today 
in  the  Apocalypse,  that  out  of  each  of  its  twelve  tribes,  twelve  thousand 
were  signed  with  God's  special  favor;  and  after  these  followed  on  a 
multitude  so  great  that  no  man  could  number  them. 

After  them  came  the  glorious  company  of  the  holy  apostles,  called 
by  our  Lord  to  a  far  higher  perfection.  Not  only  by  secret  longings, 
but  in  actual  possession  did  these  have  the  Redeemer.  They  were  with 
Him  in  true  poverty  of  spirit  and  of  body;  indeed  they  attained  the 
highest  degree  of  holy  poverty  that  a  man  can  ever  reach. 

Then  came  Christ's  martyrs,  a  vast  multitude  of  heroic  souls.  They 
not  only  gave  up  all  things  for  His  sake,  but  they  gave  up  their  very 
lives,  just  when  and  where  and  how  God  willed. 

Then  came  the  great  army  of  holy  confessors  of  Christ's  faith,  who 
had  variously  followed  Him  in  many  a  sacred  calling.  Some  of  them 
were  hermits,  and  spent  their  lives  in  solitude,  far  removed  from  all 
men.  There  they  sat  still  and  hearkened  to  what  God.  the  eternal 
Word,  spoke  within  them,  dwelling  in  deserts,  in  caves  and  in  forests. 
Others  again  passed  their  lives  in  the  state  of  holy  orders,  as  God  pro- 
vided for  them.  These  labored  in  holy  church  in  preaching  God's  word 
to  her  children,  in  writing  about  Divine  things,  hearing  confessions, 
teaching,  governing  congregations;  all  done  with  ready  good  will  as 
God  guided  them,  in  true  submission  to  Him,  and  detachment  of  spirit 
from  both  themselves  and  all  things  else  that  are  not  God. 

Then  there  followed  the  Lord  the  great  choir  of  the  pure  and  spot- 
less virgins,  chaste  in  soul  as  well  as  body.  O  how  lovely  a  thing  is 
that — to  be  found  at  death  as  clean  as  an  angel  of  God.  to  be  clothed  in 
that  robe  of  virgin  whiteness  that  our  Lord  and  His  holy  mother  prized 
above  all  other  adornment.  Whosoever  is  granted  this  privilege,  may 
laugh  to  scorn  all  the  troubles  of  life.  As  long  as  he  holds  fast  to  this 
priceless  pearl,  no  pain  that  is  known  to  man  can  reach  his  heart. 
But  thus  to  retain  holy  chastity,  one  must  make  ready  to  fight  a  hard 
battle.  He  must  suffer  many  a  pang  from  the  rebellion  of  his  senses 
and  the  foolishness  of  this  world,  besides  the  plots  of  the  devils.  But 
be  well  assured  that  such  striving  every  way  brightens  the  purity  of 
a  chaste  soul  with  renewed  splendor.  Dear  child,  keep  a  close  guard 
over  thyself,  arid  often  call  to  mind  the  wondrous  reward  of  chastity 
in  the  company  of  Christ's  holy  virgins. 

After  these  the  great  multitude  of  the  Christian  people  follow  our 


718  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Lord,  men  and  women  who  have  lived  in  the  world  and  been  occupied 
in  the  common  walks  of  life.  These  were  upheld  and  saved  by  the 
prayers  and  ministration  of  the  closer  friends  of  God;  and  ere  they 
come  into  the  Father's  kingdom,  they  must  for  the  most  part  be  puri- 
fied in  purgatory.  As  we  celebrate  the  perfectly  sanctified  souls  in 
this  festival  of  All  Saints,  so  tomorrow  we  shall  commemorate  the 
souls  not  yet  perfectly  sanctified,  namely  those  in  purgatory.  And 
we  should  realize  that  for  one  earthly  self  satisfaction,  one  venial  sin, 
we  shall  suffer  sharper  pains  than  were  endured  by  all  the  martyrs 
whom  today  we  honor.  This  needs  must  be,  as  we  can  see  if  we  con- 
sider what  it  is  to  stand  against  the  infinite  God  even  in  the  smallest 
matter. 

Now  all  these  beautiful  groupings  of  holy  men  and  women,  form 
the  great  multitude  that  have  followed  Christ  to  the  mount  of  His 
Beatitudes.  And  having  them  gathered  about  Him,  He  opened  His 
Divine  mouth  and  He  proclaimed  His  eight  Beatitudes.  Let  us  say 
a  few  words  about  each  of  them.  First:  "Blessed  are  the  poor  in 
spirit,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  This  virtue  is  given  the 
first  place,  because  it  is  a  capital  or  head  virtue,  and  a  beginning  of 
all  perfection.  Children,  whatever  way  you  look  at  Christian  perfec- 
tion, the  inmost  soul  of  a  man  must,  to  begin  with,  be  free,  and  un- 
encumbered, and  therefore  destitute.  If  God  is  to  do  His  work  in 
thy  soul,  it  must  be  stript  of  all  ownership.  That  is  a  foregone  con- 
clusion, if  God  is  to  make  thy  soul  His  own. 

One  kind  of  poverty  is  to  be  poor  against  one's  will.  Persons  who 
are  thus  poor  may  have  their  faults,  but  let  no  man  judge  them 
harshly,  for  our  Lord  overlooks  their  defects  all  the  more  graciously 
on  account  of  their  poverty. 

The  second  kind  is  spoken  of  by  St.  Thomas.  Herein  man  loves 
poverty  and  practises  it  according  to  his  lights,  because  he  knows 
that  it  ministers  to  his  freedom  of  spirit  and  detachment;  but  yet  he 
retains  his  own  necessary  goods.  Many  a  one  is  only  the  more  elevated 
in  spirit  if  he  is  placed  so  as  not  always  to  feel  want,  rather  than  if 
he  must  daily  struggle  for  life's  comforts.  When  one  lawfully  pos- 
sesses the  goods  of  this  world,  offering  thanks  to  God  for  the  same, 
he  is  sometimes  more  pleasing  to  God,  than  if  he  must  look  out  con- 
stantly for  his  bare  support.  But  in  case  one  finds  his  ownership  of 
goods  absorbing  his  mind  and  becoming  inordinate,  hindering  the  prac- 
tice of  such  virtues  as  meekness,  temperance,  humility,  disengagement 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  719 

of  spirit,  then  he  should  give  up  his  goods  and  should  join  those  men 
who  practise  outward  poverty. 

The  third  kind  of  poverty  is  that  in  which  God  is  so  dear  to  a  man, 
that  none  of  this  world's  goods  can  hinder  his  love  for  Him.  More: 
everything  in  the  world  helps  him  to  love  God.  St.  Paul  says:  "We 
know  that  to  them  that  love  God,  all  things  work  together  unto  good" 
(Kom.  viii,  28).  Such  a  soul  is  untouched  by  anything  that  is  not 
simply  God,  his  whole  spirit  being  immune  from  the  love  of  earthly 
goods,  remaining  under  all  circumstances  poor  and  detached.  The 
apostle  tells  of  this  kind  of  spirit:  '"As  having  nothing,  and  possessing 
all  things"  (II  Cor.  vi,  10).  Such  a  man  may  own  the  treasures  of 
a  kingdom  without  harm  to  his  inward  spirit. 

The  fourth  kind  is  a  deep  love  to  be  poor,  with  the  motive  of  being 
in  the  company  of  our  blessed  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  His  state  of  desti- 
tution. This  poverty  is  embraced  out  of  unfeigned  desire  to  have  a 
soul  unencumbered  of  all  that  is  not  God,  interiorly  and  exteriorly. 
It  helps  the  return  of  our  spirit  into  God  its  origin  by  detaching  it 
from  all  creatures.  It  makes  it  harder  for  any  sudden  danger  to  fetch 
us  down,  for  it  clears  the  spiritual  perceptions,  and  smooths  the  way 
to  our  turning  inwards  to  God.  Children,  this  is  the  purest  poverty. 
For  the  highest  dignity  of  poverty  is  this :  it  facilitates  our  soul's 
flight  to  the  heart  of  God ;  or  will  increase  the  beatitude  of  the  soul  in 
eternity. 

And  now  let  us  consider  the  second  Beatitude:  "Blessed  are  the 
meek,  for  they  shall  posses  the  land."  This  lifts  us  a  grade  higher  in 
beatitude.  True  poverty,  indeed,  frees  us  from  certain  hindrances: 
but  this  blessed  meekness  goes  deeper,  and  banishes  from  our  hearts 
all  bitterness,  wrath,  and  untruthfulness.  For  it  is  written :  "All 
things  are  clean  to  the  clean"  (Titus  i,  15).  To  the  gentle  minded, 
bitterness  is  unknown,  and  this  comes  from  the  solid  foundation  of 
goodness  in  him,  which  makes  all  things  good. 

Dear  child,  in  former  times  the  pagans  tortured  God's  friends,  but 
nowadays  good  appearing  Christians  persecute  those  who  would  closely 
follow  Christ.  Ah  yes,  these  thy  neighbors  inflict  deep  wounds  upon 
thee.  If  thou  wouldst  serve  God  perfectly  men  say  to  thee:  Thou 
art  raving  to  do  such  things,  thou  are  guilty  of  singularity,  thou  art 
a  deceiver.  Then  comes  meekness  to  thee  and  leads  thee  back  into 
thyself;  and  now  thou  acceptest  all  this  as  from  God  and  not  from 
man.    And  then  thou  restest  peaceful,  and  sayest  to  thyself:    What 


720  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

harm  can  men  do  thee,  if  thou  remainest  a  faithful  friend  of  God? 
Thus  does  the  soul  that  is  meek  possess  the  land,  namely  interior 
peace;  that  heritage  remains  his  no  matter  what  befalls  him.  If 
thou  shalt  act  otherwise,  then  thou  failest  in  virtue  and  losest  thy 
peace,  and  art  no  better  than  a  snarling  dog  in  thy  quarrelsome 
resistence  to  God's  visitations. 

The  third  Beatitude  is,  "Blessed  are  they  that  mourn,  for  they 
shall  be  comforted."  And  who  are  the  mourners?  In  one  sense  they 
are  those  who  have  any  suffering  whatever  to  endure.  In  another 
sense,  they  are  those  who  mourn  and  weep  in  sorrow  for  their  sins. 
Yet  again  it  is  those  faithful  friends  of  God  who  have  done  true 
penance,  and  have  already  bewailed  their  sins  and  been  entirely 
pardoned.  They  need  not  weep  any  more  for  their  own  sins,  but  they 
do  weep  bitterly  for  the  sins  and  imperfections  of  their  fellowmen.  We 
read  that  once  our  holy  Father  St.  Dominic  asked  one  of  his  com- 
panions why  he  was  weeping  so  bitterly.  "Dear  Father,"  said  he,  "it  is 
on  account  of  my  sins."  Then  the  saint  answered :  "No,  dear  son, 
weep  not  for  them,  I  pray  thee,  for  they  are  pardoned  and  all  pen- 
ance done  for  them.  But  I  beg  thee  to  weep  now  for  the  sins  of  those 
who  will  not  weep  themselves  for  their  wickedness."  God's  true 
friends  weep  over  men's  blindness  of  heart,  and  over  the  miserable 
sinfulness  of  the  whole  world.  When  we  see  the  threat  of  God's  wrath 
upon  us,  in  fire  and  flood  and  storms  and  darkness  and  famine,  then 
do  we  weep  and  mourn  before  God's  face,  day  and  night  imploring 
Him  to  spare  us.  And  so  he  holds  back  His  hand  and  gives  us  space 
for  repentence.  But  if  we  do  not  use  this  respite  well.  He  visits  us 
with  yet  greater  plagues.  The  dark  cloud  of  God's  judgment  hangs  over 
us,  but  God's  servants  keep  it  back  with  their  tears.  But  be  sure  that 
if  we  do  not  repent,  the  Divine  wrath  will  break  forth  against  us  with 
such  fury  as  will  make  us  dread  that  the  day  of  judgment  is  at  hand. 
Those  who  now  rest  in  the  false  peace  of  sin,  will  then  feel  the  heavy 
hand  of  justice.  They  easily  omit  hearing  mass ;  they  readily  neglect 
hearing  God's  word — these  Divine  things  are  growing  very  strange  to 
them,  as  one  of  them  goes  here  and  another  there  in  his  guilty  ways. 
But  others  there  are,  whom  the  faithful  God  will  find  true  to  Him. 
These  weep  and  mourn  for  their  sinful  brethren. 

The  fourth  Beatitude  is,  "Blessed  are  they  that  hunger  and  thirst 
after  justice."  Children,  this  is  a  virtue  that  few  men  have  possessed 
in  such  measure,  as  that  all  their  hunger  and  thirst  and  desire  was 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  721 

after  God's  justice  and  nothing  whatsoever  besides.  That  would  mean 
longing  for  neither  the  favor  nor  disfavor  of  men,  neither  for  my 
profit  nor  that  of  my  friends,  caring  neither  for  praise  nor  blame- 
only  for  God.  Such  a  man  as  that  is  well  worthy  our  admiration, 
for  whosoever  has  reached  so  high  a  degree  as  to  care  only  for  God's 
righteousness,  nor  can  enjoy  the  thought  of  anything  else  except  God 
alone,  may  indeed  be  called  blessed. 

The  fifth  Beatitude  is  '^Blessed  are  the  merciful,  for  they  shall  obtain 
mercy."  Of  mercy  it  is  written :  "The  Lord  is  sweet  to  all,  and  His 
tender  mercies  are  over  all  His  works"  (Ps.  cxliv,  9).  Therefore  is  a 
truly  merciful  man  a  Godlike  man,  for  mercy  is  born  of  Divine  love 
and  kindness.  Hence  it  happens  that  real  friends  of  God  are  more 
merciful  than  other  men,  and  are  more  trustful  and  patient  with  sin- 
ners than  those  who  love  God  less  than  they  do.  Mercy  springs  from 
that  mutual  love  that  men  should  have  one  for  another.  At  the  last 
day  our  Lord  will  demand  an  account  of  this  brotherly  love,  and  if 
we  cannot  show  that  we  have  had  it  He  will  withhold  His  mercy  from 
us.  He  will  say  nothing  about  all  other  perfections,  and  will  found 
His  sentence  on  this  question  alone :  Were  you  merciful  to  your  fellow- 
men?  Nor  does  this  virtue  consist  alone  in  giving  gifts.  No,  it 
extends  to  a  merciful  regard  of  all  the  faults  our  neighbor  commits,. 
and  patient  endurance  of  all  the  injuries  He  may  inflict  on  us.  Who- 
soever does  not  feel  a  loving  sympathy  for  his  neighbor's  misery,  who- 
soever does  not  overlook  his  faults  with  kindly  feelings— such  a  man 
may  well  forbode  that  the  Lord  will  not  show  him  mercy,  for  with  the 
measure  with  which  thou  metest  it  shall  be  measured  again  to  thyself 
withal.  See  to  it,  that  thou  dost  not  condemn  thy  neighbor,  lest  thou 
thyself  Shalt  be  condemned  eternally. 

The  sixth  Beatitude  is :  "Blessed  are  the  peacemakers,  for  they  shall 
be  called  the  children  of  God."  Men  of  truly  peaceful  hearts  are 
indeed  blessed  men.  No  man  can  take  their  peace  away,  either  in  time 
or  eternity.  For  all  their  will  has  gone  out  from  them  into  God's 
will,  in  joy  or  sadness,  in  weal  and  woe,  for  time  and  eternity.  All 
their  doings  are  according  to  God's  ways  and  not  men's,  for  they  are 
guided  supernaturally,  Divinely.  They  are  baptized  in  the  power  of 
the  Father,  in  the  wisdom  of  the  Son,  and  in  the  sweet  love  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  this  Divine  influence  has  penetrated  so  deep,  that 
their  peace  is  beyond  man's  reach  to  disturb.  The  tranquility  of  the 
blessed  Trinity  has  so  entirely  sanctified  them,  that  they  could  order 


722  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

and  rule  the  whole  land  with  their  peaceful  wisdom;  for  the  eternal 
wisdom  has  filled  them  with  its  light.  And  they  are  just  as  full  of 
love.  Gladly  would  they  overflow  upon  their  fellow  men  in  great 
floods  of  love  and  of  peace,  expending  their  inner  and  outer  life  entirely 
for  their  welfare.  Touch  them  how  you  please,  peace  and  love  come 
forth  upon  you.  These  hearts  are  indeed  the  peacemakers  of  mankind, 
having  that  peace  which  passeth  all  understanding.  Well  may  they  be 
called  the  children  of  God.  For  the  fountain  of  peace  that  is  Christ's 
because  He  is  by  nature  the  Son  of  God,  that  same  is  theirs  by  the 
participation  of  grace,  for  they  are  truly  begotten  in  the  heart  of  God. 
Nor  can  any  such  peace  as  theirs  be  otherwise  obtained,  than  by  a 
most  interior  union  with  God.  This  Beatitude  can  not  be  gained  by 
self  chosen  methods  of  piety  of  an  outward  description. 

The  seventh  Beatitude  is :  "Blessed  are  the  clean  of  heart,  for  they 
shall  see  God."  What  is  a  clean  heart?  It  is  a  heart  free  from  the 
entanglement  of  creatures;  a  heart  whose  depths  God  finds  empty  of 
all  love,  naked  of  all  attachments  to  creatures.  These  clean  souls  will 
truly  see  God.  Purity  of  heart  is  stained,  when  a  man  willfully  seeks 
satisfaction  in  created  things  and  rests  in  them.  In  whatever  degree 
a  man  finds  content  in  creatures,  in  the  same  does  he  cut  himself  off 
from  God.  And  the  efl'ect  is  such  darkening  of  his  soul's  vision  as  to 
hinder  his  seeing  and  finding  God  in  the  interior  life.  Outward  con- 
ditions of  chastity  aid  the  soul's  interior  cleanliness,  as  St  .Paul  says: 
"He  that  is  without  a  wife,  is  solicitous  for  the  things  that  belong  to 
the  Lord,  how  he  may  please  God"  (I  Cor.  vii,  32).  As  with  bodily 
chastity,  so  with  purity  of  heart.  As  the  former  is  sullied  by  un- 
guarded mingling  with  outward  company,  so  is  the  Godlike  integrity 
of  the  spirit,  soiled  and  even  destroyed  by  wilful  contact  with  what 
bears  not  the  stamp  of  God.  The  soul's  eyes  become  darkened,  so  that 
it  cannot  recognize  the  Divine  source  of  all  purity  within  its  depths. 
It  requires  a  soul  all  cleansed  from  worldly  and  fleshly  satisfaction  to 
enable  one  to  flow  back  without  ceasing  into  God,  our  creator  and  our 
beginning.  Cleanness  of  heart  is  a  most  admirable  virtue,  inasmuch 
as  it  prepares  the  human  spirit  to  be  the  spouse  of  God,  and  fixes  all 
its  desires  upon  Him  alone. 

The  eighth  Beatitude  is:  "Blessed  are  they  that  suffer  persecution 
for  justice's  sake,  for  their's  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  No  man 
can  fully  explain,  or  indeed  understand,  what  an  amount  of  good  lies 
hidden  in  suffering.    Our  faithful  God,  who  has  set  apart  His  chosen 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  723 

ones  for  close  union  with  Himself,  when  He  sees  that  their  life  is  not 
conducive  to  that,  visits  them  with  quick  and  terrible  suffering.  By 
that  means,  whether  they  will  or  not,  they  must  partake  of  his  beatitude 
And  that  is  a  trait  of  fidelity  in  God  that  we  should  be  exceedingly 
thankful  for.  That  T  must  suflfer  is  a  favor  from  God  that  I  am  unwor- 
thy of.  And  it  causes  a  great  hope  to  rise  in  my  heart  that  God  has  a 
special  love  for  me,  for  it  makes  me  like  His  Divine  Son,  abd  compels 
me  to  imitate  Him.  St,  Bernard  says:  "It  is  a  far  greater  honor  to 
suflfer  slight  pain  with  holy  patience,  than  to  perform  many  good  works 
for  God."  And  St.  Thomas  says :  "There  is  no  pain  so  slight,  whether 
in  our  interior  or  exterior  life,  but  that  in  suffering  it  patiently  we 
aiay  image  forth  the  adorable  passion  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  and 
in  every  suffering  we  endure,  we  can,  if  we  will,  obtain  a  share  of  the 
merits  of  Jesus  crucified."  % 

But  I  must  speak  of  a  nobler  kind  of  suffering,  and  a  sort  that 
brings  us  yet  closer  to  God,  than  even  these  wonderfully  beneficial 
pains  and  deprivations.  I  mean  sufifering  from  the  direct  act  of  God 
in  our  inner  life.  As  high  as  God  is  above  creatures,  so  is  this  pain 
greater  than  any  that  man  can  inflict  on  us.  It  is  the  pain  of  being 
compared  with  God's  greatness  and  holiness  now  fully  revealed.  We 
should  love  Him  dearly  for  securing  our  eternal  beatitude  by  suffering 
direct  from  His  own  self.  Our  beatitude  thus  becomes  God's  work 
and  not  ours ;  we  have  but  to  accept  Him  and  yield  to  Him. 

By  nature  a  man  is  better  fitted  to  suffer  than  to  act,  to  accept  than 
to  give.  Every  gift  of  God  makes  our  longing  for  all  His  gifts  a  thou- 
sandfold greater,  if  we  will  but  passively  sit  still  and  wait  for  God's 
action  in  us,  giving  Him  all  room  in  our  souls  to  continue  and  com- 
plete His  blessed  work.  For  God's  is  most  pure  act,  and  the  soul,  on 
the  contrary,  in  this  supernatural  relation  to  Him,  is  purely  passive.  If 
a  man  will  but  rest  tranquil  under  God's  action,  only  accepting  and 
longing  and  nothing  more,  God  will  perfect  His  plans  upon  him,  and 
impart  to  him  His  marvelous  beatitude.  May  God  grant  us  to  be  still, 
patient,  and  passive  under  His  hand,  and  to  experience  the  fulness  of 
His  loving  influence.    Amen. 


724  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


3nUrwt  (HUnnixntBB 

l^ynopsis — The  pain  of  holy  purification — Uniridled  passion  described 
— How  virtue  succeeds  vice  in  the  purifying  process — Vigilance, 
courage  and  patience  the  virtues  principally  needed  for  gaining 
purity  of  heart. 


SECOND  SEEMON  FOE  THE  FEAST  OF  ALL  SAINTS. 
Blessed  are  the  clean  of  heart,  for  they  shall  see  God. — Matt,  v,  8. 

Dear  children,  be  assured  of  this :  all  who  would  be  well  pleasing  to 
God,  must  be  free  from  every  spot  and  blemish,  or  God  will  not  accept 
them,  rather  does  He  leave  them  to  their  devious  wanderings.  A  man 
should  aspire  not  only  to  be  quit  of  his  sins,  but  to  lead  a  life  of  detach- 
ment from  creatures,  and  this  with  the  purpose  of  giving  Himself 
wholly  to  God's  service.  This  cleanness  of  heart  is  indispensable  if  one 
would  hearken  to  God's  loving  inspirations  in  his  soul.  Now,  if  this 
be  needful  for  the  present  life,  so  is  it  for  a  high  place  of  glory  in  the 
next  life. 

To  have  us  clean  of  heart  in  this  sense  is  the  end  God  has  in  view 
in  giving  us  His  graces.  The  first  effect  of  these  is  to  set  one  to  examin- 
ing his  conscience  diligently,  and  then  to  the  banishing  from  his  life 
every  sinful  thing  by  means  of  earnest  mortification  of  the  outer  senses 
and  the  inner  weaknesses.  And  what  is  meant  by  a  good  conscience? 
It  is  a  very  peaceful  spirit,  making  little  of  self,  humbly  devoted  to 
God's  will,  eager  for  His  honor.  It  causes  one  to  stand  indifferent 
as  to  all  giving  and  getting,  quite  without  choice,  except  that  the  soul 
craves  to  enjoy  that  beatific  state  in  which  God's  will  shall  be  done 
in  it  without  resistance. 

But  ere  the  soul  arrives  at  this  state  of  freedom  and  of  peaceful 
detachment,  it  must  be  heavily  oppressed  with  sorrow,  and  hence  God 
scourges  it  with  inward  pain.  First  comes  a  burning  knowledge  of 
the  malice  of  its  mortal  sins.  It  bewails  them  with  deep  sincerity  and 
great  pain,  and  hates  and  avoids  all  wickedness  with  steadfast  cour- 
age, including  all  dangerous  occasions  of  sin.  During  all  this  the  soul 
eagerly  yearns  to  be  clean  of  heart,  and  never  again  wilfully  to  trans- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  725 

gress  God's  law.  After  that  the  soul  begins  to  practice  works  of  pen- 
ance, setting  itself  relentlessly  to  mortify  sensuality  in  every  way, 
refraining  itself  even  from  lawful  pleasures,  as  in  eating  and  drinking, 
visiting  and  conversing,  rest  and  work.  All  this  it  does  to  advance 
in  perfection,  following  the  gospel  counsels  of  poverty,  chastity  and 
obedience.  In  due  time  a  great  change  is  seen.  Whereas  once  the 
soul  found  its  joy  in  self  indulgence,  the  very  thought  of  such  things 
now  causes  it  pain.  Thus  it  is  that  the  heart  is  made  clean  of  the 
least  stains  of  venial  sin,  while  formerly  it  thought  it  sufficient  to 
guard  against  gross  mortal  sins. 

And  now  the  spirit  would  conquer  the  body,  and  the  lower  nature 
resents  that,  for  it  means  a  heavy  bodily  discipline  and  the  retrench- 
ment of  its  accustomed  pleasures.  The  brutish  nature  of  a  man  repines 
at  this,  and  may  not  easily  and  patiently  yield  to  reason's  sway :  the 
perverted  lower  spirit  revolts.  Naturally  one  does  not  brook  restraint 
in  his  indulgence  of  the  life  of  the  senses.  He  craves  to  idly  gossip  and 
chatter  with  his  friends  and  hates  holy  silence;  he  would  have  liberty 
to  complain ;  he  must  have  leave  to  boast.  Whatsoever  he  does  not  like, 
he  resents  accepting.  If  he  has  aversion  for  anyone  he  insults  him; 
the  instant  he  is  pained  he  flies  into  a  passion ;  he  follows  his  prejudices 
blindly ;  what  is  sweet  to  him  is  good,  what  is  bitter  is  bad ;  if  he  praises 
anyone,  all  must  echo  him ;  and  if  he  condemns  anyone,  none  dare  praise 
him. 

Now  against  all  this  one  strives  manfully,  if  he  would  become  clean 
of  heart.  First  he  studies  it  all  over  very  carefully,  playing  well  the 
part  of  self-observation.  He  would  know  above  all  else  what  sort  of  a 
man  he  is,  and  what  power  he  has  over  his  natural  forces.  But  the 
cleansing  of  his  heart  he  finds  to  be  a  heavy  task.  Oppression  of  spirit 
he  will  not  endure,  nor  inward  shame :  he  must  force  these  upon  himself 
violently.  But  one  thing  he  has:  much  contrition  and  real  humility 
before  God;  and  even  to  his  fellows  he  owns  his  miserable  weakness. 
Yet,  thus  far  he  has  hardly  learned  the  real  meaning  of  Christian 
mortification;  and  he  may  easily  make  a  misstep,  for  in  his  nature's 
depths  his  evil  propensities  still  lie  hidden.  They  drive  him  towards 
outward  sins,  which  he  can  hardly  keep  away  from.  And  now  his  great- 
est need  is  the  practice  of  the  outward  virtues,  following  the  pattern 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  and  ever  and  everywhere  to  shun  the  dan- 
gerous occasions  of  sin. 

After  some  progress  has  been  made  in  this  heavy  fight  against  the 


726  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

grosser  vices,  a  man  gradually  acquires  a  spiritual  tone  of  life  in  his 
practise  of  virtue.  His  part  is  now  to  practise  most  fervent  prayer, 
springing  out  of  a  heart  weary  with  the  struggle  against  sin.  A.  sure 
result  is  far  deeper  contrition  than  before.  He  is  overwhelmed  with 
shame,  as  God  gives  him  a  clearer  knowledge  of  his  former  depravity. 
He  begins  more  easily  to  accept  pains  and  miseries  and  contradictions 
and  disgrace,  as  being  a  fit  offering  to  God  in  atonement  for  his  wicked- 
ness. Love  soon  begins  to  take  the  ruling  place,  and  with  it  comes 
the  virtue  of  detachment  from  created  things,  together  with  firmer 
faith  and  more  lively  hope  in  Christ  Jesus.  He  will  now  have  nothing 
of  his  own,  lest  the  sense  of  ownership  should  stain  the  purity  of  his 
motives  in  the  least  degree.  Self  hatred  often  quite  posesses  him,  and 
by  that  humble  condition  of  soul  he  is  hindered  from  judging  others. 
The  instant  he  is  conscious  of  temptation,  he  shuts  and  locks  all  his 
senses ;  he  avoids  every  danger  lest  he  should  give  the  enemy  the  least 
advantage. 

Soon  he  begins  to  cleave  to  God  with  all  his  heart,  and  would  think 
of  nothing  else.  Come  what  may  against  him,  he  is  ready  with  holy 
patience,  and  waits  meekly  till  God  comes  to  his  relief,  for  he  will  by 
no  means  loosen  himself  from  the  cross  by  seeking  either  mental  or  bod- 
ily solace.  Along  with  this  there  comes  to  him  much  docility  of  spirit. 
He  seeks  and  easily  follows  good  counsel ;  and  he  obeys  his  superiors 
because  he  is  submissive  to  God.  He  looks  straight  at  the  duty  of  the 
moment;  is  it  to  do  some  good  work?  He  straightway  does  it.  Is  it 
to  patiently  resist  temptation?  He  resolutely  does  so.  And  he  thanks 
God  for  all  that  comes  and  goes.  If  he  suffers  want,  he  learns  to  utter 
no  complaint  except,  perhaps,  very  humbly  to  God.  He  boasts  of  noth- 
ing, is  self  complacent  over  nothing — God  and  God  alone  is  his  joy,  and 
that  above  all  things  To  Him  he  offers  thanks  for  sweet  and  bitter 
gifts  with  equal  fervor.  As  to  his  imperfect  brethren,  he  has  no  pride 
over  them,  but  much  kind  heartednes  for  their  weakness.  He  shuns 
outward  silliness,  and  puts  a  rein  on  his  tendency  to  excessive  mer- 
riment. 

He  dreads  a  spirit  of  routine  in  performing  spiritual  exercises, 
and  hates  lukewarmness  of  spirit.  Nor  will  he  gluttonize  in  the  sweet- 
ness of  sensible  devotion.  With  him,  that  alone  is  good  which  is  close 
to  God.  Watch  and  ward  is  his  motto  in  dealing  with  himself.  It 
comes  at  last  to  this :  he  cannot  help  belittling  himself  in  his  own 
mind.    If  he  advises  against  any  defect,  he  leads  the  way  in  shunning 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 727 

it,  and  especially  every  form  of  self-will.  He  busily  labors  to  raise 
the  house  of  perfection  on  the  solid  foundation  of  self  abasement,  in 
which  he  offers  himself  to  God,  bearing  in  his  soul  and  body  the  life, 
passion  and  death  of  Jesus  Christ.  On  no  creature  will  he  place  the 
least  reliance,  but  only  on  God.  O  how  he  longs  to  love  God  more 
ardently ;  how  ambitious  he  is  to  be  a  true  lover  of  God,  clean  hearted, 
clearly  guided  by  Divine  truth  towards  his  eternal  beatitude.  God 
grant  us  all  to  come  to  that  blessed  state.    Amen. 


728  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


f[?rfrrti0n  t\}t  l^tnri  of  (6rtnt  l^rltt 

Synopsis — The  first  practical  rule  for  acquiring  perfection  is  loving 
imitation  of  Christ's  life  and  passion — This  involves  daily  medita- 
tion on  His  vx>rds  and  deeds — The  need  of  an  interior  spirit  in  this 
exercise — The  second  rule  is  rigid  fidelity  to  the  routine  of  a  pious 
life — This  must  he  based  on  principle — Peace  and  joy  resulting 
therefrom. 


SEKMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  ST.  CATHERINE,  VIRGIN  AND 

MARTYR. 

Who,  when  he  had  found  one  pearl  of  great  price,  went  his  way,  and  sold  all 
that  he  had,  and  bought  it. — Matt,  xiii,  46. 

We  may  understand  this  parable  as  referring  to  a  Christian  virgin, 
who,  for  the  sake  of  safely  keeping  holy  chastity,  has  given  up  all 
things.  Or,  again,  the  virgin  of  Christ  has  found  the  pearl  of  great 
price  in  His  sacred  passion,  and  in  that  passion  she  has  followed 
Him,  renouncing  for  His  sake  all  natural  and  worldly  pleasure. 

The  shortest  way  to  serve  God  perfectly  is  found  in  two  things: 
the  first  is  faithful  observance  of  the  common  religious  practises  of 
holy  Church,  including  a  life  of  obedience,  poverty,  chastity,  and  the 
other  pious  practices  handed  down  by  the  fathers.  This  course  dis- 
ciplines our  outward  conduct  and  trains  us  to  the  acquisition  of 
virtue. 

The  other  is  imitation  of  Christ  in  His  passion.  Once  a  day  we 
should  meditate  diligently  on  His  life,  sufferings  and  death,  conform- 
ing ourselves  as  strictly  as  possible  to  them  as  to  our  model.  Especially 
should  we  note  the  various  happenings  of  our  life,  receiving  them  as 
from  God's  hand,  and  studying  His  meaning  in  sending  them,  so  that 
we  may  thus  the  better  give  ourselves  up  to  Him  and  follow  His  guid- 
ance. A  careful  consideration  of  what  daily  occurs  reveals  God's 
great  mercy  in  dealing  with  us.  Not  a  day  passes  but  He  would  lead 
us  higher  up  towards  Himself,  conforming  us  more  and  more  nearly 
to  the  image  of  His  Divine  Son  in  all  He  gives  us  to  do  and  to  suffer. 
Meanwhile  a  man  should  direct  his  intention  strictly  to  God's  honor 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  729 

in  every  act  of  the  day  or  night.  He  should,  besides,  suppress  the 
inordinate  activity  of  his  senses,  having  in  near  view  the  quenching 
of  all  love  of  worldly  things.  May  not  all  this  truly  be  called  a  pearl 
of  great  price— doing  all  these  holy  things  after  pious  meditation  on 
Christ's  passion? 

The  suflferings  of  Christ  are  the  brightest  jewels  that  can  adorn  a 
virgin's  soul.  The  thought  of  Jesus  crucified,  of  God's  Son  dead, 
buried  and  gloriously  risen  again,  is  a  treasure  worth  all  this  world's 
goods;  and  when  it  has  become  habitual  in  the  soul,  it  is  worthy  of 
the  most  heartfelt  thanksgiving.  By  pondering  the  sufferings  of 
Christ,  evil  inclinations  are  restrained,  foul  imaginations  are  banished, 
our  own  mortal  weakness  is  shown  to  us,  and  deep  rooted  humility 
acquired.  Soon  the  soul  gains  the  grace  of  heartfelt  compassion  for 
our  Lord  in  His  crucifixion,  and  of  deep  sympathy  for  all  men  in 
their  woes  and  miseries.  On  the  other  hand,  if  one  fails  thus  to  study 
our  Redeemer's  life  and  death,  he  will  not  learn  to  know  himself ;  and 
such  a  one  usually  sticks  fast  in  external  exercises  of  religion,  which 
his  cowardice  hinders  of  interior  sweetness. 

One  of  the  fruits  of  meditation  on  Christ's  passion,  is  the  grace  of 
readily  offering  our  own  sufferings  to  God  in  all  singlemindedness, 
and  without  self  deception.  God  Himself  takes  charge  of  such  souls, 
and  especially  does  He  teach  them  the  virtue  of  true  mortification, 
helping  them  to  recover  from  their  petty  defects.  He  draws  them 
from  loving  creatures  to  loving  Him;  and  He  gives  them  the  grace 
of  discernment  to  know  in  advance  what  to  do  and  what  to  avoid  to 
make  progress  in  His  love.  How  faithfully  do  they  confide  in  Him. 
How  well  do  they  understand  the  folly  of  trusting  themselves.  Thus 
minded  they  make  bold  to  believe  that  they  are  not  under  deception, 
for  well  they  know,  that  whosoever  trusts  self  is  surely  deceived. 

A  yet  further  grace  is  the  discernment  of  the  various  movements 
of  grace  and  of  nature,  as  they  form  our  motives  of  conduct — a  very 
needful  wisdom.  For  many  an  apparently  faithful  Christian,  good 
in  outward  religious  practices,  yet  harbors  self-complacency  in  his  in- 
most soul. 

Good  virgins  cherish  the  sound  and  commonly  received  principles  of 
the  spiritual  life  as  held  in  holy  Church  and  taught  in  the  scriptures ; 
to  these  they  adhere  with  all  their  might,  full  of  inner  faith  and  outer 
profession.  And  their  spirit  is  ever  an  interior  one.  They  cleave 
directly  to  God.   To  Him  and  not  to  men  do  they  look  for  relief  from 


730  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

their  difficulties.  But  it  happens  that  if  one  would  turn  away  from 
men  to  God,  he  is  likely  to  sutfer  persecution  and  be  visited  with 
shame.  In  such  a  case  our  good  virgin  bears  her  burden  silently  and 
cheerfully,  ever  and  again  returning  to  meditation  on  Christ's  life  and 
passion,  never  failing  to  receive  strength  from  on  high  to  stay  at  home 
in  her  own  heart,  even  though  she  be  despised  for  her  choice  of  this 
devout  custom.  But  she  does  not  yield  to  pride.  She  does  all  with 
a  holy  fear,  ever  blushing  with  shame  as  she  stands  before  God,  as 
being  unworthy  of  so  rare  a  mortification  as  suffering  the  charge  of 
hypocricy,  and  of  being  called  a  fool  for  Christ's  sake.  But  in  her 
conscience  God  witnesses  to  her  guilelessness.  And  she  is  very  thank- 
ful that  God's  love  makes  her  so  happy  interiorly. 

The  enemy  can  hardly  disturb  the  peace  of  such  a  soul,  because  her 
glance  is  always  turned  upon  her  own  self.  And  she  is  not  guided  by 
the  light  of  natural  reason,  or  by  men's  talk,  and  lays  no  hope  upon 
good  outward  appearances,  or  upon  sweet  feelings,  as  if  these  things 
could  mark  her  union  with  God,  whereas  they  too  often  are  snares 
of  the  evil  one.  On  the  contrary,  she  always  falls  back  on  honest 
self  knowledge,  approved  spiritual  practises,  and  seeking  union  with 
God  with  all  her  might.  And  when  her  external  exercises  are  over, 
and  her  bodily  senses  are  relieved  from  strain,  her  soul  does  not  cease 
quietly  and  spontaneously  adverting  to  God's  presence,  offering  Him 
thanks  for  his  favors,  beseeching  His  aid  against  all  that  may  divert 
her  from  His  love.  Such  souls  humbly  beg  God  to  pardon  them  their 
past  sins,  simply  because  they  are  displeasing  to  Him — not  alone  to 
escape  hell  and  obtain  heaven, — begging  Him  to  do  with  them  whatso- 
ever will  best  advance  His  glory  here  and  hereafter.  They  by  no 
means  pray  God  that  their  sins  may  not  displease  Him,  but  that  He 
will  forgive  them,  so  that  they  may  not  be  hindered  of  His  graces,  by 
which  they  shall  be  taught  to  advance  in  virtue — not  even  to  be  re- 
lieved of  punishment,  for  that  they  leave  to  God,  as  far  as  they  may 
rightly  do  so.  To  this  happy  state  do  men  arrive,  who  persevere  in 
meditation  upon  the  passion  of  Christ. 

But  alas,  how  few  spiritual  men  reach  thus  far;  for  most  of  them 
rest  in  the  external  things  of  religion,  not  turning  earnestly  inward  to 
God.  Therefore  is  there  such  a  difference  between  man  and  man. 
The  problem  is  to  reconcile  a  life  of  active  religious  work  with  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  interior  spirit.  There  are  souls  who  will  not  rest 
satisfied  with  external  works  of  religion  unless  they  can  at  the  same 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  731 

time  diligently  labor  interiorly  for  advancement  in  virtue.  To  these 
it  is  a  hard  trial  to  be  associated  with  men  who  exclusively  give  them- 
selves up  to  outward  religious  cares.  Misunderstandings  naturally 
arise;  and  the  externized  souls  often  cause  the  more  interior  spirits  a 
great  deal  of  suffering.  But  when  the  latter  understand  that  this 
arises  from  ignorance  and  not  malice,  they  can  bear  it  with  better 
patience.  They  will  be  the  means  of  leading  many  others  into  the 
better  ways  of  the  spiritual  life,  if  they  will  but  go  deeper  and  deeper 
into  self  knowledge  and  Divine  love. 

Whosoever  does  not  go  out  of  self  love  before  he  enters  the  depths 
of  the  spiritual  life,  will  go  astray  before  he  knows  it.  One  easily  slips 
back  into  self  indulgence,  and  presently  he  stops  short  in  his  spiritual 
progress.  If  God  still  endures  his  service  of  the  senses.  He  is  never- 
theless not  satisfied  with  it,  for  all  the  fruit  of  holiness  above  spoken 
of  Js  lacking  in  them,  and  in  those  whom  they  might  have  led  onwards, 
if  they  had  themselves  been  turned  inwardly  to  God.  Few  ever  re- 
cover from  this  extemalism.  How  much  better  it  is  to  give  up  entirely 
to  God's  all  lovely  will— better  for  God's  honor,  better  for  the  good 
of  souls,  many  of  whom  for  lack  of  wise  guidance  constantly  provoke 
God's  anger  and  mislead  their  fellowmen. 

Thus  is  the  pearl  of  great  price  fruitful  of  interior  sweetness,  in 
self  knowledge,  in  love,  and  in  all  holy  practises.  And  yet  one  must 
go  deeper  down  for  the  best  fruits,  namely  below  sweetness  into  a 
certain  bitterness  of  self  abandonment,  choosing  sufferings  from  mo- 
tives of  love,  and  manfully  dying  to  one's  own  selfish  sense  of  proprie- 
torship. The  freer  a  soul  is  from  love  of  self  and  love  of  joy,  the  safer 
it  is  from  the  snares  of  the  enemy,  the  more  exempted  from  the 
anxieties  of  this  world,  nay,  the  more  secure  from  danger  of  hell,  even 
of  purgatory. 

By  constant  self-renunciation,  practised  for  God's  love,  one  may  be 
so  safeguarded  by  grace  as  to  be  scarcely  able  to  fall  into  sin.  At 
first  the  soul  enters  a  way  of  sweetness,  practising  many  virtues.  But 
there  remains  a  higher  and  holier  degree  requiring,  however,  heavier 
labor,  deadlier  grief  of  conscience,  and  more  painful  inflictions  from 
God  .  Let  all  this  be  borne  patiently,  with  sincere  faith  in  God's  love 
and  confident  trust  in  His  purposes,  and  He  will  not  be  found  wanting 
to  the  soul.  A  man  will  be  tempted  to  think  God  has  forsaken  him, 
so  keen  shall  be  his  anguish  of  soul  thinking  of  God's  majesty,  remem- 
bering his  own  sinfulness.     But  he  must  stand  fast  in  holy  hope,  giv- 


732 


The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


ing  himself  to  God  to  do  with  him  what  He  wills,  in  time  and  eternity. 
Behold,  then,  what  comes  from  devont  meditation  on  our  Savior's 
passion.    In  the  end  a  yet  greater  perfection  is  granted,  when  a  man 
IS  made  one  spirit  with  God.    May  we  all  find  this  pearl  of  great  price 
and  with  it  may  God  grant  us  every  good  gift.    Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  733 


IJntu  ^txi^  iCntiF  Slottta  ua  tc  t\\t  Q^lfttt  BtttittP  Jp? raona 

Synopsis — Love  begins  iy  keeping  God's  commandments- — As  love  de- 
comes  purer  it  instinctively  adores  the  will  of  the  Eternal  Father 
as  its  inspiration — Then  the  wisdom  of  God's  only  begotten  Son  is 
felt — The  peaceful  submission  of  the  soul  to  Christ  as  its  Master 
and  reward — How  union  with  the  Father  is  perfected  by  that  with 
the  Son — Union  vnth  God  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a  clearer  perception 
of  divine  truth  and  love — This  is  joined  with  the  loftier  graces  of 
contemplation. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  ALL  THE  HOLY  APOSTLES. 

If  you  love  Me,  keep  My  commandments. — John  xlv,  15. 

St.  John  tells  us  that  Jesus  "Having  loved  His  own  who  were  in  the 
world,  He  loved  them  unto  the  end"  (John  xiii,  1).  And  many  a  proof 
had  He  given  of  this  His  tender  love;  but  He  especially  showed  His  love 
for  His  disciples  at  the  last  supper.  Then  it  was  that  He  reminded  them 
of  the  great  debt  of  love  they  owed  Him,  which  they  could  only  rightly 
pay  by  observing  His  commandments.  And  He  promised  them  to  pray 
His  heavenly  Father  to  send  them  another  Comforter,  "That  He  may 
abide  with  you  forever,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  whom  the  world  cannot 
receive,  because  it  seeth  Him  not,  nor  knoweth  Him"  (John  xiv, 
16,  17). 

Therefore,  dear  children,  I  will  once  again  speak  to  you  of  holy 
love,  to  discourse  about  which  is  always  a  sweet  task  and  very  com- 
forting ;  and  far  sweeter  yet  is  it  to  taste  its  savor.  Our  God  bids  His 
lovers  hold  Him  dear  to  them  by  keeping  His  commandments,  and  He 
tells  us  that  whosoever  keeps  them  not,  does  not  love  Him.  It  is  mani- 
fest, therefore,  that  God  hates  the  man  who  lives  in  sin.  On  this  sad 
theme  I  will  not  discourse;  but  I  will  speak  according  to  my  lights 
about  the  man  who  serves  God  with  the  highest  kind  of  love. 

Whosoever  would  love  God  must  keep  His  commandments.  That 
means  that  they  must  be  subject  to  God's  will.  They  dare  no  longer 
have  any  will  of  their  own,  but  only  God's.  They  must  say  in  all 
truth:     "Not  My  will,  but  Thine  be  done"   (Luke  xxii,  42).     God's 


734  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

will  is  good  love,  and  good  love  knows  nothing  of  self-love,  and  loves 
only  the  will  of  the  beloved.  Three  points  are  here  to  be  considered: 
First,  a  watchful  guard  of  the  outward  senses,  shutting  up  close  and 
fast  those  five  doors  of  the  soul,  lest  inordinate  desires  should  arise, 
enter  in,  and  gain  force.  In  this  way  must  one  be  vigilant,  lest  interior 
hurt  is  done  by  means  of  the  outward  senses. 

The  second  is  mortification  of  interior  self  complacency.  By  this 
one  readily  gives  up  his  own  chosen  practises  of  piety  and  manner  of 
life  when  God's  will  so  indicates.  He  guards  against  self  will  in 
such  matters.  He  stands  firmly  opposed  to  hell's  five  gates,  namely : 
perverse  self  will,  self  complacency,  spiritual  pride,  self  flattery,  and 
self  conceit. 

The  third  is  placed  in  the  motives  of  one's  daily  life.  A  man  in 
all  his  deeds  and  words  and  thoughts,  in  all  that  concerns  himself,  his 
neighbor  and  God,  should  be  actuated  purely  and  simply  by  love.  In 
this  he  makes  a  living  sacrifice  of  himself  to  God,  standing  in  perfect 
awe  of  the  Almighty  before  all  mankind.  And  this  can  be  done  in  a 
grade  of  love  so  marvelously  high  as  to  pass  the  power  of  words  to  ex- 
press; to  be  understood  it  must  be  experienced,  transcending  as  it  does 
all  nature's  powers.  The  soul  goes  beyond  itself  into  the  freedom  of 
the  Spirit  that  is  given  it,  and  therein  it  is  united  to  the  heavenly 
Father.  This  is  accomplished  with  a  sense  of  self  abandonment  for 
God's  greater  praise.  The  soul  is  entirely  subjected  to  God,  immersed 
in  the  Divine  abyss,  praying  Him  meanwhile  to  make  it  fruitful  in  His 
service,  according  to  His  eternal  good  pleasure.  And  the  soul  also 
prays  Him  to  perfect  it  and  every  creature  He  has  made,  so  that  His 
all  lovely  will  may  be  done  in  everything  without  exception.  Again, 
the  soul,  as  it  is  become  an  example  of  God's  mercy,  now  offers  itself  to 
be  made  an  example  of  the  Divine  Justice.  But  it  does  not  wish  that 
its  works  shall  deserve  damnation.  And  in  this  way  it  prays  God  for 
the  perfecting  of  his  holy  will. 

From  the  Father  the  soul  goes  onward  to  the  Son,  the  eternal  Wis- 
dom, subjecting  itself  to  Him  in  all  simplicity,  as  being  nothing,  know- 
ing nothing,  feeling  nothing — as  far  as  its  powers  go — as  to  what  it 
shall  do  or  not  do  for  God's  praise  and  to  carry  out  His  blessed  will. 
Only  does  the  soul  pray  Him  to  perfect  His  will  in  itself  and  all 
creatures  with  His  Divine  wisdom,  just  as  is  best  for  His  praise  and 
glory  and  most  fruitful  of  good  for  mankind.  In  all  this  the  soul  pays 
no  regard  to  itself,  but  all  to  God. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  735 

And  now,  peacefully  content  in  all  things,  the  soul  is  established  in 
unfeigned  simplicity,  waiting  God's  action,  trusting  without  doubt  that 
He  will  assume  control  of  it  and  do  His  will  in  it.  Then  whatsoever 
happens  to  it,  that  the  soul  accepts  as  from  His  hand  and  to  His  praise. 
This  is  the  soul's  firm  foundation.  If  it  stands  in  doubt  about  God's 
will  in  particular  cases,  it  follows  whatever  course  it  believes  nearest 
to  it.  And  if  it  is  forced  by  circumstances  to  follow  its  own  judgment, 
that  often  seems  to  be  unwise  and  to  contradict  sound  reason.  Not 
willing  to  act  thus,  it  can  only  give  up  again  to  God,  trusting  confi- 
dently that  He  will  finally  guide  it.  And  now  God  is  exalted  in  the 
soul  in  His  sovereign  wisdom,  and  the  soul  itself  is  proportionately 
sunk  down  before  Him  in  the  littleness  of  its  understanding.  And  this 
state  abides  in  the  soul  even  while  engaged  in  the  most  petty  duties  of 
daily  life.  Thus  is  it  united  to  God's  wisdom  in  much  simplicity,  and 
attains  to  the  immensity  of  the  deity,  amid  the  darkness  of  His  un- 
known being,  in  which  He  dwells  elevated  incomprehensibly  high  above 
all  created  life.  He  is  a  simple  being,  to  whom  the  created  human 
faculties  cannot  attain,  but  to  whom  they  may  be  united  through  the 
work  of  grace,  namely,  supernatural  faith,  hope  and  charity. 

And  when  this  has  all  been  completed,  the  loving  soul  goes  onward 
to  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  proceeds  from  the  Father  and  the  Son.  To 
Him  the  soul  subjects  itself  so  perfectly  that  it  is  raised  above  all 
created  things,  and  almost  transcending  faith  and  hope,  it  enters  into 
God  by  love.  This  degree  of  love  is  more  precious  than  all  gifts ;  by  it 
the  soul  is  absorbed  so  deep  into  the  uncreated  life  as  to  surpass  com- 
prehension, for  the  closeness  of  union  and  the  Divine  freedom  there 
attained  is  unspeakable.  And,  if  one  may  be  allowed  to  say  so,  the 
soul  in  its  union  with  God  is  now  a  faint  resemblance  even  of  the 
humanity  of  Christ.  Ko  longer  does  it  hesitate  from  timidity,  but 
takes  up  its  company  with  Christ  more  lovingly  and  freely  than  ever 
before. 

WTien  such  a  soul  w^ould  obtain  a  favor  from  the  Father,  it  takes 
Christ  with  it,  especially  in  holy  communion ;  and  it  thus  offers  itself 
to  the  eternal  Father  in  union  with  the  Son.  Particularly  does  it  then 
pray  for  the  fruitful  life  of  holy  Church,  saying  with  Christ  on  the 
cross:  "Father,  into  Thy  hands  I  commend  My  spirit"  (Luke  xxiii, 
46).  Again  and  again  does  the  soul  thus  pray.  It  is  as  if  it  said :  O 
Lord,  rule  freely  over  me,  as  Thy  Father  ruled  over  Thee;  help  me  to 
pray,  that  the  will  of  the  most  holy  Trinity  may  be  done  in  me;  and 


736  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

may  it  be  perfected  in  my  miserable  imperfection,  as  once  it  was  in 
Thy  glorious  perfection;  and  permit  me  to  be  one  with  Thee  for  the 
welfare  of  holy  Church.  O  Lord,  once  Thou  didst  suffer,  and  thus  didst 
Thou  redeem  the  world;  and  now  Thou  canst  no  longer  suffer.  But  I 
can  suffer  in  Thy  stead.  Therefore,  spare  me  not,  as  Thy  Father  spared 
Thee  not.  My  heart  is  ready  for  all  that  pleasest  Thee  in  time  and  in 
eternity.  Lord,  Thou  knowest  in  what  manner  I  can  most  rightfully 
thank  Thee,  and  how  I  can  be  most  helpful  to  mankind :  order  my  life 
to  that  end,  I  beseech  Thee.  Thus  it  is  that  this  soul  gives  itself  over 
to  God,  that  the  Divine  honor  may  in  it  and  by  it  be  advanced.  But 
ere  the  soul  attains  to  the  degree  of  perfection  in  which  such  an  obla- 
tion of  self  can  be  made,  it  must  journey  over  many  a  desert  road,  and 
die  many  an  unheard-of  painful  death. 

To  this  third  way  does  God  elevate  those  who  have  trodden  the  two 
first  ways.  God  comes  to  these  loving  ones  and  leads  them  Himself, 
teaching  them  the  higher  path,  and  uniting  them  to  Himself  in  the 
manner  we  have  described.  But  alas  and  alas,  that  so  few  men  now- 
adays are  really  spiritual-minded.  It  is  due  to  the  fact  that  they  are 
not  willing  to  go  this  way  of  God  and  be  made  fruitful  for  other  men's 
salvation.  But  any  man  who  will  turn  to  God's  commandment  of  love 
thus  to  keep  it,  such  a  one  will  do  more  good  than  any  ten  other  men, 
who  would  indeed  serve  God  but  yet  turn  unguardedly  towards  the 
world;  who  do  not  rest  in  patient  waiting  and  are  not  single-minded 
towards  God.  They  are  absorbed  in  the  active  and  external  service 
of  religion,  rather  than  in  the  interior  work  of  love,  as  we  have  ex- 
plained it.  For  we  have  shown  how  a  man  awakes  from  the  sleep  of 
darkness  into  the  true  light  of  God. 

But  what  if  this  new  grace  were  held  out  to  us,  and  we  should  wil- 
fully fail  to  grasp  it?  It  will  escape  us  in  a  way  that  we  shall  not  be 
able  to  understand.  Therefore,  let  us  one  and  all  implore  God  in  sim- 
plicity of  heart  and  deep  humility,  for  help  to  abase  ourselves  and 
despise  ourselves,  reckoning  ourselves  the  lowest,  basest,  most  con- 
temptible and  worthless  creatures  that  ever  lived.  Let  us  beg  Him  to 
inspire  all  who  meet  us  with  contempt  for  us,  that  they  may  revile  us, 
wag  their  heads  at  us  and  despise  us.  Let  us  beg  Him  to  so  manifest 
our  misery  to  His  mute,  inanimate  creatures,  that  even  they  will  rise 
up  and  condemn  us — anything,  everything  to  teach  us  how  to  die  to  our 
own  will.  By  this  prayer  we  may  obtain  grace  to  shake  off  all  sense 
of  proprietorship  inner  and  outer,  and  learn  how  to  immolate  ourselves 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  737 

totally  to  the  Divine  honor,  to  do  God's  good  pleasure  in  all  thing«, 
giving  over  to  Him  mastery  of  all  we  possess,  not  excepting  our  own 
personal  selves,  not  excepting  anything  at  all  of  time  and  eternity. 
May  God  help  us  to  do  this,  and  to  do  it  not  out  of  self-approval,  but 
only  from  an  ardent  desire  to  please  Him.    Amen. 


r38  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — True  spirituality  craves  the  martyr's  crown — All  of  God's 
drawings  to  virtue  point  to  heroism — Need  of  a  resolute  purpose  to 
suffer  in  union  with  the  King  of  martyrs — Heaven  forecast  and 
described — Curious  explanation  of  the  marvels  of  the  apostolic  era. 


SEKMON  FOE  THE  FEAST  OF  MANY  HOLY  MARTYKS. 

God,  our  heavenly  Father,  honored  these  holy  martyrs  with  special 
glory ;  they  were  transformed  into  the  close  likeness  of  His  only  begot- 
ten Son.  He  pressed  to  their  lips  that  bitter  but  precious  chalice  which 
His  Son  drained  to  the  dregs.  For  these  martyrs  suffered  death  for 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  Therefore  it  is  that  this  day  we  sing  the 
praises  of  these  dauntless  warriors  of  Christ  and  favorite  friends  of 
God. 

Now  take  notice  that  there  are  two  kinds  of  martyrdom  .  One  is  out- 
ward martyrdom  by  the  sword ;  the  other  is  inward  martyrdom  by  the 
stroke  of  dying  love.  And  we  read  of  St.  Martin,  that  although  un- 
touched by  the  outward  sword,  he  was  yet  not  deprived  of  the  glory  of 
martyrdom.  Here  let  us  realize  that  a  Christian  man  should  experi- 
ence the  sufferings  of  Christ  our  God,  seeking  after  them  in  due  and 
proper  penance  for  his  sins  in  a  dying  life;  thus  does  he  become  a 
friend  of  God.    But  these  sufferings  come  to  us  in  two  ways. 

The  first  suffering  of  a  dying  life  is  outward,  by  withstanding  all 
concupiscence  and  sinfulness.  St.  Paul  says :  "They  that  are  Christ's 
have  crucified  their  flesh  with  the  vices  and  concupiscences"  (Gal.  v, 
24).  The  other  suffering  is  interior.  It  consists  in  an  oppression  of 
spirit ;  God  deprives  the  soul  of  all  sensible  or  perceptible  joy  in  His 
service,  and  dries  it  up  totally.  In  this  trial  men  are  usually  found 
wanting;  and  yet  by  this  means  are  they  most  effectually  forced  to 
turn  to  God.  Some  think  that  all  is  lost  if  they  cannot  enjoy  high 
illumination  in  their  thoughts,  and  are  lacking  sweet  feelings  of  devo- 
tion. But  this  is  a  trait  of  beginners,  and  is  set  aside  by  those  who 
aspire  to  the  best  form  of  love;  for  these  make  little  of  sensible  devo- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  739 

tion.  It  is  a  good  preparation,  to  be  sure,  to  something  nobler,  but 
taken  in  itself,  our  sensible  feeling  of  religion  is  not  of  much  worth. 

Alas,  true  lovers  of  God  are  not  many.  Men  will  follow  Christ  only 
in  sweetness.  This  sort  of  love  may  be  called  wounded  love,  and  God, 
seeing  that  men's  hearts  will  not  be  otherwise  drawn  to  Him,  imparts 
to  them  the  sensible  sweetness  of  devotion  they  feel  in  His  service. 
Gradually,  however,  He  leads  them  to  that  love  which  is  called  the 
imprisoned  or  the  captive  love;  and  then  they  cannot  escape  Him. 
After  that  there  is  the  degree  of  love  called  the  raving,  or  frantic,  or 
foolish  love.  In  this  state  of  love  souls  are  granted  great  strength. 
Well  are  they  compensated  by  their  graces  for  the  loss  of  all  things; 
easily  do  they  endure  men's  contempt  and  derision.  Whatsoever  suffer- 
ing God  permits,  they  instantly  offer  it  to  God  in  the  deep  abyss  of  the 
Godhead.  With  perfect  trustfulness  they  say :  O  God,  whether  Thou 
wilt  save  me  or  damn  me,  may  Thy  will  be  done  (if  one  could  possibly 
or  lawfully  say  this  of  his  future  state)  :  all  power  and  all  love  is  in 
Thee.  Now  when  a  man  has  reached  this  love,  he  has  won  the  prize  to 
gain  which  God  started  him  forth.  But  as  to  how  and  by  what  pro- 
cesses this  is  brought  about,  that  is  God's  secret. 

It  is  to  attract  each  soul  to  Himself  that  God  bestows  His  gifts  so 
affectionately,  serves  us  with  His  graces  so  tenderly.  For  He  would 
have  us  offer  back  these  gifts  and  graces  to  Him  in  all  detachment  of 
spirit,  and  without  reluctance  or  parleying.  When  He  grants  great 
spiritual  sweetness,  it  is  to  induce  us  to  self-renunciation.  And  when 
He  leads  us  from  sweetness  to  aridity,  it  is  to  place  us  in  a  higher 
grade  of  the  spiritual  life.  He  takes  away,  seemingly,  everything  He 
has  given  us.  Our  soul  seems  to  stand  miserably  poor,  and  all  outside 
of  God.  The  purpose  of  this  is  to  force  us  to  make  a  beginning  of  the 
noblest  self-denial,  to  force  us  to  rest  upon  no  created  thing  whatsoever, 
but  only  upon  God.  Now  there  are  two  ways  of  arriving  at  God's  true 
love. 

The  first  is  the  way  of  joy  in  Divine  grace.  O  how  happy  one  is  in 
the  holy  exercises  of  religion.  And  God  causes  that  in  order  that  we 
may  contrast  spiritual  joys  with  fleshly  ones.  These  last  are  now 
quenched  in  the  former.  A  man  sells  himself  to  God  for  these  spiritual 
sweetnesses.  He  despises  bodily  pleasures,  and  he  shows  this  so  plainly 
that  his  friends  wonder  at  the  sight  of  it.  For  we  read  of  many  saints, 
that  when  they  were  first  drawn  hard  to  God,  they  fled  from  the  com- 
forts of  life  so  suddenly  and  so  violently  that  men  were  amazed.  This 
is  doubtless  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  whose  love  is  strong  as  death. 


740  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

The  second  way  is  that  of  spiritual  sorrow  and  suffering.  And  now 
all  these  joys  we  have  been  speaking  of  are  snatched  away.  And  it  is 
precisely  in  this  trial  that  the  spiritual  strength  of  our  martyr  is  gener- 
ated— in  utter  aridity,  barrenness  of  devotional  feeling.  Meanwhile 
you  must  know  that  amid  all  this  sorrow  of  heart  and  in  this  spiritual 
vacuum,  souls  continue  to  hold  God  very  dear,  and  to  purpose  and 
practice  virtue  no  less  than  before  this  visitation.  But  they  are  sorely 
embarrassed,  and  know  not  which  way  to  turn  for  relief,  for  God  seems 
to  them  to  have  quite  given  them  up.  They  can  but  stand  fast  in  faith, 
hope,  and  charity,  in  a  very  thick  darkness  of  soul.  As  to  sinning,  oh! 
no  matter  what  might  come  upon  them,  they  are  firmly  resolved  never 
to  sin,  for  they  ever  bear  in  their  bosom  a  deeply  humbled  heart,  over- 
flowing with  contrition.  When  they  see  the  signs  of  God's  grace  in 
other  men,  they  are  cut  deep  with  pain ;  but  they  blame  only  themselves 
for  not  being  equally  favored,  accusing  themselves  of  wanting  in  fidel- 
ity. And  when  they  strive  to  obtain  grace  by  diligence  and  zeal  in 
good  works,  they  only  grow  dryer  within.  A  stone  is  not  dryer  or 
harder  than  their  heart  feels. 

Sometimes  all  patience  seems  to  vanish  away  from  them.  Forebod- 
ings of  the  future  haunt  them ;  their  sadness  steadily  increases  in  bit- 
terness. And  presently  they  accuse  themselves  of  envying  others  the 
graces  they  enjoy;  and  that  brings  sorrow  upon  sorrow.  By  all  these 
tribulations  they  are  utterly  worn  out,  and  know  not  what  they  shall 
do.  They  would  not  willingly  fail  in  fidelity  to  God  and  in  the  prac- 
tice of  virtue,  and  yet  they  feel  unequal  to  any  good  work.  They  dread 
lest  they  have  aroused  God's  anger  by  their  impatience;  they  fear  that 
they  have  been  guilty  of  the  awful  sin  of  despair — and  that  pains  them 
intensely;  for  they  really  hate  sin  because  it  is  rebellion  against  God. 
This  feeling  of  intense  aversion  to  sin  heartens  them  somewhat,  for 
they  know  that  they  would  not  wilfully  provoke  the  Divine  wrath.  But 
at  last  they  fall  back  upon  mere  patience  and  arrive  at  peace,  even 
though  continuing  under  heavy  depression  of  spirit.  They  resign  them- 
selves to  suffer  on  until  it  pleases  God  to  give  them  a  change ;  for  they 
now  perceive  that  they  cannot  do  otherwise  than  blindly  trust  God. 
And  this  is  the  way  God  teaches  detachment  from  all  things  and  sub- 
mission to  Him.  And  presently  a  change  comes  over  them ;  these  souls 
now  appear  more  like  others  who  have  great  sweetness  of  devotion ;  but 
in  various  respects  they  are  far  nobler  spirits.  For  their  way  is  more 
like  that  of  Christ,  whose  life  was  full  of  suffering. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  741 

Such  a  man  thinks  himself  the  poorest  of  the  poor  in  spiritual  gifts. 
But  in  God's  sight  he  is  very  rich.  Such  souls  are  the  farthest  away 
from  God,  to  their  own  seeming,  but  as  He  sees  them  they  are  the  near- 
est. To  themselves  they  are  God's  outcasts,  and  to  Him  they  are  the 
chosen  ones.  They  rate  themselves  the  most  untrue  to  Him,  and  He 
knows  them  to  be  His  most  steadfast  friends,  most  reliable  to  resist  His 
dishonor,  most  eager  to  advance  His  glory;  for  they  suffer  only  for  His 
sake. 

On  account  of  this  interior  poverty  they  are  open  to  severe  tempta- 
tions, but  to  these  they  will  in  no  manner  give  place.  Yet  they  cause 
them  much  mental  torture — worse  indeed  than  the  agony  of  death. 
This  is  especially  the  case  when  they  scruple  that  they  have  yielded  to 
the  tempter.  They  would  gladly  overcome  their  petty  imperfections; 
they  long  to  practice  good  works;  and  they  find  themselves  powerless 
to  do  either.  The  pains  of  hell  itself  seem  less  to  them  than  the  torture 
this  causes,  this  and  their  other  interior  tribulations.  But  it  all  arises 
from  their  great  fidelity  to  God,  for  meanwhile  their  heart's  trust  is 
ever  His,  but  they  are  not  able  to  realize  this.  They  reckon  themselves 
as  the  basest  sinners  in  the  world;  in  God's  eyes  they  are  the  most 
spotless. 

One  thing  in  them  displeases  God,  namely,  that  they  make  so  much 
of  this  their  sad  condition.  To  punish  them.  He  now  and  then  allows 
them  to  show  imj^atience  with  others,  or  to  commit  some  petty  imper- 
fection against  pure  love.  If  they  were  entirely  faithful,  God  would 
not  thus  visit  them ;  they  would  then  simply  make  their  sorrows  their 
only  peace.  In  that  case  their  progress  would  outstrip  that  of  all 
other  men.  This  advantage  they  lose  by  yielding  to  excessive  despond- 
ency. 

This  fault  of  theirs  comes  from  their  inadvertence  to  the  wonderful 
fruit  that  must  result  from  God's  discipline.  Or  perhaps  from  some 
hidden  lack  of  self-abandonment,  some  weakness  of  resolve  to  suffer  on 
and  on  to  the  end — they  forebode  that  the  term  of  their  sorrows  will  be 
longer  than  they  can  endure.  They  should  understand  that  this  lack 
of  patience  only  prolongs  the  agony,  and  lessens  the  benefit  to  be 
gained.  What  alone  can  shorten  their  trials  is  patient  and  gentle  en- 
durance, simply  giving  themselves  over  to  sorrow  for  God's  love.  The 
more  simply  they  do  this,  the  nobler  shall  be  their  triumph,  the  brighter 
their  final  illumination. 

For  if  a  man  will  but  tread  this  darksome  way  faithfully,  a  bright 


742  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

light  at  last  will  burst  upon  him,  flooding  his  inmost  soul  with  the 
splendor  of  eternal  truth.  Thus  before  God — however  different  he  may 
seem  to  men — he  will  have  reached  the  purest  state  of  love.  He  will 
have  given  up  self  and  all  things  else  for  God's  sake  alone.  He  is  now 
made,  as  it  were,  one  love  with  God.  That  love  no  man  or  any  other 
being  but  himself  can  deprive  him  of  or  anywise  disturb.  To  will  or 
not  to  will  is  now,  as  it  seems  to  him,  all  one  in  his  soul's  life,  for  God 
and  all  God's  elect  have  taken  up  their  abode  in  him. 

Yet  more  is  to  be  said  of  this  blissful  state,  for  it  leads  to  a  happy 
death.  O,  my  soul,  consider  over  and  over  again,  the  unspeakable 
bliss  of  heaven;  of  a  soul  that  looks  directly  upon  the  face  of  God, 
the  infinitely  lovely  God;  think  of  the  joy  of  possessing  the  sovereign 
good  that  God  is.  In  Him  is  found  all  joy,  power,  beauty,  all  that  is 
holy,  all  that  our  heart  can  desire.  Think  of  possessing  God  witJi 
everlasting  security — being  very  closely  united  to  God;  joined  to 
Him,  never  to  be  again  separated.  O,  how  supremely  blissful  will  be 
the  sight  and  presence  of  the  most  holy  Trinity;  how  sweet  the  com- 
pany of  Mary,  our  beloved  Lord's  holy  mother,  with  all  the  heavenly 
choirs  of  the  angels,  with  all  the  ancient  patriarchs  and  prophets, 
the  apostles  and  the  martyrs,  the  confessors  and  the  virgins,  and  all 
the  saints.  How  glorious  to  dwell  forever  in  that  company,  so 
mutually  affectionate,  and  ever  rapt  in  the  divine  love.  The  greatest 
of  the  saints  in  that  loving  family,  would,  if  it  were  possible,  gladly 
share  his  joy  with  the  least,  as  the  least  would  gladly  add  his  share 
of  glory  to  that  enjoyed  by  the  greatest.  So  shall  the  souls  whose 
proving  we  have  been  considering,  having  been  tried  and  found  faith- 
ful, receive  in  this  life  a  foretaste  of  these  overwhelming  joys. 

O  how  foolish  are  the  men  who  turn  their  backs  on  eternal  happiness, 
for  the  sake  of  fleshly  joys  on  the  passing  good  things  and  honors  of 
this  world.  Study  this  matter,  O  my  soul,  whilst  thou  art  in  the  way 
of  grace  and  probation.  Do  good  works.  See  to  it,  lest  thou  dosi 
forfeit  everlasting  happiness.  Hasten  on  to  a  life  of  virtue.  Let 
no  toil  dishearten  thee,  but  labor  steadily  during  the  short  span  of 
thy  earthly  existence,  and  with  real  fidelity  to  God,  that  thou  mayst 
gain  an  eternal  good,  an  eternal  joy.  Let  there  be  nothing  so  dear 
to  thee  that  thou  shalt  allow  it  to  hinder  thy  gaining  the  eternal 
friendship  of  God.  Canst  thou  not  plainly  see,  that  all  possible  pain, 
adversity  and  misery  of  this  life  is  as  nothing,  if  we  but  keep  in  mind 
the  joys  of  eternal  life?    Think  of  all  the  glorious  saints  of  God,  and 


743 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  

how  they  all  obtained  their  paradise  by  an  upright  Christian  life, 
Set  them  before  thy  eyes;  imitate  their  virtues,  so  that  thou  mayst 
be  made  a  sharer  of  their  glory.  O  my  soul,  consider  the  joys  and  th« 
honors  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  its  gracious  loving  citizens. 
All  of  them  have  journeyed  thither  along  this  road  of  Christian 
virtue  and  self  denial,  passing  out  of  this  valley  of  tears  into  its  open 
gates  of  everlasting  joy.  ,        \..,   , 

There  are  five  signs  of  God's  favor  attached  to  the  lives  of  mortified 
men,  as  our  Lord  teaches.    The  first  is  that  they  cast  out  devils  in 
the  name  of  Christ.    All  men  who  have  confessed  their  mortal  sins 
with  true  contrition,  can  enjoy  that  prerogative,  for  they  have  expelled 
the  demon  from  their  own  souls.    The  second  is  that  they  shall  speak 
with  new  tongues.    Such  is  the  privilege  in  a  certain  sense  of  all  who 
renounce  sinful  and  idle  words,  and  speak  good  and  useful  ones;  and 
of  all  those  who  preach  the  word  of  God,  who  read  the  holy  gospels, 
who  recite  devout  prayers,  who  admonish  and  correct  sinners,  and 
who  instruct  the  ignorant.    The  third  sign  is  that  they  can  take  up 
serpents  and  not  be  hurt  by  them.    This  is  enjoyed  by  all  who  banish 
bad  thoughts  from  their  souls,  and  withstand  them  manfully.     The 
fourth  sign  is  that  they  can  drink  any  deadly  thing,  and  it  shall  not 
hurt  them     This  is  fulfilled  in  those  who  patiently  sufifer  persecution 
and  contempt  of  men  for  justice  sake.    The  fifth  and  last  sign  is  that 
faithful  souls  can  lay  their  hands  upon  the  sick,  and  they  shall  recover 
The  like  of  that  do  all  good  men,  who  forgive  their  enemies  out  of 
whole  hearted  kindness,  no  matter  what  harm  has  been  done  them; 
and  also  those  who  give  alms  to  the  poor.     Of  all  those  who  show 
these  signs,  as  given  in  the  holy  gospel,  one  can  safely  say  that  they 
truly  belong  to  God's  faithful  friends,  and  that  if  they  but  persevere, 
they  will  be  taken  up  to  Christ  in  eternal  life.    God  grant  all  of  us 
that  happy  lot.    Amen. 


744  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


l|om  to  iRttt  WtttvpttdlnnB 

Synopsis — Temptations  are  allowed  for  our  advancement  in  virtue — 
The  various  kinds  of  temptations  and  how  to  deal  with  each  of 
them — How  they  cure  a  tendency  to  misuse  sensible  devotion — A 
sorely  tempted  man  is  well  taught  the  supreme  virtue  of  humility 
— Explanation  of  the  more  subtle  interior  trials — The  dread  of 
sinning — how  it  may  be  utilized. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  A  HOLY  MARTYR. 
Blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth  temptation. — James  i,  12. 

The  holy  man  Job  tells  us  that  our  life  on  this  earth  is  a  state  of 
warfare.  Indeed  the  saints  often  speak  of  life  as  a  long  series  of  temp- 
tations; when  one  goes  another  comes.  The  reason  of  this  is  our 
Lord's  purpose  that  we  should  go  onward,  and  should  bring  forth  the 
fruit  of  victory,  moving  ever  forward  on  God's  road  and  conquering  in 
His  name.  From  temptation  we  can  extract  the  hidden  joy  of  the  spirit, 
as  the  bees  do  honey  from  thorn  bushes  and  weeds.  Solomon  says :  "What 
doth  he  know  that  hath  not  been  tried?"  (Eccli.  xxxiv,  9).  And  the 
iholy  doctor,  St.  Bernard,  enlarges  upon  that  teaching.  There  are  more 
than  a  thousand  passages  of  Holy  Scripture  showing  the  good  uses  of 
temptations.  It  is  a  special  sign  of  God's  favor  over  a  man,  if  he  has 
fought  a  good  fight  and  come  forth  victorious.  To  such  a  one  the 
crown  is  given,  as  it  was  to  our  martyr,  of  whom  Holy  Church  sings 
today,  that  he  was  blessed  because  he  had  endured  temptation,  had 
won  the  victory  and  had  received  the  crown  of  life  reserved  for  those 
whom  God  loves. 

.  One  kind  of  temptation  is  that  of  the  external  senses.  By  this  a 
man  is  tempted  to  place  his  joy  in  men,  whether  friends,  relatives  or 
others.  It  leads  to  anxious  care  in  personal  adornment,  as  clothing 
and  jewelry;  or  in  fine  books,  elegant  and  luxurious  dwellings,  deli- 
cate food  and  drink.  These  cleave  to  him  as  a  burr  to  a  dog.  Some 
times  a  man  will  be  far  from  these  temptations,  but  assailed  by  yet 
more  unusual  ones,  being  tormented  with  impure  thoughts.     But, 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  745 

however  foul  the  temptations  may  be,  they  can  do  us  no  harm,  except 
as  St.  Gregory  teaches,  we  are  careless  of  resisting  them.  We  should 
turn  quickly  away  from  them. 

The  other  kind  of  temptation  is  interior,  and  would  set  up  an  alien 
rule  in  the  kingdom  of  the  mind.  The  activity  of  soul  and  that  of 
body  are  mingled  together.  Our  inward  turning  to  God  in  this  life 
is  closely  joined  to  our  outward  tendencies,  and  this  gives  rise  to 
temptations.  Scripture  says  that  Satan  can  transform  himself  into 
an  angel  of  light;  and  that  takes  place  in  his  temptations  while  our 
soul  is  absorbed  in  contemplating  God. 

Now  notice  further,  dear  children,  how  St.  John  divides  all  sin  into 
three  classes :  "For  all  that  is  in  the  world,  is  the  concupiscence 
of  the  flesh,  and  the  concupiscence  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life*' 
(I  John  ii,  16).  And  as  these  rule  in  the  world,  so  do  they  seek  to 
rule  in  our  flesh;  and  then  to  reign  in  our  interior  life  by  assuming  a 
spiritual  appearance.  Outward  sins  are  plain  enough,  if  one  will 
but  see  them.  But  sins  of  the  interior  life  are  more  hidden.  They 
take  on  a  disguise  of  spirituality  so  cunning  that  a  man  is  on  the 
point  of  falling  before  he  is  aware  of  any  danger. 

And  I  ask  you  to  observe  that  there  is  a  certain  kind  of  spiritual 
unchastity,  which  name  we  give  to  spiritual  self  indulgence.  I  mean 
the  excessive  pleasure  one  takes  in  interior  sweet  feelings  of  devotion. 
The  one  who  yields  to  that  temptation,  insists  on  having  unbroken 
interior  peace  of  soul;  he  resents  being  corrected  or  admonished 
for  his  faults;  he  neglects  his  ordinary  duties  in  order  to  attend 
to  his  own  particular  devotions.  All  this  is  due  to  the  sensible  sweet- 
ness he  enjoys  in  his  spiritual  exercises.  When  that  fails,  he  is 
utterly  unhappy,  irritable,  impatient  of  the  most  trifling  annoyance. 
He  loudly  complains  of  the  terrible  temptations  he  suffers  from. 
And  this  is  all  nothing  else  but  absence  of  sensible  devotion.  St. 
Bernard  says:  "Our  Lord,  in  His  mercy,  often  grants  interior  sweet- 
ness to  souls  quite  unworthy  of  it,  in  order  that  He  may  the  better 
draw  them  to  His  love.  On  the  contrary,  He  often  withholds  it  from 
nobler  souls,  who  are  truly  deserving  of  it,  being  long  practised  in 
solid  virtue."  Yes,  sometimes  He  deprives  such  souls  of  devotional 
joys  their  whole  life  long,  so  that  in  the  life  to  come  they  may  receive 
all  the  greater  reward.  And,  indeed,  our  spiritual  fruit  is  not  in 
such  things,  nor  our  highest  gratitude;  but,  rather  in  interior  trust 
in  God,  firm  loyalty  to  Him,  entire  absence  of  self-seeking,  whether 


746  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

in  pain  or  pleasure.  Our  true  felicity  lies  in  a  constant  offer  of 
ourselves  to  God  as  His  poor,  humble  servitors,  glad  to  minister  to 
His  will  at  our  own  cost,  and  so  to  do,  if  it  were  lawful  to  say  such 
a  thing,  for  all  eternity. 

And  yet,  one  may  be  allowed  to  pray  to  God  for  sensible  sweetness 
of  devotion,  in  case  he  happens  to  be  a  young  and  weak  beginner  in 
the  spiritual  life;  for  our  kind  heavenly  Father  may  by  that  means 
induce  him  to  a  stronger  service  and  gradually  strengthen  him  In 
His  love.  But  mark  the  danger.  It  is  quite  possible  that  we  may 
value  this  sweet  tranquillity  of  soul  over  much,  even  loving  the  gift — 
however  unconsciously — more  than  the  Giver.  Anyway,  we  should 
never  forget  that  these  tender  feelings  are  not  of  our  earning — they 
are  God's  mere  gifts  to  us.  We  may,  besides,  fall  into  spiritual 
gluttony^  in  their  enjoyment.  This  is  plain  and  gross  disloyalty  ta 
God  our  Savior,  Who  won  all  these  favors  for  us  by  His  own  life- 
long self-denial,  and  who  has  merited  better  treatment  at  our  hands. 

Spiritual  gluttony  is  a  temptation  to  ever  crave  more  favor  from 
God  than  is  necessary  in  our  earthly  pilgrimage.  Now  what  more  should 
a  pilgrim  take  with  him  on  his  journey  than  what  he  would  bring 
back  home  again.  Believe  me,  it  is  an  open  stain  on  our  outward  state 
of  poverty  as  religious  men,  to  seek  to  have  more  bodily  comfon 
than  is  necessary  for  us.  And  the  same  kind  of  a  stain  is  fixed  on 
our  inward  poverty  of  spirit,  ^es,  a  much  uglier  spot,  if  we  long  for 
more  spiritual  comfort  than  is  necessary.  Ah,  which  of  us  men  has 
ever  been  so  poor  as  Jesus  Christ?  He  gave  up  all  heavenly  riches  and 
took  a  life  of  the  greatest  earthly  distitution,  and  was  finally  aban- 
doned by  all  creatures,  and  even  cast  helplessly  back  on  Himself  by 
His  divine  Father — as  He  complained  from  His  cross:  "My  God,  My 
God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  Me?"  (Matt,  xxvii,  46).  Now  all  this^ 
was  for  our  instruction;  He  would  teach  us  to  cherish  spiritual 
destitution  of  all  things. 

But  thou  mayst  answer:  Alas,  I  could  bear  it  better  if  it  was  not 
all  my  own  fault;  I  could  bear  it  more  patiently  but  for  my  former 
neglect.  I  am  myself  the  cause  of  all  my  trouble.  But  I  answer: 
Do  not  let  that  thought  distress  thee.  Knowest  thou  not  what  the 
wise  man  says?  "A  just  man  shall  fall  seven  times"  (Prov.  xxiv,  16). 
And  dost  thou  dream  that  thou  shalt  always  stand?  Yes,  I  agree  that 
it  is  all  thy  own  fault,  and  that  thou  dost  richly  deserve  this  desola- 
tion of  spirit.    But  yet  it  is  all  for  the  best  that  thou  shouldst  trust 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  747 

our  good  God  for  pardon.  He  knows  thy  weakness  full  well,  and  will 
forgive  thee  thy  imperfections  seventy  times  seven  times  a  day :  better 
wait  on  His  loving  kindness  than  reproach  thyself  in  so  mean-spirited 
a  way.  Oh  child,  hast  thou  fallen?  Then  rise  up  again.  Go  to  thy 
Father  with  childlike  confidence,  and  say  humbly  with  the  prodigal 
son,  "Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven  and  before  thee ;  I  am  not 
worthy  to  be  called  Thy  son ;  make  me  as  one  of  Thy  hired  servants"^ 
(Luke  XV,  18,  19).  Thinkest  thou  that  God  would  treat  thee  other- 
wise than  the  father  in  the  parable  treated  his  son?  Mercy  is  God's- 
most  precious  treasure,  and  it  will  be  a  small  thin§  for  Him  to  for- 
give thee,  if  thou  wilt  but  put  thy  trust  in  Him.  His  hand  is  not 
shortened  that  He  should  not  save  thee.  Therefore,  be  on  thy  guard 
against  spiritual  avarice,  for  the  poorer  in  spirit  thou  standest  in 
God's  presence  the  more  acceptable  shalt  thou  be,  and  the  more  richlj 
will  He  endow  thee  with  His  gifts. 

Spiritual  pride  is  that  vice  by  which  a  man  is  not  ashamed  of  his- 
sins,  excusing  himself  and  sparing  himself  in  everything,  never  being 
willing  to  submit.  It  often  happens  that  such  a  man  uses  abusive 
and  injurious  language  to  exculpate  himself,  and  even  falsehood. 
Those  men  forget  that  if  plain  truth  will  not  help  a  man,  lies  are  of 
little  use.  A  simple  man,  humbly  submissive  under  God's  will,  is  in- 
finitely better  than  one  with  some  pretence  to  virtue,  but  full  of  in- 
terior pride,  and  swaggering  about  with  arrogant  manners.  Tell  me,, 
dear  child,  what  is  all  our  righteousness?  Let  the  prophet  Isaias: 
answer:  "We  are  all  become  as  one  unclean,  and  all  our  justices  as 
the  rag  of  a  menstruous  woman"  (Isaias  Ixiv,  6). 

And  when  were  we  really  just  in  God's  sight?  If  God  our  Lord 
would  but  show  us  our  deservings,  we  must  needs  confess  our  guilt 
in  His  sight,  and  own  that  all  our  virtue  is  due  to  His  grace.  Many 
a  time  does  our  Lord  favor  a  weak  and  wayward  soul  because  it  casts 
itself  humbly  at  His  feet  and  craves  his  mercy.  God  demands  that 
every  knee  shall  bend  before  Him,  and  strictly  exacts  thanksgiving- 
for  all  the  virtues  we  possess.  And  be  it  remembered  that  spiritual 
pride  is  often  a  very  secretly-hidden  vice ;  and  this  accounts  for  much 
of  the  harm  it  does.  Whosoever,  on  the  other  hand,  carefully  guards 
against  spiritual  gluttony,  avarice  and  pride,  will  be  held  fast  in  God's 
true  way,  and  his  interior  life  will  not  go  astray. 

To  this  end  three  rules  will  help.  First,  that  he  should  remember 
that  any  interior  difficulties  and  contradictions  which  discipline  our 


748  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

spirits  into  the  likeness  of  our  Savior's  humility,  which  tend  to  form 
us  after  the  manner  of  Christ's  saints, — that  we  should  be  sure  that 
such  trials  are  not  due  to  depraved  nature,  nor  are  they  the  sugges- 
tions of  the  evil  spirit.  All  such  trials  undoubtedly  come  from  God. 
As  He  is  the  supreme  God,  nothing  but  good  can  come  from  Him,  and 
whatsoever  results  from  His  interposition  can  only  be  good.  All  life 
flows  back  to  its  fountain  head,  and  all  existence  rejoices  in  its  re- 
turn to  its  Divine  origin.  But  mark  well  that  whatsoever  distorts 
our  likeness  to  God  in  Christ  is  due  to  an  evil  cause,  either  our  per- 
verted nature  or 'the  wicked  demons.  These  are  ever  bent  on  draw- 
ing us  away  from  God.  The  same  is  to  be  said  of  every  influence  that 
makes  for  separation  from  Christ,  as  He  says:  "He  that  is  not  with 
Me  is  against  Me,  and  he  that  gathereth  not  with  Me  scattereth."(Luke 
xi,  23).  Now  this  rule  is  useful  against  the  first  spiritual  evil  I  spoke 
of,  namely,  spiritual  excess  or  gluttony  in  enjoying  devout  feelings. 

The  second  rule  is  this:  Whatever  inner  tendency  or  happening 
forces  a  man  nearer  to  his  own  heart  to  observe  it;  whatever  concen- 
trates and  unifies  the  spirit  of  a  man  into  greater  simplicity;  what- 
ever tends  to  increase  his  loving  trustfulness  in  God's  fatherly  care, 
diverting  him  from  thoughts  of  his  own  works  and  feelings;  this  is 
all,  without  doubt,  from  God.  So  that  when  a  man  stands  before  God 
confessedly  a  sinner  and  a  beggar,  thinking  nothing  of  how  good  he 
may  seem  in  men's  eyes;  when  a  man  finds  himself  out,  and  plainly 
avows  to  God  and  to  himself  that  he  is  devoid  of  virtue;  when  he 
rates  himself  as  a  poor,  lost,  good-for-nothing,  empty-hearted  creature, 
who  can  be  cleansed  by  God  alone  and  by  Him  alone  filled  with  virtue ; 
when  he  cleaves  to  God  in  utter  self-abandonment,  avowing  his  total 
powerlessness  to  help  himself: — when  a  man  is  conscious  of  this  in- 
terior state,  let  him  be  quite  sure  that  it  is  entirely  the  work  of  God. 
None  but  God  can  drive  a  soul  inward  to  learn  and  acknowledge  its 
own  utter  destitution.  Depraved  nature  and  the  evil  one  would  rob 
a  man  of  all  his  spiritual  goods,  all  his  graces  or  virtues;  and  their 
opportunity  is  when  a  man  does  not  know  himself,  and  when  he  thinks 
he  has  virtues  that  he  really  has  not.  Then  he  is  open  to  the  con- 
demnation found  in  the  Apocalypse:  "Because  thou  sayest:  I  am 
rich  and  made  wealthy,  and  have  need  of  nothing;  and  knowest  not 
that  thou  are  wretched  and  miserable,  and  poor  and  blind,  and  naked" 
(Apoc.  iii,  17).  And  this  has  a  mixture  of  spiritual  avarice,  mingled 
with  the  leaven  of  spiritual  gluttony. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  749 

The  third  rule  is  this:  Whatever  makes  a  man  little  in  his  own 
eyes;  whatever  humiliates  him  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God  and 
under  all  creatures  in  sincere  lowliness  of  spirit;  whatever  makes 
him  long  to  be  downtrodden  and  made  nothing  of:  all  that  without 
doubt  is  from  God.  For,  inasmuch  as  Lucifer  and  his  rebel  angels 
were  swollen  with  pride  and  presumption,  and  were  for  that  cause 
banished  from  heaven,  so,  on  the  contrary,  shall  we  be  led  into  heaven, 
because  of  our  sincere  humility;  as  of  the  three  holy  kings  it  is 
written :  "They  went  back  another  way  into  their  own  country" 
(Matt,  ii,  12). 

According  to  each  one's  essential  being  does  he  act,  and  after  the 
pattern  of  his  own  nature  would  he  form  all  others  whom  he  can  in- 
fluence. Now  the  evil  spirit  is  besotted  with  self-love;  pride  and 
eflfrontery  are  permanently  hardened  into  his  intelligence  and  will. 
-Not  to  obtain  heaven  itself  would  he  humble  himself  to  God;  no,  not 
for  a  single  instant.  And  all  proud  spirits  tend  to  become  like  the 
demon.  From  him  they  have  learned  to  prize  their  own  opinion 
above  the  sense  and  reason  of  all  mankind.  Hence  their  constant 
quarrelsomeness,  hence  their  fierce  insistence  on  their  own  views  and 
their  own  will.  And  hence  their  incessant  unrest,  evil  thoughts  about 
others,  and  violations  of  brotherly  love.  They  will  suffer  correction 
from  no  man,  they  are  so  stifif-necked.  They  even  disregard  the  warn- 
ings that  Divine  Providence  sends  them,  and  they  despise  the  admo- 
nitions of  their  best  friends.  God  characterized  them  plainly,  when 
condemning  hypocrites  in  the  words  of  Isaias  the  Prophet:  "I  have 
spread  my  hands  all  the  day  to  an  unbelieving  people,  who  walk  in 
a  way  that  is  not  good,  after  their  own  thoughts"  (Isaias  Ixv,  2). 

Furthermore,  our  dear  Lord  is  Himself  all  meekness  and  humility, 
and  toward  these  virtues  he  is  constantly  drawing  all  willing  souls. 
Yet  think  of  his  greatness.  His  being  is  the  cause  of  all  things  and 
their  beginning  and  essence.  He  is  the  life  of  the  living,  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead,  the  restorer  of  souls  ruined  by  their  own  sinfulness. 
He  recalls  the  wandering.  He  upholds  the  falling.  Of  those  that  stand 
He  is  the  strong  support,  of  those  that  journey  onward  to  heaven  He 
is  the  safe  guide.  He  is  the  dawn  of  day  to  every  enlightened  spirit, 
the  manifestation  of  all  heavenly  secrets,  the  first  beginning  of  all 
our  beginnings  of  eternal  life.  And  He  is  the  infinite  and  incompre- 
hensible and  unnameable  God.  And,  nevertheless,  He  is  the  meek 
and  lowly  Jesus. 


750  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

Let  us  praise  His  mysterious  divinity  with  silent  awe,  and  never 
more  praise  aught  but  what  honors  Him.  Let  us  reverently  salute 
the  first  rays  of  His  Divine  light  in  our  souls,  turning  our  spirits  to 
Him  to  reflect  His  brightness  as  burnished  mirrors.  Always,  amidst 
all  our  love,  should  we  cultivate  a  fearful  awe  of  Him,  according  to 
the  words  of  God  to  Moses  sanctifying  Mt.  Sinai:  "Everyone  that 
toucheth  the  mount,  dying  he  shall  die.  ♦  *  »  Whether  it  be  beast 
or  man,  he  shall  not  live"  (Exod.  xix,  12,  13).  That  is  to  say,  let 
not  our  beastly  nature  presume  to  come  nigh  to  God's  holy  mountain 
in  our  souls;  let  all  that  is  animal  within  us  sit  down  outside  the 
bounds  in  the  lowest  place.  And  when  we  are  thus  properly  humble- 
minded,  the  Lord  will  call  us  up  higher,  saying:  "Friend,  go  up 
higher"    (Luke  xiv,  10). 

And  then,  not  by  his  own  power,  but  drawn  and  elevated  by  God's 
grace,  a  man  ascends  to  divine  union,  his  life  of  the  senses  entirely 
cleansed,  his  soul  lighted  up  with  heaven's  splendor.  By  this  means 
of  holy  humility,  silence,  patient  waiting,  does  a  man  attain  to  God; 
and  by  this  means  more  effectually  than  by  a  more  active  spirit  in 
outward  exercises  of  religion.  The  divine  nature  of  Christ  is  the 
power  that  would  draw  to  God  all  spirits,  all  hearts  that  follow  His 
example  and  daily  unite  themselves  to  Him  in  holy  love.  Richard 
of  St.  Victor  says:  "I  am  to  receive  Christ,  not  only  as  He  is  cruci- 
fied on  Calvary,  but  also  as  He  is  transfigured  in  glory  on  Mount 
Tabor.  But  to  receive  Him  thus  glorified  T  must  have  His  duly  ap- 
pointed witnesses,  Peter  and  James  and  John,  Moses  and  Elias." 
That  is  to  say,  when  Christ  comes  to  us  in  deep  anguish  of  heart  we 
may  instantly  trust  that  it  is  truly  our  Redeemer.  But  if  He  is  man- 
ifested to  us  in  interior  contemplation,  amid  the  light  of  glory  within 
our  soul's  Mount  Tabor,  then  must  we  pause.  We  must  have  wit- 
nesses and  external  approval;  we  must  take  precautions,  lest  we 
should  indulge  to  excess  in  this  feast  of  light,  and  thereby  commit 
spiritual  gluttony.  As  a  man  can  eat  more  sweet  things  than  he  can 
digest,  so  may  we  abuse  the  gifts  that  God  generously  bestows  in 
our  interior  life.  We  must  incessantly  humiliate  ourselves  in  His 
sight;  we  must  never  forget  the  danger  of  spiritual  pride.  The  vir- 
tues of  humility,  meekness,  obedience  are  the  witnesses  approving  our 
free  enjoyment  of  the  transfigured  Christ  in  our  inmost  souls.  Against 
these  guardians  of  truth  and  peace  no  false  angel  can  ever  prevail. 
God  grant  us  this  happy  lot.  •  Amen. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  751 


t^ynopsis — Love  of  a  great  name  the  ruin  of  many,  and  why — Serving 
men  at  Qod's  expense — How  hitter  disappointments  attend  the 
love  of  men's  praise — Vainglory  as  a  substitute  for  recollected- 
ness  of  spirit. 


SERMON  FOR  THE  FEAST  OF  A  HOLY  BISHOP,  CONFESSOR. 

And  in  My  name  shall  his  horn  be  exalted. — Ps.  Ixxxviil,  25. 

Self-glory  and  proud  boasting  is,  as  you  know,  my  dear  children, 
the  sin  most  offensive  to  God.  It  is  giving  to  a  man's  own  self  the 
glory  that  belongs  to  God  alone.  God  cannot  endure  that  His  crea- 
ture shall  usurp  to  his  own  honor  the  good  repute  that  is  granted  him 
only  for  the  divine  honor,  and  for  the  spiritual  benefit  of  other  men. 
And  how  plainly  do  God's  servants  show  their  appreciation  of  this, 
as  did  the  holy  prelate  whose  feast  we  celebrate  today.  He  sought 
his  own  glory  in  nothing,  God's  glory  in  everything.  Hence  holy 
Church  chants  his  praises  in  today's  office:  "In  My  name  shall  his 
horn  be  exalted" — that  is  to  say,  his  glory  in  heaven  and  on  earth. 
As  if  God  should  say  of  him :  His  name  shall  not  be  his  glory,  for  he 
never  cared  for  that,  as  he  cared  but  for  me  alone;  therefore  he  shall 
be  exalted  even  in  My  name  and  with  My  glory. 

And  in  another  place  the  Psalmist  says:  "For  His  name  alone  is 
exalted"  (Ps.  cxlviii,  13).  Now,  nothing  is  more  hateful  to  God,  noth- 
ing goes  straighter  against  Him  than  ambition  to  acquire  a  great 
name.  In  many  men  this  sin  is  hidden  deep  in  their  souls,  and  they 
little  realize  their  perilous  plight.  Men  in  high  places  demand,  as  of 
personal  right,  that  all  should  bow  down  to  them;  and  woe  to  any- 
one who  says  or  does  anything  at  all  likely  to  lessen  their  public 
honor.  Of  the  secret  pride  from  which  this  springs  David  speaks: 
"Who  can  understand  sins?  From  my  secret  ones  cleanse  me,  O  Lord" 
(Ps.  xviii,  13).  Which  means  in  some  cases:  Cleanse  me  from  the 
secret  desire  of  a  great  name.  Again  we  read :  "Let  not  the  foot  of 
pride  come  to  me"  (Ps.  xxxv,  12) .  Which  means  the  fi,rst  steps  or  inclina- 
tions towards  pride;  for  in  the  earliest  movements  of  the  heart  are 


752  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

the  causes  of  all  iniquity.  I  say  to  thee,  that  if  thou  wilt  not  re- 
nounce thy  love  of  an  honorable  name,  thou  canst  not  find  God  in 
whatsoever  thou  doest,  no  matter  how  good  it  all  may  be  in  itself. 
St.  Chrysostom  says:  "Forsake  thy  great  name,  and  thou  shalt 
easily  be  superior  to  all  the  sorrows  and  sufferings  of  life."  If  God 
could  but  obtain  from  penitent  sinners  self-abasement  in  the  same 
degree  as  they  formerly  had  pride  and  self-complacency,  He  would 
obtain  from  them  all  that  He  desires.  Every  chastisement  that  God 
visits  on  a  man  is  for  the  purpose  of  lowering  him  in  his  own  self- 
esteem.  And  when  ordinary  correction  fails,  then  will  God  often 
allow  His  friends  to  sufifer  public  shame,  even  to  a  most  pitiful  degree 
of  degradation,  in  order  that  they  may  be  disenchanted  with  self. 

Mark  this  well :  When  a  man  is  overpraised  by  others,  when  more 
virtue  is  ascribed  to  him  than  is  really  his  in  God's  sight  (for  He 
alone  knows  all  man's  shortcomings),  then  if  God  would  advance 
him  in  perfection,  He  wrecks  and  ruins  this  fair  fame  and  turns  it 
into  evil  repute.  For  this  stolen  spiritual  treasure  must  be  given 
up  in  shame  and  ridicule  in  this  life,  if  one  shall  come  safely  through 
to  eternal  life.  But  if  a  man's  great  name  does  not  puff  him  up, 
then  it  will  help  his  spiritual  state;  let  him  but  keep  a  clean  heart, 
guard  well  the  grace  of  God,  and  stand  humbly  and  fearfully  before 
Him,  avowing  his  innate  sinfulness.  Let  him  hold  himself  merely 
as  God's  steward  of  all  the  gifts  and  graces  he  possesses,  nor  rate 
himself  in  the  least  degree  a  more  deserving  man  that  he  was  before 
his  elevation  to  his  office.  This  he  should  administer  with  a  single- 
hearted  purpose  to  honor  God  and  holy  Church,  and  advance  his 
neighbors'  salvation.  Herein  is  much  merit  in  God's  eyes,  much  profit 
for  men.  When  such  a  man  hears  the  praises  of  the  worldly-minded, 
it  affects  Him  no  more  than  if  he  were  in  any  common  state  of  life. 
And  if  he  were  suddenly  turned  out  of  office  it  would  be  all  one  to 
him,  for  he  holds  his  spirit  indifferent  to  all  things  whatsoever  in 
this  life. 

Dear  children,  another  kind  of  great  name,  and  one  that  is  a  deadly 
danger,  is  the  reputation  for  holiness.  Make  sure  that  you  dread 
and  avoid  this  most  sincerely.  The  man  that  does  not  live  up  to  the 
reputation  he  holds  among  his  fellows,  who  rejoices  in  a  fair  fame 
of  virtue  that  he  does  not  actually  possess,  must  pay  the  penalty  of 
bitter  shame  and  disgrace  here  or  hereafter,  and  all  the  more  pain- 
fully in  proportion  to  the  esteem  he  shall  have  enjoyed. 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  753 

But  sometimes  a  good  man  may  be  distressed  lest  his  motives  in 
doing  good  are  tainted  by  love  of  human  praise.  He  may  dread  lest 
men's  applause,  rather  than  holy  obedience,  inspires  him.  But  if 
he  has  an  upright  intention,  let  him  not  be  troubled,  only  keep  him- 
self upright  in  conscience  while  doing  all  his  good  works,  repressing 
Tainglorious  thoughts  as  best  he  may;  for  we  must  never  cease  doing 
good  on  account  of  scruples. 

But  all  depends  on  the  intention,  for  if  that  is  not  upright,  virtu- 
ous acts  are  not  meritorious.  If  one's  name  is  highly  lauded,  and 
his  intention  is  meanwhile  to  please  men,  he  is  easily  made  proud; 
soon  he  is  overbearing  in  his  manners;  he  will  not  do  anything  good 
unless  it  attracts  attention ;  his  main  object  is  always  to  be  noticed 
and  praised  by  men.  He  parades  pious  ways  of  talking  and  of  acting; 
nor  will  he  be  content  with  anything  less  than  the  first  place  in  the 
opinion  of  his  fellows. 

The  sign  of  this  vice  is  principally  that  such  men  do  not  win  their 
fame  with  the  people  because  they  advance  them  in  the  virtues  of 
divine  faith  and  hope  and  love.  It  is  soon  noticed  that  their  reliance 
is  not  upon  the  love  of  God.  Men  begin  to  mistrust  that  they  are  true 
servants  of  God,  and  soon  their  high  repute  is  lost.  Then  they  begin 
to  be  anxious  about  themselves.  They  lose  confidence  in  God's  love 
and  fall  into  a  very  dangerous  frame  of  mind.  Ask  them  to  do  some 
good  act  which  they  fear  they  are  not  equal  to,  and  they  will  refuse 
you :  they  dread  that  God  will  unveil  their  feebleness  and  they  will 
be  exposed  to  contempt.  All  that  holy  Scripture  teaches  of  trusting 
God  cannot  induce  them  to  risk  the  danger  of  exposure  of  their  lack 
of  virtue — a  dozen  preachers  could  not  persuade  them  to  it.  And  so 
they  rest  in  their  obstinacy  and  pride,  and  become  quarrelsome.  They 
find  it  impossible  to  live  peaceably  even  with  kindly-natured  people. 
Only  a  new,  strong,  very  attractive  light  of  grace  can  change  them, 
can  teach  them  self-denial,  instruct  them  in  love  for  all  those  with 
whom  they  must  live.  So  they  continue  in  bitterness  of  spirit  toward 
their  neighbor.  Brotherly  love — the  very  thought  of  it  is  painful  to 
them,  and  all  the  gentle  and  affectionate  virtues  are  hateful  to  them. 
Now  they  dream  of  obtaining  relief  by  entering  an  order,  separating 
themselves  from  men  by  solemn  vows,  thinking  they  will  never  again 
see  and  hear  what  may  annoy  them.  But  no,  dear  children.  That  is  not 
the  road  to  peace.  In  the  monastery  such  men  are  only  the  more  unset- 
tled;  they  are  a  prey  to  envious  thoughts,  rash  judgment,  community 


754  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

gossip,  and  other  such  evils — they  are  all  the  worse  for  being  greatly 
withdrawn  from  men's  company.  For  the  evil  one  sits  on  his  throne 
in  their  bad  hearts,  and  until  he  is  driven  out  by  true  repentance, 
peace  cannot  enter  in. 

If  they  will  have  peace,  let  them  turn  inward  and  study  their  souls. 
Let  them  cleanse  their  thoughts  of  pride  and  self-complacency.  Let 
them,  as  far  as  is  seemly,  communicate  their  false  interior  state  to 
others,  that  they  may  be  rated  for  what  they  really  are,  shameful  sin- 
ners, worthless  creatures.  And  let  them  persevere  in  this  painful 
exercise  till  they  have  purged  their  whole  being  of  their  passion  for 
human  praise.  Then  and  not  before  will  they  gain  the  sweet  gift  of 
peace,  then  and  not  before  will  they  be  fit  for  the  good  works  to  which 
their  calling  obliges  them. 

They  sometimes  fancy  that  a  mechanical  use  of  confession  will  serve 
them  for  peace  of  soul.  But  if  I  allowed  them  hours  and  hours  of 
confession  daily,  it  would  not  relieve  them;  they  would  still  be  tossed 
about  with  trouble  of  mind,  and  would  be  hateful  to  their  neighbor. 
The  more  they  go  to  confession  without  true  sorrow  and  deep  humility, 
the  more  occasions  of  sin  will  the  evil  spirit  throw  in  their  way — 
anger,  envy,  hate,  trouble-mindedness,  despondency,  mistrust  of  self 
and  of  all  others.  Often  they  live  in  thoughts  of  the  past.  They  beguile 
their  minds  with  vain  memories  of  what  happened  twenty  or  thirty 
years  before,  rather  than  with  the  will  of  God  at  the  present  moment. 
And  all  this  misery  must  they  continue  to  suffer,  until  they  learn  their 
own  weakness  and  humbly  confess  it,  giving  up  wholly  and  finally 
their  love  of  men's  praise,  and  their  absorption  in  outward  appear- 
ances of  virtue. 

But  they  may  say :  We  must  set  the  people  a  good  example  and  not 
scandalize  anybody.  But  I  answer  that  if  you  would  set  the  people 
a  good  example,  then  acquire  virtue  and  give  the  people  edification; 
give  them  to  kn^w  what  in  very  truth  you  are;  show  out  real  Chris- 
tian good  qualities,  and  let  these  be  at  least  the  commonplace  virtues 
of  kindliness,  patience,  promptness  to  serve  them,  receiving  ill-treat- 
ment good-naturedly:  better  this  than  a  pretense  of  virtues  you  do 
not  possess. 

Ah,  children,  these  men  were  neglected  in  their  training.  They 
were  not  subjected  to  ridicule  by  their  superiors,  they  were  not 
thwarted  by  them.  They  were  allowed  to  see  how  pleasing  they  were 
to  the  people,  being  praised  no  matter  what  they  did.    That  hardened 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  755 

them  into  habitual  love  of  praise,  and  soon  without  that  motive  they 
would  do  scarcely  anything.  The  result  is  that  now  one  must  pray 
and  weep  to  get  them  to  do  their  ordinary  tasks— a  most  pitiable 
spectacle.  Of  these  the  Lord  says:  "Amen  I  say  to  you,  they  have 
received  their  reward"  (Matt,  vi,  2).  Alas  that  men  are  found  who 
will  praise  them  and  thereby  gratify  their  vanity,  a  sin  like  murder 
in  God's  sight,  misleading  these  soft-natured  creatures.  Naturally 
inclined  to  serve  God,  they  are  perverted  by  ill-considered  compliments, 
and  finally  degenerate  into  obstinate  self-love.  This  state  may  lead 
to  the  eternal  death  of  the  soul  and  exclusion  from  God  and  His  saints 
in  heaven.  Such  indiscreet  praise  is  often  given  from  selfish  motives, 
to  win  their  favor,  to  profit  by  the  service  of  these  defective  charac- 
ters in  worldly  affairs. 

Ah,  children,  longing  for  worldly  advantages  means  turning  away 
from  heavenly  things;  and  this  continues  until  it  too  often  happens 
that  both  one  and  the  other  are  forfeited.  Seek  first  whatever  is 
needful  for  eternal  life,  and  God  will  provide  for  your  temporal 
needs,  and  that  in  sufficient  abundance.  Yet  for  some  small  temporal 
gain  we  mislead  soft-natured  souls  with  our  fulsome  praises.  We 
thereby  instill  vain  glory  into  them,  a  vice  ever  leading  one  to  resist 
God,  ever  hurtful  to  grace,  laying  men  open  to  the  demon's  fierce 
assaults.  A  man  fully  possessed  of  this  form  of  pride  may  become 
capable  of  any  sin,  even  the  most  inhuman.  The  foulest  depravity 
springs  from  this  devilish  root  of  evil.  And  if  this  root  be  planted 
in  early  youth,  it  strikes  so  deep  into  our  nature  that  in  later  life 
infinite  pains  are  necessary  to  pluck  it  out. 

Hence  we  should  admonish  our  young  brothers  and  sisters  against 
the  influence  of  men's  praise.  Bid  them  act  wholly  for  God's  glory. 
Who  for  love  of  us  and  to  save  us  humbled  Himself  even  unto  the 
death  of  the  cross.  He  has  granted  us  strength,  knowledge  and  many 
graces  wherewith  to  win  eternal  happiness.  Children,  these  begin- 
ners in  the  spiritual  life  had  best  be  made  little  of,  corrected  with 
kindness,  and  exercised  in  the  ways  of  holy  humility :  they  may  thus 
be  made  holy  men.  By  lavish  praise  they  are  ruined ;  later  on  they 
are  too  much  hardened  in  habits  of  self-complacency  to  suffer  cor- 
rection. 

At  last  it  happens  that  if  one  does  not  flatter  such  men  they  are 
bitterly  discontented;  they  think  that  they  are  hated;  they  are  dis- 
satisfied  with   their   superiors   and   father   confessors   and   are   evil- 


756  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

minded  about  them;  they  are  sunk  in  despondency;  and  they  are  full 
of  suspicions.  They  say  that  nobody  cares  for  them  or  wants  them 
to  do  anything  of  importance.  They  boast  of  the  great  things  they 
have  done,  and  of  how  great  use  they  have  been  to  others;  and  all 
this  they  whisper  around  to  those  who  will  listen  to  them.  Dear  chil- 
dren, see  the  eflfects  of  flattery  upon  a  certain  class  of  simple  charac- 
ters. It  finally  imperils  their  eternal  salvation.  It  prevents  genuine 
brotherly  love,  and  plain,  honest  obedience  to  superiors.  If  these  are 
lacking,  of  what  account  are  fasts,  vigils,  disciplines,  reading  and 
singing  prayers,  genuflexions,  and  all  other  bodily  exercises  of  re- 
ligion? These  are  all  good;  but  with  them  we  must  have  true  hu- 
mility; we  must  acquire  real  self-abasement  and  mortification;  we 
must  establish  a  fixed  intention  to  do  all  and  everything  for  God's 
honor  and  our  neighbor's  good,  and  for  that  alone. 

Furthermore,  consider  that  once  a  man  sincerely  disregards  a  great 
name,  longs  ever  to  be  hidden,  covets  humiliations,-  is  quite  willing  to 
be  despised  and  to  be  ranked  the  lowest  of  all,  then  will  God  begin  to 
do  great  things  with  him  and  through  him.  When  a  man  never  seeks 
honor,  name  or  position,  when  he  is  well  content  that  nobody  praises 
him,  and  really  feels  better  when  he  is  last  and  least,  then  I  say  that 
before  God  he  is  just  as  he  ought  to  be.  If  such  a  man  happens  to 
be  given  a  high  place,  the  flattery  that  is  offered  him  does  him  no 
harm;  and  the  honors  that  are  done  him  only  help  him  the  better 
to  serve  the  people.  But  yet  the  praises  of  men  afflict  his  humble 
spirit  very  keenly,  and  his  pain  thereat  is  one  degree  of  that  interior 
death  that  he  must  experience  in  becoming  united  with  God.  It  will 
clarify  his  soul  more  and  more  brightly,  until  God's  light  shall  shine 
more  perfectly  in  him — a  state  of  soul  not  easily  understood  except 
by  one  who  has  gone  along  this  path  of  self-abnegation. 

How  happy  a  lot  is  this;  and  how  lamentable  the  state  of  those 
who  have  failed  to  secure  it,  having  given  up  their  lives  to  men's 
praises.  Everyone  of  us  should  be  on  his  guard  against  vain  glory. 
And  we  should  be  ready  and  quick  to  enter  the  dark  road  of  humility, 
to  which  God  would  draw  us.  The  true  man  lives  only  upon  faith 
and  hope  in  God.  He  says  in  all  sincerity  :  Lord,  I  will  serve  Thee 
in  this  darksome  way;  and  I  confidently  trust  that  what  lies  before 
me  in  this  marvelous  experience  on  which  I  am  entering  is  no  delu- 
sion; and  I  give  myself  up  to  be  guided  passively  by  Thee  forever. 
Sometimes  faith,  hope  and  love  all  fall  away  from  him — as  far  as  he 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  757 

can  feel :  but  his  good  will,  his  upright  intention  remains  firm  and 
fast  within  him,  and  that  suffices  him.  Sometimes  his  lower  natural 
faculties,  and  even  his  understanding,  are,  according  to  his  percep- 
tion, wholly  emptied  of  love.  But  meanwhile  love  of  God  is  hidden 
safe  and  secure  in  the  higher  part  of  the  spirit.  And  as  long  as  he 
retains  some  feeling  of  loyalty  to  God  in  real  self-abandonment — 
even  in  spite  of  the  emptiness  of  nature  and  of  his  understanding — 
and  as  long  as  he  is  content  to  be  thus  forsaken  by  God,  and  as  long 
as  he  harbors  no  thought  of  despair,  nor  seeks  to  relieve  his  interior 
pains  by  any  sort  of  bodily  self-indulgence: — then  he  may  be  sure 
that  all  is  well  with  him.  But  if  he  seeks  relief  in  the  solace  of  the 
enjoyment  of  the  senses,  or  if  he  plunges  for  solace  into  active  labors — 
even  those  of  a  good  and  spiritual  kind — for  the  stated  purpose  of 
escaping  the  interior  oppression  that  God  has  imposed  on  him  (the 
feeling  that  he  has  no  faith,  nor  hope,  nor  love),  then  he  has  made  a 
false  step.  He  has  snapped  the  tie  of  painful  love  that  boumd  him  to 
God,  and  all  unconsciously  he  is  likely  to  fall  into  a  lower  degree  of 
the  spiritual  life.  But  if  he  will  only  stand  his  ground,  true  to  God 
though  God  seems  to  have  abandoned  him,  then  is  he  intimately  bound 
to  God  in  the  highest  degree  of  love,  however  little  he  may  be 
aware  of  it. 

And  when  the  darksome  time  is  past  and  gone,  then  the  soul  is 
found  cleansed  in  its  very  depths  of  all  sense  of  proprietorship.  Now 
he  brings  forth  abundant  fruit  to  God  in  the  practice  of  virtue,  and 
he  finds  a  sweet  rest  in  God,  and  knows  God  in  all  things.  Then, 
too,  is  his  zeal  for  souls  very  fruitful  of  his  neighbor's  salvation.  This 
is  easier  felt  than  described,  for  without  having  experienced  it  one 
can  never  fully  understand  what  it  is  to  love  God  in  truth.  May  we 
have  grace  to  exalt  the  name  of  God  above  all  things  and  not  exalt 
our  own.  May  God  grant  us  the  grace  of  true  self-renunciation,  and 
teach  us  how  to  make  little  of  ourselves.    Amen. 


758  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


®lf?  MxBtukt  of  (Uttrntng  ©uttuarh  SnBttnli  of  Jttmarb 

Synopsis — How  some  practice  devotion  without  keeping  the  command- 
ments— The  strange  desire  to  he  holy  hy  external  practices  alone — 
Doing  pious  things  vnthout  taking  God  into  account — That  many 
really  good  souls  are  partially  addicted  to  formalism. 


SERMON  FOR  A  FEAST  OF  MANY  HOLY  CONFESSORS. 
The  light  of  thy  body  is  thy  eye. — Lvke  xi,  34. 

Dear  children,  today  we  celebrate  the  memory  of  holy  confessors 
of  the  faith  of  Christ.  By  their  heroic  Christian  virtues  they  have 
spread  abroad  the  glory  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  this  they  did  not  only 
by  splendid  examples  of  all  virtues,  but  by  interior  self-abandonment 
in  mind  and  spirit  and  heart,  being  dead  to  the  life  of  the  senses. 
They  were  ever  eager  and  diligent  in  serving  God,  and  their  eye  wa» 
single  to  do  His  will. 

Now,  you  have  noticed  in  these  times  that  there  are  many  who 
keep  up  a  show  of  spirituality,  and  who  busy  themselves  with  inordi- 
nate zeal  in  spiritual  exercises  of  many  kinds,  and  yet  they  do  not 
work  that  change  in  their  lives  that  they  had  hoped  for.  They  fast 
and  they  watch  over  night,  they  say  many  prayers,  they  often  go  to 
confession  and  holy  communion,  they  practice  meditation  on  the 
blessed  passion  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  do  many  charitable  works,  they 
go  in  search  of  indulgences — these  and  many  other  such  holy  things 
they  do,  and  yet  their  lives  are  not  changed.  They  do  not  keep  God's 
commandments;  they  do  not  practice  Christian  virtue.  They  have 
wasted  their  strength  out  of  God;  they  have  not  received  His  ap- 
proval ;  little  profit  has  come  from  it  all  to  their  souls ;  and  they  still 
stand  in  danger  of  eternal  loss.  And  what  is  the  reason?  Their  in- 
tention has  been  fatally  defective,  and  in  this:  they  have  turned  out- 
ward in  their  religious  life,  and  not  inward. 

They  do  not  know  themselves.  How,  therefore,  can  they  tell  how 
to  manage  themselves  and  increase  in  virtue?    Hence,  instead  of  in- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  759 

creasing  in  virtue,  they  are  just  as  apt  to  decrease.  They  are  under 
the  delusion  that  they  amount  to  something,  and,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
they  amount  to  nothing  at  all  in  God's  sight ;  and,  therefore,  they  are 
trying  to  serve  God  without  knowing  what  they  are  about.  They 
imagine  that  they  are  seeking  God,  but  such  is  not  at  all  the  case. 
And  now  as  they  go  on  in  this  wise,  following  their  own  fancies  and 
given  over  to  self-contented  indulgence  of  the  senses,  it  is  no  wonder 
that  they  grow  no  better  for  the  good  practices  of  religion  they  have 
followed.  The  older  they  grow  the  more  irritable  and  impatient  they 
are;  the  more  oblivious  to  their  evil  words  and  their  defective  works. 
And  yet  these  all  dream  that  they  are  high  up  in  the  spiritual  world. 

It  all  comes  from  serving  God  because  of  the  natural  joy  that  there 
is  in  it,  and  out  of  an  excessive  desire  to  be  something  holy.  They 
give  themselves  to  good  works  for  the  feeling  of  devotion  they  find, 
and  often  exceed  their  ability.  Then  they  change  from  one  pious 
practice  to  another,  thinking  that  one  helps  and  another  hinders,  all 
done  without  foresight  or  prudence,  with  a  vague  notion  of  some  in- 
ward gain  of  virtue.  While  it  tastes  sweet  it  is  good ;  when  the  taste 
is  gone  they  declare  it  does  not  help  them.  Therefore  are  they  un- 
stable and  hold  to  nothing  long.  While  thus  they  run  about,  be  sure 
they  cannot  lay  a  solid  foundation  of  spirituality.  Ask  them  if  they 
mean  only  to  please  God.  They  answer.  Yes,  and  they  mean  to  tell 
the  truth,  but  they  are  deceived. 

Of  course,  nobody  wants  to  serve  the  devil;  who  is  so  base  as  de- 
liberately to  choose  the  evil  one  for  his  master?  And  jet  not  a  few 
of  these  persons  do  his  will  without  knowing  it.  As  long  as  a  man 
undertakes  to  serve  God  by  external  works  alone  he  has  not  yet  begun 
to  serve  Him  in  truth,  and  in  the  right  devotional  spirit.  The  foun- 
dation of  a  perfect  Christian  life  is  not  in  external  devotions  and 
good  works  alone,  however  much  these  may  help;  but  rt  is  far  rather 
in  interior  good  works,  by  means  of  which  sins  are  avoided  and 
virtues  are  brought  to  life. 

And  I  say  this  in  addition  :  We  find  people  in  monasteries  who 
lay  the  whole  stress  of  their  life  in  the  order  on  external  and  bodily 
exercises.  And  there  are  men  living  in  the  world  who  afflict  their 
body  with  fasting  and  other  mortifications,  and  who  are  doubtless 
good  men,  giving  alms  with  the  hand,  but  this  is  all  done  without 
reference  to  the  foundation  of  almsgiving  in  their  heart.  They  do 
not  advert  to  the  strict  duty  of  cleansing  their  life  from  sin.     With 


760  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

all  those  noble,  good  and  religious  works  of  theirs  they  are  still  hot- 
tempered,  envious,  arrogant,  given  to  backbiting  and  ever  seeking 
praise  for  their  virtues.  And  persons  with  these  blemishes  are  in 
some  places  all  too  common  in  the  various  conditions  of  life.  I 
aflSrm  that  these  souls  are  entangled  in  the  meshes  of  the  evil  one, 
and  are  subject  to  gross  self-deception. 

They  think  that  they  can  be  made  righteous  by  external  works 
alone,  and  be  by  them  alone  eternally  saved.  But  that  can  never  be; 
God  must  have  the  heart  besides.  They  may  be  compared  to  gilded 
statues;  outside  they  look  like  solid  gold,  and  in  reality  they  are 
stone  or  wood.  In  the  gospel  Christ  compares  men  to  sepulchres, 
beautiful  on  the  outside,  and  within  filled  with  dead  men's  bones. 
Therefore  do  I  insist  that  there  is  no  merit  in  fasting,  saying  prayers 
and  doing  other  such  outward  works  of  religion,  unless  the  spirit  of 
a  man  is  chastened  and  cleansed  of  wickedness. 

It  is  seldom  enough,  alas,  that  men  live  as  they  ought,  and  jet 
there  is  nothing  impossible  in  it,  if  one  will  only  exert  himself  a  lit- 
tle. Whatever  rule  is  required  will  not  be  accepted  and  followed; 
what  is  not  required,  that  is  embraced,  and  great  spiritual  bliss  is 
expected  from  it.  So  it  happens  that  men  take  up  heavy  burdens, 
and  labor  long  and  hard  to  find  God,  and  seldom  come  to  Him  in 
the  degree  of  union  they  ought  to  have  gained.  Herein  lies  the  fail- 
ure; herein  do  men  try  to  do  the  impossible.  What  they  could  do 
easily  enough,  what,  in  fact,  no  one  could  hinder  their  doing,  that 
they  will  not  do — they  find  no  manner  of  joy  in  the  right  and  simple 
way  to  God.  But  they  rejoice  in  attempting  the  impossible.  In 
whatever  direction  overdeveloped  spiritual  emotion  points  —  espe- 
cially when  it  affects  the  bodily  senses — by  that  way  they  press  on- 
ward, little  knowing  what  they  are  about,  though  they  may  talk 
wisely  concerning  spiritual  things.  If  they  would  stay  close  in  the 
true  road  to  Christian  perfection,  they  would  soon  know  how  to  speak 
and  to  act  intelligently.  Nor  is  their  going  astray  due  to  lack  of 
knowledge.  No,  for  their  conscience  reproaches  them  for  their  re- 
missness. If  they  did  all  that  they  understood  was  right,  whether  it 
«eie  litle  or  great,  God  would  acquit  them  of  blame;  for  He  would 
then  ask  no  more  from  them,  otherwise  He  would  give  them  more  light. 

Finally,  dear  children,  be  well  assured,  if  any  man  will  be  made 
different  by  grace  from  what  he  is  by  nature,  he  must  bestir  himself 
tp  seek  God  in  his  inmost  heart,  to  mean  God  in  everything,  and  to 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  761 

love  God  and  not  self.  That  is  the  righteousness  required  of  every 
Christian ;  that  is  genuine  devotion.  For  what  do  I  mean  by  genuine 
devotion?  Some  think  it 'is  sweet  emotionalism.  So  it  sometimes  is, 
but  not  always;  for  often  enough  one  has  such  sweetness  from  natural 
causes.  This  leads  many  astray.  True  devotion  is  a  willing  sub- 
mission to  God's  service ;  and  it  belongs  to  true  spirituality  that  every 
man  should  at  least  once  during  each  day  or  night  enter  into  himself 
and  diligently  take  account  of  his  thoughts,  words  and  actions,  going 
over  the  whole  day's  life;  and  thus  will  he  fully  become  informed  of 
his  sins  and  weaknesses. 

It  can  hardly  happen  but  that  he  has  done  something  amiss.  If  he 
has  not,  then  let  him  call  to  mind  and  sincerely  repent  of  his  previous 
transgressions.  Furthermore,  a  man  should  earnestly  set  to  work  to 
cleanse  out  the  folly  and  sinfulness  of  the  past  still  lurking  within 
him.  He  must  then  hold  fast  to  God's  commandments  and  keep  them 
faithfully.  And  men  in  religious  life  should  know  that  they  are  more 
strictly  held  to  observe  the  commandments  than  ordinary  laymen. 

Yet,  again,  every  man  should  associate  himself,  and  that  gladly, 
with  the  active  religious  life  of  the  holy  Christian  Church,  and  if  he 
be  a  religious,  he  should  do  so  according  to  the  rule  of  his  order  or 
congregation.  These  solid  Christian  ways  are  of  more  worth  than 
all  self-chosen  practices  of  fasting,  vigils,  labors  and  the  like — all 
very  good  in  themselves,  all  of  much  help  to  beginners  in  the  spiritual 
career,  but  taken  alone  they  are  not  true  and  fundamental  spirituality. 
For  we  meet  with  many  well  practiced  in  such  things,  and  who  none 
the  less  stick  fast  in  plain  faults — they  are  self-willed,  disobedient, 
proud  and  bad  tempered.  May  God  grant  us  grace  to  acquire  true 
devotion.    Amen. 


762  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


Synopsis — Five  introductory  external  virtues:  Temperance,  modesty  of 
demeanor,  love  of  retirement,  industry,  openness  of  character — Self- 
abnegation  as  opposed  to  pride  of  vocation — That  many  lay  people 
lead  saintly  lives — A  humble  soul  is  ever  amazed  at  God's  goodness 
to  it — Patience  waits  on  God  with  confidence  in  spite  of  many  signs 
of  His  disfavor — Earnestness  is  best  shown  by  uniform  regularity 
in  the  ordinary  practices  of  devotion. 


SERMON  FOR  A  FEAST  OF  MANY  HOLY  VIRGINS. 
And  five  of  them  were  foolish,  and  five  wise. — Matt,  xxv,  2. 

Thus  does  our  dear  Lord  compare  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  two 
very  different  kinds  of  souls,  the  foolish  ones,  who  live  according  to 
the  flesh,  yielding  to  its  temptations ;  and  the  wise,  who  shun  all  such 
dangers,  and  who  live  according  to  the  spirit.  The  wise  virgins  re- 
frain themselves  from  all  those  things  against  which  the  foolish  ones 
take  no  precautions  whatsoever. 

As  to  governing  our  outward  life,  five  things  are  to  be  practiced,  if 
we  would  be  like  the  wise  virgins.  The  first  is  temperance.  We  must 
practice  moderation  in  eating  and  drinking,  and  in  providing  for  all 
other  necessities  of  nature,  so  that  while  provision  is  made  for  what 
is  needed,  we  shall  not  pamper  our  dangerous  appetites. 

The  second  is  simplicity  and  modesty ;  let  our  clothing  be  plain  and 
ordinary,  our  bearing  manly  and  open,  our  conduct  every  way  mod- 
est and  retiring. 

The  third  is  avoiding  vain  company,  especially  those  whose  talk  is 
light.    And  we  must  be  attentive  to  all  our  duties. 

The  fourth  is  to  live  by  the  labor  of  our  hands,  never  to  be  idle; 
for  idleness  is  the  open  door  of  all  impurity. 

The  fifth  point  is  diligently  to  restrain  every  sense  and  member,  so 
as  to  escape  the  temptations  incident  to  our  daily  life;  to  resist  them 
strenuously,  and  never  to  yield  to  them.    To  this  end  nothing  is  better 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  763 

than  the  candid  manifestation  of  our  temptations  to  some  holy  man, 
done  fully  and  humbly,  so  that  we  may  get  and  keep  his  counsel  for 
the  prudent  chastisement  of  our  flesh  and  for  interior  offerings  of 
prayer  to  God. 

All  who  do  not  thus  govern  their  outward  life  are  to  be  reckoned 
as  foolish  virgins  before  God.  But  it  behooves  the  wise  virgins  to 
furthermore  adorn  their  interior  souls  for  their  Bridegroom ;  and  the 
foundation  of  all  this  is  humility  of  heart.  They  should  consider 
themselves  God's  sisters  because  they  do  His  will;  and  they  should 
not  sit  in  judgment  on  those  who  serve  God  in  the  married  state. 
They  should  not  strive  to  please  anybody  with  their  virtuous  practices 
except  God  alone;  for  that  would  make  them  like  the  Pharisees.  Vir- 
ginity is  not  a  commandment  of  God,  but  humility  is.  A  proud  virgin 
is  a  thousand  times  worse  in  God's  sight  than  a  meek  housewife.  A 
virgin  dare  not  hate  anyone,  and  must  love  everybody;  she  dare  not 
think  highly  of  herself,  but  ever  must  stand  before  God  in  fear  and 
trembling.  As  sins  begin  secretly  to  germinate  in  the  soul  and  to  be 
pleasing  to  it,  in  the  same  degree  does  love  cool  and  virtue  wane. 
Virgins  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  He  goeth  only  if  they  main- 
tain chastity  and  humility;  but  if  they  yield  to  pride,  or  if  they  are 
stained  with  grosser  sins,  then  will  pious  married  people  be  alotted 
places  far  higher  than  they. 

Virginity  has  its  origin  in  God  Himself,  and  from  Him  have  the 
angels  learned  it,  for  in  heaven  is  it  found,  and  there  it  remains  till 
the  resurrection  at  the  last  day.  In  heaven  there  is  no  marrying  nor 
giving  in  marriage,  but  human  souls  there  are  like  the  angels  of  God, 
with  Whom  they  have  celebrated  everlasting  espousals.  Virgins  in 
this  life  are  exempt  from  all  fleshly  bands,  and  bound  only  to  God  in 
order  that  they  may  bring  forth  eternal  fruit.  They  are  endued  with 
great  power  against  the  devil.  They  sing  the  new  canticle  before  the 
throne,  which  none  else  can  sing.  In  these  His  chosen  daughters  hjis 
God  set  His  throne,  and  it  is  His  delight  to  dwell  with  them;  but 
that  is  conditioned  on  their  living  an  interior  life  of  humility,  meek- 
ness, self-renunciation,  their  hearts  born  again  to  God  in  holy  love. 

To  God's  love  can  no  man  ever  come  except  through  humility,  which 
is  a  gift  of  God  more  precious  than  all  earthly  treasure.s.  Humility 
establishes  the  heart  in  true  peace,  for  no  man  is  restless  or  quarrel- 
some except  first  he  breaks  away  from  humility.  If  a  man  be  but  truly 
humble,  and  so  remains,  he  never  will  sin  again.     The  reason  why 


764  The  Sermons  and  Spiritucd  Conferences 

Mary  could  not  sin  was  because  she  was  truly  humble;  and  where 
God  finds  a  humble  soul,  He  does  great  things  to  it.  St.  Augustine 
says:  "Whosoever  is  the  humblest  man  on  earth,  the  same  is  the 
greatest  saint." 

The  signs  of  a  humble  man  are  these :  He  always  begins  by  consid- 
ering himself;  and  he  at  once  acknowledges  himself  unworthy  of 
every  good  gift.  He  accounts  it  an  amazing  thing  and  an  injustice 
that  God  should  think  of  him  at  all ;  that  God  should  have  made  him 
a  man ;  that  He  should  continue  to  feed  him  and  care  for  him.  And 
yet  he  unceasingly  thanks  God  for  all  those  gifts  with  very  deep  hu- 
mility. He  exalts  himself  in  nothing  whatsoever,  nor  praises  nor 
plumes  himself.  On  the  contrary,  if  he  is  conscious  of  virtue,  he  con'- 
siders  this  wholly  as  God's  gift,  and  holds  himself  only  the  more 
deeply  involved  in  indebtedness  to  God  on  that  account.  God,  in  fact, 
is  his  last  and  only  intention  in  everything,  and  the  meaning  of  every 
act  he  does. 

A  wise  virgin  shall  by  no  means  set  two  purposes  for  any  of  her 
acts,  meaning  God  for  one  purpose  and  some  transitory  end  for  the 
other.  If  we  prize  anything,  it  must  be  ever  in  subordination  to  the 
love  we  have  for  God;  it  must  help  us  to  love  God  and  to  come  to 
God:  thus  acts  the  wise  virgin  and  not  differently.  One  must  hold 
the  Lord  more  dear  than  any  of  the  messengers  He  sends  forth — we 
mean  the  gifts  He  bestows. 

A  wise  virgin  esteems  herself  no  more  for  her  virtues  than  if  she 
never  had  been  born.  Whatever  favors  God  bestows  on  her  with 
them  He  bestows  Himself,  and  the  gifts  are  for  the  purpose  of  His 
own  unhindered  action  within  her  soul.  For  that  end  only  God  would 
make  her  perfect ;  nor  can  He  ever  cease  to  do  so  as  long  as  she  yields 
Him  place,  and  her  heart  is  loyal  to  Him,  and  suffers  His  guidance 
without  any  mixture  of  self-love.  A  humble  man  deems  himself  un- 
worthy of  whatever  place  he  has,  and  of  whatever  company  he  is  in. 

He  ever  seeks  the  lowest  place;  he  wants  the  meanest  and  least 
share  of  everything;  and  this  feeling  of  his  embraces  everything,  ex- 
tends to  all  the  affairs  of  life.  He  complains  of  his  sufferings  to  no- 
body. He  dares  not  complain  against  God  in  the  sorest  distress,  not 
even  when  it  grows  so  bad  as  to  be  intolerable;  he  accepts  everything 
from  the  hand  of  God.  Nor  does  he  fret  against  any  creature  that 
troubles  him,  no  matter  how  base  may  be  kis  enemy.  If  he  is  unjustly 
accused,  he  cannot  lay  the  blame  on  others,  for  he  is  persuaded  that 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  765 

all  such  things  are  done  by  God's  ordering,  and  that  all  is  arranged 
for  his  best  perfection.  Thus  it  is  that  the  wise  virgins  live,  and  thus 
in  all  contentment  do  they  die. 

Behold  the  shortest  road  to  God,  and  to  the  bright  company  of  the 
wise  virgins  who  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  He  goeth.  How  dif- 
ferent with  the  foolish  virgins,  though  they  are  quite  unconscious  of 
it.  Whosoever  would  live  truly  in  God  must  be  made  a  fool  in  his 
owTi  eyes  and  in  those  of  everybody  else.  Whosoever  would  make 
sure  of  saving  his  soul,  must  give  up  and  lose  all  the  vain  honors  of 
this  life.  Whosoever  would  acquire  humble  charity  of  heart,  uinst 
learn  three  lessons — self-renunciation,  patience  and  love. 

By  self-renunciation  we  not  only  give  up  great  sins,  whether  of  the 
outer  or  inner  kind,  but  in  the  interior  life  we  renounce  all  joy  of 
ownership  in  spiritual  gifts.  In  our  fasts,  vigils,  prayers  and  holy 
readings;  in  our  devout  feelings  and  pious  thoughts;  in  our  flashes 
of  interior  illumination ;  in  our  hunger  and  thirst  for  the  rewards 
of  eternal  life;  in  our  holy  communions,  jubilees,  visions  and  contem- 
plations:— in  all  these  things  of  the  spirit  we  must  practice  self- 
renunciation.  One  must  come  to  be  persuaded,  that  of  all  the  con- 
temptible men  in  the  world  he  is  the  most  contemptible,  the  coldest, 
the  least  pleasing  to  God,  the  most  shiftless  and  negligent  in  religious 
duty.  And  yet  meanwhile  he  must  diligently  perform  all  his  spiritual 
tasks,  nor  ever  pretend  that  he  is  exempt  from  any  duty.  Thus  does 
a  man  come  to  account  himself  as  nothing.  Self-will  and  self-conceit 
are  lost  and  gone,  as  well  as  all  self-praise  for  good  works. 

The  deeper  a  man's  sincerity  in  all  this  the  more  truly  is  he  humble, 
and  the  straighter  is  his  path  to  God's  own  self.  For  God  is  in  the 
abyss  of  our  humility;  there  it  is  that  the  soul  obtains  possession  of 
Him,  there  God  unites  the  soul  to  Him.  And  now  such  a  man  is 
changed  in  God  till  he  becomes,  as  it  were,  another  man  altogether. 
This  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  now  lives  in  him  and  rules 
him. 

The  second  lesson  is  patience,  for  humility  has  need  of  patience. 
A  man  must  suffer  with  as  peaceful  a  mind  as  possible  all  kinds  of 
ridicule.  Pleasant  things  or  unpleasant,  good  fortune  or  ill-fortune, 
contempt,  belittling,  losing  or  gaining — all  must  be  received  with 
equal  balance  of  mind.  And  this  must  be  so,  even  when  one  is  per- 
suaded that  things  are  all  wrong,  that  these  troubles  hinder  his 
virtue,  that  they  destroy  his  happiness.     Give  yourselves  up  to  all 


766 


The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


suffering  with  the  best  grace  of  patience  you  can  command,  single- 
minded  for  God's  will,  trusting  Him  implicitly,  no  matter  how  little 
you  can  understand  God's  ways.  Great  fruit  of  humility  comes  from 
all  this.  Self-complacency  and  self-conceit  will  in  this  manner  be 
wholly  rooted  out.  You  will  learn  to  make  the  best  of  everything — 
if  you  can  only  learn  patiently  to  suffer.  If  you  sometimes  think  that 
harm  is  being  done  you  in  things  temporal  or  spiritual,  be  sure  of  a 
compensation  a  hundred  fold  in  God,  and  a  great  increase  in  solid 
virtue,  if  you  will  only  humbly  and  patiently  endure. 

The  third  lesson  is  love,  which  serves  greatly  to  increase  humility. 
For  never  is  love  so  nobly  active  as  in  giving  up  our  own  and  in  suffer- 
ing. It  is  indeed  true  that  love  greatly  increases  when  one  receives 
God  in  unity  of  will  with  Him;  but  it  is  also  true  that  God  comes 
down  into  the  self-abased  soul,  bringing  with  Him  all  that  He  is. 
Then  and  there  does  the  loving  soul  embrace  Him,  then  and  there  is 
it  absorbed  into  Him,  lost  in  Him,  returned  again  to  its  Divine  source 
of  life.  In  that  union  is  the  soul  assured,  as  far  as  may  be  in  this 
life,  that  it  will  enjoy  God  forever  hereafter.  True  humility  is  essen- 
tial for  this  happy  lot — the  contemplation  of  God  to  the  greatest 
degree  permitted  here  below. 

Three  things  are  needed  for  this.  The  first  is  that  a  man  shall  have 
a  pure  intention,  set  and  determined  to  desire  nothing  but  God,  to 
hold  nothing  dear  but  God,  and  Him  alone  to  please  and  to  love. 
Behold,  these  are  they  who  contemplate  Him  rightly  in  this  life. 

The  second  is  that  we  view  God's  action  upon  us  with  the  eyes  of 
self-denying  love,  sunk  down  deep  in  our  lowly  opinion  of  ourselves 
and  full  of  love;  carefully  repressing  all  feelings  of  elation  should  God 
manifest  hidden  mysteries  to  us. 

The  third  is  great  earnestness  in  performing  our  spiritual  exer- 
cises, elevating  our  thoughts  to  God  in  whatever  way  we  are  led: 
sometimes  in  meditating  on  the  Lord's  humanity,  again  on  His 
divinity,  or  on  the  blessed  Trinity;  or  pondering  the  life  and  passion 
of  Jesus  Christ,  the  virtues  of  our  dear  mother  Mary,  or  those  of 
other  saints.  Every  sentence  of  holy  Scripture  contains  a  divine 
meaning,  did  we  but  strive  to  find  it.  Thus  will  a  man  obtain  from 
God  what  God  wills  him  to  have,  if  he  cultivates  those  three  virtues, 
namely,  purity  of  intention,  readiness  to  suffer  while  waiting  on  God 
in  all  meekness,  and  diligence  in  spiritual  exercises.  To  this  end  a 
sound  bodily  constitution  helps,  a  strong  brain  and  a  well-balanced 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  jqj 

mind,  together  with  a  penetrating  judgment;  and  thus  with  God's 
grace  one  may  advance  rapidly  in  the  spiritual  life. 

All  virtues  and  all  religious  good  works  depend  on  these  six  points: 
First,  true  humility;  second,  patience  in  suffering;  third,  self-renun- 
ciation in  all  things;  fourth,  unfeigned  love;  fifth,  to  keep  God  in  view 
in  everything  we  do;  sixth,  earnestness  in  our  spiritual  exercises.  And 
may  God  help  us  to  be  wise  virgins.    Amen. 


768  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


ifummt  Nature  ^tpmrtth  nnh  Bunttxiih 

Synopsis — Fallen  nature  seeks  perishable  joys,  sanctified  nature  the 
possession  of  God  Himself — The  one  craves  outward  life,  the  other 
hidden  life — Nature  prefers  mercenary  motives  in  religious  activ- 
ity, grace  demands  disinterested  ones. 


FIKST  SERMON  FOR  THE  ANNIVERSARY  OF  THE  DEDICA- 
TION  OF  A  CHURCH. 

This  day  I  must  abide  In  thy  house. — Luke  xix,  5. 

Dear  children,  we  are  celebrating  the  anniversary  of  the  dedication 
of  the  mother  church  of  the  diocese,  the  great  cathedral,  and  this  solem- 
nity was  observed  yesterday  in  many  places  in  this  city  of  Cologne. 
As  I  said  yesterday,  so  say  I  today:  all  the  devotions  and  outward 
observances  of  holy  Church  point  inward  to  men's  souls.  There  it  is 
that  in  the  best  reality  a  temple  is  dedicated  to  God,  and  there  should 
constantly  take  place  a  Divine  renewal  of  our  life.  All  external  rites 
call  us  away  to  perfect  interior  festivities  with  God,  call  us,  admonish 
us,  and  prepare  us.  Church  dedication  means  giving  to  God  a  new 
temple,  and  so  must  we  do  in  our  souls,  our  nature  denying  itself, 
and  curing  itself  of  all  attachments,  as,  for  example,  those  we  cherish 
for  friends  and  relatives.  All  must  be  given  up  that  comes  from  our 
outward  natural  life,  and  all  that  ministers  natural  joy  to  our  senses 
and  faculties  in  every  way  and  work.  To  this  end  bodily  mortifica- 
tions serve,  such  as  the  various  fasts  and  vigils  we  are  able  to  endure. 
But,  children,  you  are  not  aware  of  how  cunningly  nature  seeks  her 
own  good,  and  how  often  she  causes  one  to  enjoy  pleasures  where  he 
had  only  thought  of  serving  some  necessity. 

The  reasonable  man  must  earnestly  set  to  work  to  master  the  animal 
man  that  is  in  him.  But  at  the  outset  of  this,  one  feels  deep  pain, 
he  begins  to  discipline  his  disorderly  appetites,  as  in  eating  and  drink- 
ing, seeing  and  hearing,  talking  and  acting.  Children,  if  this  hostile 
attitude  of  our  nature  were  but  fully  set  right  by  the  death  of  animal 
pleasure,  it  would  be  a  sweet  odor  of  sacrifice  before  God.     As  the 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor 


709 


Apostle  says:  "For  we  are  the  good  odor  of  Christ  unto  God" 
(II.  Cor.  ii,  15).  When  these  hindrances  of  thy  corrupt  nature  are 
removed,  then  may  it  be  said  of  thee :  "Who  maketh  the  clouds  thy 
chariot,  who  walketh  upon  the  wings  of  the  winds"  (Ps.  ciii,  3). 
The  meaning  is,  that  when  one  is  set  free  from  earthly  ends  and  pur- 
poses by  real  mortification,  then  does  God  come  into  close  company 
with  him  and  give  three  wings,  as  it  were,  on  which  he  may  be  said 
to  fly— the  wings  of  the  dove,  the  wings  of  the  eagle,  and  the  wings 
of  the  wind. 

The  wings  of  the  dove  mean  the  holiness  of  those  purified  men  who 
live  in  simplicity  of  heart,  devoid  of  suspiciousness,  free  from  rash 
judgment,  kind,  quiet  natured,  keeping  the  meekness  of  Christ  ever 
before  their  eyes.  Our  Lord  guides  their  dove-like  flight  ever  upward, 
sanctifying  their  desires  and  filling  them  with  His  gentle  spirit.  The 
wings  of  the  eagle  carry  souls  so  high  that  ordinary  mortals  can 
scarcely  follow  them  with  their  eyes.  They  are  interior  spirits,  soar- 
ing aloft  in  wisdom  and  in  love,  bearing  with  them  all  their  outward 
and  inward  faculties,  passing  beyond  the  harmful  reach  of  the  life  of 
the  senses.  And  the  souls  that  have  Christ's  wings  of  the  wind  are 
yet  more  spiritual.  The  wind  is  very  swift,  and  blows  thou  knowest 
not  whence  or  whither.  And  so  there  are  souls  who  are  the  most 
perfect  in  all  spiritual  things,  transformed  in  God  in  the  mysterious 
ways  of  the  hidden  life,  exceeding  sense  and  reason  to  understand. 
Such  a  soul  wings  its  way  back  to  the  fountain  head  of  its  existence, 
God,  its  created  life  merged  in  the  uncreated,  its  light  joined  to  and, 
as  it  were,  extinguished  in  the  infinite  light  that  is  God:  for  all 
created  light  compared  to  Him  is  but  darkness.  When  the  sun  rises 
in  the  morning  the  stars  that  shone  so  brightly  are  now  obscured  into 
darkness:  so  does  God's  light  extinguish  all  natural  light  when  He 
shines  in  the  deeper  depths  of  the  human  soul— an  overwhelming  flood 
of  divine  brightness,  wholly  impossible  to  comprehend.  Compared 
to  God's  brightness,  all  created  intelligence  is  like  the  eyes  of  a  little 
bird  compared  to  the  great  fiery  globe  of  the  sun  in  the  heavens. 
Look,  if  thou  darest,  straight  at  the  sun  at  noonday,  and  presently 
its  blazing  disc  is  a  dark  spot  in  thy  troubled  eye.  Thus  it  is  with 
our  soul's  eyes  and  the  brightness  of  God's  spirit.  A  heathen  king 
said:  ''God  is  darkness  in  the  soul  after  all  light  has  shone;  a  man 
knows  Him  in  the  unknowingness  of  his  spirit."  It  is  a  shame  to  us 
that  a  heathen,  and  a  heathen  king  besides,  should  understand  this. 
What  are  we  Christians  about? 


"^^0  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

We  read  in  the  Gospel  of  this  feast  of  the  dedication  of  a  church, 
that  Zachaeus,  the  publican,  was  anxious  to  behold  our  Lord,  but  could 
not  on  account  of  the  crowd,  for  he  was  short  of  stature.  What,  then, 
did  he  do?  He  climbed  up  a  sycamore  tree.  So  must  we  do.  We 
long  to  behold  the  Being  who  has  created  such  a  disturbance  in  our 
souls,  but  we  are  too  short  of  stature ;  that  is  to  say,  too  petty,  mean, 
and  cowardly.  What  then?  We  shall  climb  up  above  our  pettiness, 
and  rise  high  over  our  imperfections  by  mortification  of  the  life  of  the 
senses,  repression  of  our  depraved  natural  inclinations.  Let  us  be- 
come interior  men,  for  among  such  does  God  walk  in  familiar  com- 
panionship. 

But  thus  to  repress  nature  is  utter  folly  to  the  wise  ones  of  this 
world — a  man  is  a  mere  idiot  in  their  eyes  if  he  leads  a  hard  life  in 
order  to  come  closer  to  God  and  to  see  Him :  and  these  are  men  who 
own  and  read  a  hundred  marks'  worth  of  learned  books.  They  think 
pious  men  are  utter  fools.  But,  children,  I  say  to  you  in  all  truth, 
that  is  the  foolishness  that  God  honors,  as  our  Savior  taught:  "I 
confess  to  Thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  Heaven  and  earth,  because  Thou 
hast  hidden  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed 
them  to  little  ones.  Yea,  Father,  for  so  it  hath  seemed  good  in  Thy 
sight"   (Luke  x,  21). 

Many  grateful  revelations  were  granted  St.  Hildegarde  illustrat- 
ing this  high  spiritual  flight;  they  are  shown  in  some  pictures  in  her 
book,  copies  of  two  of  which  are  in  our  Sisters'  refectory.  One  shows 
what  the  fear  of  God  is— a  blue-mantled  figure  all  covered  with  eyes, 
and  yet  without  head  or  face.  But  this  is  not  fear  in  its  common 
meaning,  it  being  rather  a  careful  self-searching  in  the  light  of  God's 
justice,  our  soul  scrutinizing  with  a  thousand  eyes,  as  it  were,  all 
our  words  and  works  and  thoughts.  The  figure  has  no  face  and  head, 
to  show  self-forgetfulness,  total  indiflference  to  human  love  or  hate, 
praise  or  blame.  Nor  has  it  any  hands;  and  this  shows  detachment 
from  all  selfishness  whatsoever. 

The  other  picture  is  a  form  clothed  in  a  white  garment,  with  blue 
fringes,  standing  barefoot,  hands  uplifted,  but  without  any  head. 
Above  it  God  is  represented  iu  pure  gold.  His  being  streaming  down 
upon  the  figure  so  as  to  take  the  place  of  its  head.  This  picture  rep- 
resents entire  poverty  of  spirit.  God  is  that  soul's  only  head;  the 
whiteness  of  the  garment  is  single-heartedness  towards  God,  together 
with  total  self-renunciation.     The  bareness  of  the  feet  means  follow- 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  77X 

ing  Christ  in  strict  imitation  of  His  detachment  The  blue  fringes 
mean  steadfastness  in  well  doing  unto  the  end.  The  uplifted  hands 
mean  perfect  readiness  to  accept  and  to  do  God's  will  in  all  things, 
whether  in  acting  or  in  suffering. 

One  may  compare  this  to  the  sycamore  tree,  or  that  elevation  of 
spirit  above  worldly  things  so  necessary  if  one  would  see  God  in  time 
and  eternity. 

The  Lord  hurried  Zachaeus  down  from  the  tree,  saying  •  "This  day 
I  must  abide  in  thy  house."  That  is,  go  down  very  low  and  learn 
thy  own  nothingnes  in  being  and  in  doing;  it  is  thus  I  must  have 
thy  soul  prepared  for  My  coming.  And  in  truth,  whilst  one  is  still 
up  m  the  tree,  although  he  sees  God's  everlasting  truth,  yet  it  is  not 
with  perfect  clearness;  his  nature,  with  its  inclinations,  is  still  stru-, 
gling  against  grace;  he  is  not  arrived  at  entire  self-abasement.  B^e 
well  assured  that  whatsoever  nature  does  is  always  stained  with 
some  faults-it  cannot  be  entirely  perfect.  Hence  men  whose  spirit- 
uality IS  of  mingled  nature  and  grace,  God  calls  down  from  their  syca- 
more tree  into  a  state  of  more  thorough  self-renunciation.  And  our 
Savior  said:  ''This  day  I  must  abide  in  thy  house."  This  day  means 
the  day  of  eternity,  and  tells  the  promise  of  salvation-which  may 
God  grant  to  all  of  us.     Amen. 


772  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 


JattI?  aa  a  Prarttral  MtmB  of  g>anrtt$ratuin 

Synopsis — Preliminary  observations  on  Christ  expelling  the  traffickers 
from  the  temple — True  faith  not  always  the  sign  of  a  truly  faithful 
soul — Sign  of  a  living  faith:  when  on&s  inner  knowledge  is  brighter 
than  one's  outward  profession  possibly  can  be — A  perfect  Chris- 
tian's heart  is  a  chronicle  of  Ood's  truth  in  words  of  love — The 
prayer  of  faith. 


SECOND  SERMON  FOR  THE  ANNIVERSARY  OF  THE 
DEDICATION  OF  A  CHURCH. 

My  house  shall  be  called  the  house  o  f  prayer. — Matt,  xxi,  13. 

Our  Lord  would  show  us  how  it  may  be  brought  about  that  our 
interior  soul  shall  be  made  a  house  of  prayer,  for  man  is  essentially 
God's  holy  temple.  But  first  of  all  the  traflSckers  must  be  driven  out ; 
this  means  the  alien  forms  and  pictures  of  our  imagination,  as  well 
as  enjoyment  of  created  things,  and  self-will.  To  this  is  added  the 
cleansing  of  the  soul,  which  must  be  washed  with  the  tears  of  pen- 
ance in  God's  love.  Then  is  the  temple  clean.  Now,  temples  are  not 
holy  because  they  are  houses  made  of  fine  material  and  beautiful 
design,  here,  there  or  in  Rome  or  elsewhere,  for  they  are  made  holy 
by  God.  And  of  all  temples,  that  of  our  soul  is  God's  favorite  temple, 
for  there  God  dwells  in  all  truth,  if  room  only  be  given  Him,  and  if 
whatsoever  is  incompatible  with  His  presence  is  removed. 

But  what  sort  of  dwelling  for  God  shall  that  soul  be,  which,  ere 
It  gives  one  thought  to  God  often  gives  forty  thoughts  to  other  things? 
And  this  indicates  who  are  the  traflSckers  in  God's  house,  and  how 
they  happen  to  be  there.  Whosoever  wilfully  lives  in  the  enjoyment 
of  creatures,  the  same  is  a  trafficker  in  the  house  of  God.  There  can 
be  no  manner  of  doubt,  therefore,  that  any  man  who  would  have  God 
dwell  in  Him  and  work  His  divine  work  in  him,  must  put  away  all 
that  stands  between  him  and  God;  he  must  drive  out  of  his  soul  all 
pleasure  in  created  things  that  God  is  not  the  cause  of.  If  any  one 
would  say  that  ten  hurtful  human  friendships  are  not  worse  than  a 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  773 

single  one,  he  would  talk  foolishly;  any  child  would  know  better. 
Therefore,  the  fewer  hindrances  to  God  we  have  to  expel  the  easier 
our  task  will  be.  But  yet  mark  this :  Ten  imperfections  that  a  man 
knows  and  acknowledges  to  be  such,  are  less  dangerous  than  a  single 
one  that  he  will  not  own  to  be  a  fault,  and  that  he  obstinately  cleaves 
to.  Therefore,  cultivate  humble  fear  about  your  hidden  faults.  For 
when  thou  liest  prostrate  before  the  merciful  God  in  all  lowliness  of 
spirit,  owning  frankly  to  thy  imperfections,  then  art  thou  well  ad- 
vised. A  man  who  is  full  of  excuses  can  never  be  rightly  guided. 
Avoid  that  spirit  as  you  would  eternal  death.  Thou  mayst  come 
across  the  holiest  man  in  the  world,  and  likely  enough  thou  wilt  find 
him  weeping  bitterly  for  his  sins ;  and  if  thou  askest  him  if  he  has  not 
wept  enough  during  so  many  years  of  penance,  he  will  answer  thee 
that  it  is  not  a  thousandth  part  of  the  tears  that  are  due  to  God  for 
his  wickedness,  and  that  he  is  now  only  beginning  to  weep.  If  this 
be  the  mind  of  wise  and  holy  men,  shouldst  not  thou  look  carefully 
to  thyself?  You  may  ask  me  if  I  mean  to  teach  that  one  should  weep 
all  the  time.  I  answer  yes  and  no,  according  to  God's  guidance  of 
different  souls.  Only  this  I  maintain — no  man  should  imagine  at  any 
time  that  he  has  completely  done  all  the  penance  that  is  due  to  God 
for  his  sins. 

But  when  thou  hast  driven  the  traflSckers  out,  when  thou  art  come 
so  far  as  not  to  permit  joy  in  creatures  to  abide  in  thy  soul,  what 
then?  Why  this:  Thou  must  keep  a  strict  guard  on  thyself.  For 
these  vile  traffickers  soon  will  try  to  creep  back  again,  once  more  to 
begin  their  huckstering;  and  then  they  must  be  driven  out  a  second 
time.  But  observe  that  if  they  linger  within  thee — these  earthly  ten- 
dencies— and  if  that  be  straight  against  thy  will,  they  cannot  harm 
thee.  But  whether  their  intrusion  be  long  or  short,  out  at  last  must 
they  go  through  the  same  door  they  came  in.  Yet  more:  All  the 
foul  and  evil  things  that  they  may  have  left  behind  them — thoughts, 
feelings,  weaknesses — if  they  be  the  accumulation  of  even  twenty 
years,  all  must  be  cast  out  along  with  what  caused  them. 

"My  house  shall  be  called  the  house  of  prayer."  Xow,  to  prayer 
belongs  devotion,  a  word  which  means  devoted  to  God  or  vowed  to 
God,  an  interior  binding  to  God  joined  to  a  great  longing  for  eternity. 
When  thou  art  thus  bound,  thus  vowed  to  God,  thou  hast  devotion 
wheresoever  thou  art,  whatsoever  may  be  thy  good  work.  It  needs 
not  always  to  be  celebrating  jubilees  to  have  devotion ;  or  to  feel  great 


774  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

spiritual  sweetness.  All  this  is  but  incidental ;  for  the  essence  of 
devotion  is  in  totally  giving  oneself  to  God  interiorly,  or  being  united 
to  Him,  or  bound  to  Him,  That  brings  one  very  close  to  Him.  Devo- 
tion thus  understood  is  like  a  battering  ram ;  it  hammers  down  the 
walls  of  God's  kingdom  and  opens  a  wide  passage  for  the  soul  to 
enter  in. 

St.  Hilary  names  three  means  of  gaining  entrance  into  God's  in- 
terior kingdom.  The  first  is  true  faith;  the  second  an  intelligent 
knowledge  of  God;  the  third,  interior,  devout  prayer.  And  now  what 
is  faith  ?  I  make  boldi  to  say  that  not  all  the  Christian  people  are 
faithful  Christians.  You  know  that  the  churchyard  is  full  of  the 
dead  and  the  church  building  full  of  the  living;  so  in  holy  Church 
there  are  many  that  seem  to  be  alive,  but  are  really  dead,  for  their 
faith  is  not  a  living  faith.  And  what  is  a  living  faith?  Nothing  else 
but  a  living  taste  for  God  and  for  all  that  savors  of  God.  A  man  may 
hear  and  read  things  that  belong  to  our  holy  faith,  as  about  our 
Lord's  divinity  or  humanity,  or  the  blessed  Trinity.  But  he  has  a 
living  faith  within  him,  if  interiorly  he  knows  that  God  is,  and  when 
that  is  interiorly  more  plain  to  him  than  all  his  teachers  can  say; 
and  this  because  he  lives  and  dwells  in  the  interior  kingdom.  There 
does  this  life  of  faith  pour  forth  its  living  waters  from  its  own  foun- 
tain head. 

Another  kind  of  Christians — and,  alas,  they  are  not  few — hang  on 
indeed  to  the  life  of  faith;  but  its  light  is  easily  obscured  in  their 
souls.  If  sunlight  were  a  living  creature  and  a  cloud  were  another, 
then  the  latter  could  destroy  the  life  of  the  former.  So  may  the  life 
of  faith,  already  weak  enough,  be  devoured  by  the  cloud  of  sinfulness 
in  a  Christian's  soul.  But  when  one  is  strong  in  the  faith  with  the 
living  strength  of  knowledge  and  love  of  God,  then  if  clouds  of  sin 
happen  to  overhang  that  soul — for  all  men  are  liable  to  sin — soon 
the  sunshine  of  Divine  life  breaks  through  those  sin-threatening 
clouds  and  disperses  them :  the  soul  quickly  recovers  its  former  sense 
of  living  faith.  The  life  within  such  men  has  struck  deep  roots,  its 
fruit  soon  reappears:  in  plain  words  the  soul  quickly  flies  from  sin. 
Meanwhile  the  others,  those  of  weaker  faith,  lie  where  they  fall.  If 
they  enter  into  themselves  they  find  themselves  a  dead  dog,  dead  and 
reeking  with  corruption.  Drag  that  dead  carcass  of  a  soul  away  out 
of  our  sight — we  might  say :  it  is  lifeless  and  coid,  it  is  empty  of 
God  and  of  all  that  belongs  to  God.     Whatever  means  God  is  heavy 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  775 

and  dull  to  that  soul.  Or  there  may  be  a  faint  spark  of  life  left; 
the  sinner  may  feebly  cling  to  Christian  faith.  In  that  case  the  soul 
shall  be  finally  saved  if  it  will  but  enter  into  real  and  living  faith  by 
true  repentance.  But  it  may  easily  happen  that  such  a  man  shall 
fall  away  totally  and  finally.  By  and  of  himself  he  has  no  ways  or 
means  of  returning  to  God,  for  he  lives  in  outward  things  alone; 
spiritual  things  are  vain  and  tasteless  to  him  and  his  own  interior 
condition  strange  and  unknown. 

Those  souls  who  abide  in  the  life  that  is  within,  know  well  of  the 
interior  movements  of  God  and  of  His  truth.  As  to  what  befalls 
them  in  the  outer  life,  that  also  makes  for  God,  ever  newly  awakening 
their  inner  life,  now  with  holy  purposes,  now  with  deeper  love,  again 
with  praise  and  thanksgiving  to  God.  This  life  is  within  them  and 
none  other.  They  live  in  a  divine  interior  kingdom.  They  savor 
God  in  everything— a  state  of  soul  that  must  remain  hidden  from  all 
who  have  not  been  granted  its  privileges. 

St.  Hilary's  second  road  into  the  interior  kingdom  of  God  is  an 
intelligent  knowledge  of  God.  That  is  found  in  a  man  of  living  faith- 
he  has  not  far  to  seek  for  it,  for  it  manifests  itself  to  him.  Entering, 
as  he  does,  by  the  right  door,  the  light  of  this  knowledge  beams  full 
upon  him— he  does  not  intrude  himself  by  any  forbidden  passage,  and 
therefore  it  must  be  said  to  him :  "Lo,  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within 
you"  (Luke  xvii,  21).  He  finds  the  truth  in  a  degree  of  brightness 
unknown  to  all  who  are  not  familiarly  at  home  in  this  interior 
dwelling.  He  finds  a  knowledge  here  above  all  thought  and  reason 
and  understanding,  as  St.  Dionysius  writes :  "It  is  light  in  light,  the 
soul's  light  in  uncreated  light."  The  great  teachers  of  the  University 
of  Paris  read  great  books,  and  turn  over  the  leaves  with  much  joy. 
That  is  very  good;  but  those  devout  men  we  have  been  speaking  of 
read  in  a  true  living  book  in  which  every  word  is  a  living  force.  They 
turn  over  earth  and  heaven  as  a  man  turns  over  the  leaves  of  a  book, 
and  therein  they  read  the  wonderful  works  of  God.  They  advance 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  different  orders  of  the  blessed  angels  of 
heaven.  They  penetrate  into  the  eternal  life  of  the  blessed  Trinity, 
how  the  Father  eternally  begets  the  Son  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  how 
the  Son  everlastingly  rejoices  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  how  the 
Holy  Ghost  proceeds  from  both  the  Father  and  the  Son,  how  the  holy 
Trinity  pours  itself  forth  into  all  blessed  spirits,  and  how  these  al) 
return  into  their  origin  and  fountain  head.     This  is  the  beatitude  of 


776  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

which  our  Lord  spoke :  "Now  this  is  eternal  life :  That  they  may 
know  Thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  Thou  hast  sent" 
(John  xvii,  3).  Such  is  the  life  in  God's  living  temple,  the  noble  and 
glorious  entertainment  of  all  God's  chosen  friends.  Here  dwells  the 
Divine  High  Priest  in  His  own  palace,  for  here  is  the  true  presence 
of  God,  in  which  all  good  is  centred  and  where  all  pain  vanishes  away. 
Whosoever  has  experienced  this,  knows  it  well  and  knows  nothing 
else.  It  is  a  knowledge  unknown  to  all  the  masters  of  worldly  science. 
Whatsoever  man  best  acquires  it  in  this  life  and  goes  deepest  into  its 
secrets  is  found  closest  to  God,  and  shall  be  made  the  happiest. 

St.  Hilary's  third  road  to  the  kingdom  of  living  faith  is  prayer. 
It  is  the  elevation  of  the  soul  to  God.  In  a  stricter  sense,  it  is  the 
turning  inward  of  the  created  spirit  to  union  with  the  uncreated 
Spirit  of  God.  By  this  means  the  spirit  of  a  man  shall  be  moved  and 
guided  by  the  essence  of  the  Godhead.  Such  men  are  the  true  adorers, 
who  "adore  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in  truth"  (John  iv,  23).  And 
our  Savior  adds:  "For  the  Father  also  seeketh  such  to  adore  Him" 
(ibid.).  What  they  seek  in  their  prayers  they  find — they  receive 
what  they  ask.  And  in  this  prayer  there  is  finding  and  there  is  losing. 
How  losing,  and  what  is  lost?  Even  the  temple  now  is  lost — the 
man's  spirit  and  all  the  life  of  it  that  we  have  been  describing  are 
lost.  What  has  become  of  it  all?  It  has  all  flowed  back  into  God 
and  is  now  embraced  by  His  being  and  absorbed  in  Him.  The  human 
soul  is  made  one  spirit  with  God,  as  our  beloved  St.  Paul  tells  us: 
"He  who  is  joined  to  the  Lord  is  one  spirit"  (I.  Cor.  vi,  17).  What 
all  that  is,  and  how  all  that  is  done,  is  more  easily  felt  than  told :  all 
discourse  about  it  is  as  unequal  to  its  reality  as  a  needle  point  is  to 
the  great  heavens  above  us.  May  God  grant  us  the  grace  one  day 
to  experience  it — God  the  Father,  and  God  the  Son,  and  God  the 
Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 

TWO  USEFUL  INSTKUCTIONS  ABOUT  CONFESSION. 

Children,  I  counsel  you,  and  I  admonish  and  implore  you,  to  learn 
how  to  confess  all  your  sins  interiorly  to  God,  and  to  acknowledge 
yourselves  guilty  before  Him  with  the  utmost  sincerity.  Ponder  over 
your  sins  very  deliberately  before  His  eyes  and  with  much  love;  but 
do  not  make  your  outward  confession  to  the  priest  too  long,  nor  dwell 
too  particularly  upon  the  fine  distinctions  between   different  venial 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  777 

sins.  There  is  little  profit  in  such  a  practice,  and  it  robs  your  father 
confessor  of  his  valuable  time,  annoying  and  perhaps  distressing  him. 
Children,  by  such  minuteness  of  confession  your  sins  will  not  stop, 
and,  as  I  have  elsewhere  taught  you,  your  father  confessor  has  no 
power  over  sins  which  you  have  not  made  up  your  mind  to  quit. 

Turn  into  yourself;  arouse  your  memory;  work  inside  your  soul. 
For  the  outward  telling  of  your  sins  brings  little  fruit  if  not  joined 
to  interior  repentance,  especially  when  there  is  (as  in  this  case)  no 
question  of  mortal  sins,  but  of  venial  sins.  Such  superfluous  telling 
of  sins  is  often  the  sign  of  a  man  all  too  careless  in  the  work  of 
interior  confession.  If  the  interior  confession  of  venial  faults  be  done 
rightly,  these  defects  are  so  obliterated  from  one's  conscience  that  he 
can  scarcely  recall  or  describe  them  with  any  particularity ;  but  that 
presupposes  that  he  has  dealt  with  God  about  them  with  deep  sin- 
cerity. And  now  you  understand  that  all  this  has  reference  only  to 
venial  sins. 

As  to  mortal  sins,  O  may  God  preserve  you  from  them.  Children, 
it  is  every  way  necessary  that  a  man  should  keep  a  strict  watch  over 
his  interior  life.  He  may  be  said  to  have  many  skins  drawn  over  his 
soul,  hiding  its  true  state  from  him.  We  meet  with  men  who.  though 
they  know  many  things,  do  not  know  themselves — there  are  thirty  or 
forty  interior  disguises  hiding  some  men's  souls  from  their  own  knowl- 
edge, one  disguise  beneath  the  other,  each  of  them  as  hard  as  the  hide 
of  an  ox.  And  these  self-deceptions  hinder  one's  getting  away  from 
and  keeping  out  of  mortal  sin :  for  they  cannot  be  stripped  off  by  con- 
fession alone,  as  you  might  suppose  they  could,  but  only  by  interior 
sorrow.  And  just  what  are  they?  Everything  that  thou  hast  in  thee, 
or  meanest,  or  enjoyest,  whose  true  end  and  object  is  not  God.  These 
are  all  a  man's  false  gods — evil  images  harbored  in  the  mind,  self-will, 
self-indulgence  in  the  life  of  the  senses.  A  man  hides  these  from  him- 
these  as  Rachel  hid  and  sat  upon  her  father's  idols  in  her  tent.  To 
these  are  joined  presumption,  boastfulness,  and  spiritual  sloth  in 
Divine  things.  These  are  all  interior  disguises.  I  do  not  say  that  they 
are  all  matter  for  confession  to  a  priest,  but  I  do  say  that  they  must 
be  seriously  taken  account  of  and  humbly  confessed  to  God.  If  a  man 
will  but  prostrate  himself  at  God's  feet  and  acknowledge  himself 
guilty  of  these  things,  all  will  be  well;  he  will  then  begin  to  turn 
away  from  them  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  and  our  Lord's  help  will 
not  be  wantins:.     Amen. 


778  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

II. 

One  may  confess  his  venial  sins  to  his  father  confessor  with  words 
such  as  these,  according  to  each  one's  particular  failings:  I  have  been 
guilty  of  proud  and  useless  thoughts  in  reciting  my  office  and  in  my 
prayers  instead  of  giving  careful  attention.  I  have  been  negligent;  I 
have  broken  silence  without  necessity  at  times  and  in  places  not  per- 
mitted; I  have  spoken  scoffingly,  hastily  and  imprudently;  I  have 
been  silly  in  my  language,  restless  and  uneasy  in  my  conduct,  un- 
guarded in  my  manners;  thoughtless  of  God's  will:  forgetful  of  the 
holy  rule  in  and  out  of  choir ;  I  have  been  disobedient  and  ungrateful ; 
I  have  not  loved  God  and  praised  Him  as  I  ought ;  I  have  not  attended . 
to  His  interior  admonitions;  I  have  not  given  my  brethren  a  good 
example;  and  I  accuse  myself  in  general  of  having  not  duly  observed 
poverty,  chastity,  obedience,  and  the  holy  rule  according  to  my  vows, 
as  well  as  of* all  other  of  my  sins  and  imperfections. 

And  thou  mayst  beg  of  God  the  granting  of  an  indulgence  as  fol- 
lows :  Dear  Lord,  if  it  were  possible  for  me  to  do  so,  I  would  seek  to 
gain  this  indulgence  by  journeying  through  frost  and  snow,  through 
rain  and  cold.  But  that  is  not  in  my  power  to  do;  nor  can  I  do  more 
than  humbly  implore  Thee  to  grant  me  this  indulgence  as  Thy  generous 
alms.  I  beg  Thee  to  make  me  a  sharer  in  all  the  holy  devotions  in  Thy 
Church  everywhere,  giving  me  a  plenary  indulgence  from  all  my  sins^ 
by  the  most  precious  blood  flowing  from  Thy  Divine  wounds,  the 
source  and  fountain  head  of  all  Thy  graces.  Dear  children,  say  that 
prayer  with  sincere  faith  and  deep  confidence  in  God.  and  thou  shalt 
be  raised  above  all  the  miseries  of  this  world. 

OX  THE  ATTKIBUTES  OF  GOD. 

Moses  said  to  his  people :  '-Hear,  O  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God  is  one 
Lord"  (Dent,  vi,  4).  So  can  we  make  much  progress  by  meditating 
on  the  dififerent  attributes  of  God  and  His  various  names,  as  we  apply 
them  to  His  Divine  being;  but  meanwhile  we  ought  to  sink  down  into 
our  own  nothingness.  I  have  already  explained,  that  after  one  has 
duly  meditated  on  our  dear  Lord's  birth,  life,  passion  and  death,  he 
should  then  elevate  his  spirit  above  time  and  fix  it  upon  the  eternal 
ways  and  being  of  God. 

In  considering  the  Divine  attributes,  one  may,  as  it  were,  mirror 


of  John  Tauler,  the  Illuminated  Doctor  779 

God  in  his  soul,  and  consider  Him  as  a  pure  being  and  the  essence  of 
all  beings,  and  yet  He  is  nothing  of  all  things  as  we  understand  them. 
But  all  that  is,  and  all  that  is  being  and  has  being  and  is  good,  in  all 
that  God  is.  St.  Augustine  says:  "Seest  thou  a  good  man,  a  good 
angel,  the  good  heaven?  Abstract  man,  angel,  heaven;  and  that  which 
remains,  that  is  to  say,  the  essence  of  good,  that  is  God ;  for  He  is  all 
in  all  things,  and  yet  far  above  all  things.  All  creatures  have  indeed 
good  in  them,  have  indeed  love;  but  they  are  not  the  good,  they  are 
not  the  love,  but  God  alone  is  the  essence  of  good,  of  love,  and  of  all 
that  one  can  name."  Then  let  a  man  compare  himself  with  this  essen- 
tial good,  and  exerting  all  the  powers  of  his  soul  let  him  contemplate 
it  and  become  absorbed  in  it,  so  that  his  own  nothingness  may  be 
merged  in  God  and  renewed  in  His  Divine  essence,  which  is  alone 
the  being  and  the  action  and  the  life  that  is  in  all  things. 

Let  a  man  contemplate  the  attribute  of  the  simplicity,  the  absolute 
oneness  of  being,  and  he  will  see  God  as  the  final  end  of  simplicity, 
in  whom  all  multiplicity  is  made  unity  and  simplified  in  unity  of 
essence.  Again,  God's  essence  is  His  action.  God's  knowledge,  love, 
justice,  mercy,  righteousness  are  all  one.  Enter  therein,  drawing 
with  thee  thy  own  incomprehensible  multiplicity,  which  He  will  make 
simple  in  His  own  most  simple  essence. 

Let  a  man  contemplate  God's  unspeakable  hidd'enness.  He  is  hidden 
in  all  things;  as  Isaias  says:  "Verily,  Thou  are  a  hidden  God" 
(Isaias  xlv,  15).  To  everything  he  is  nearer  than  it  is  to  itself.  He 
is  in  the  depths  of  the  soul,  hidden  there  from  all  sense  and  unknown. 
Penetrate  there  and  enter  into  union  with  Him  with  all  thy  powers, 
transcending  over  all  the  thoughts  of  thy  external  existence;  for  thy 
external  existence  is  as  far  from  thy  real  self  and  from  thy  interior 
existence  as  is  any  beast,  which  lives  only  in  its  bodily  senses,  and 
knows  and  understands  and  feels  nothing  besides.  Hide  thyself  away 
in  this  hiddenness  of  God,  away  from  all  creatures  and  all  that  is 
alien  to  essential  being.  But  this  does  not  take  place  by  the  way  of 
images  and  forms  in  the  mind;  no,  nor  by  the  use  of  the  understand- 
ing, but  in  an  essential  way,  all  the  soul's  powers  and  aspirations 
being  lifted  above  the  life  of  sense  into  the  way  of  perception. 

Then  let  a  man  contemplate  the  solitude  of  God,  in  which  never  a 
word  in  the  essence  or  in  the  essential  way  is  spoken.  All  in  God  is 
silent,  secret  and  solitary — nothing  but  simply  God,  and  never  has 
entered  there  anything  alien  to  God,  whether  it  be  creature,  or  form. 


780  The  Sermons  and  Spiritual  Conferences 

or  image.  God  meant  this  solitariness  when  He  spoke  by  the  prophet : 
"I  will  lead  her  into  the  wilderness;  and  I  will  speak  to  her  heart" 
(Osee  ii,  14).  This  wilderness  is  His  silent,  solitary  Godhead,  into 
which  in  time  and  eternity  He  leads  all  who  will  be  attentive  to  His 
interior  inspirations.  Into  this  still  Godhead  introduce  thy  own  vain 
and  waste  soul,  which  is  a  wilderness  full  of  a  rank  growth  of  weeds 
and  empty  of  useful  fruit,  a  wilderness  given  up  to  the  wild  beasts 
that  are  thy  senses  and  faculties. 

Then  contemplate  the  Divine  darkness;  for  by  reason  of  His  un- 
speakable brilliancy,  God  is  darkness  to  all  created  understanding, 
whether  of  men  or  angels,  as  the  noonday  sun  is  darkness  to  the 
unprotected  eye  that  gazes  straight  upon  it.  The  created  light  of  the 
mind  of  man  or  angel  compared  to  God's  mind  is  as  the  eyes  of  a  little 
bird  compared  to  the  sun  in  the  sky.  When  any  created  spirit  looks 
full  upon  God,  it  must  instantly  close  its  eyes  and  rest  in  blindness 
and,  as  it  were,  unknowingness.  Into  this  brightness  of  Divine  light 
introduce  thy  fathomless  darkness,  devoid  as  it  is  of  all  true  light. 
Give  over  thy  darkness  to  the  abyss  of  the  Divine  darkness,  which 
alone  knows  Itself,  and  in  the  degree  it  knows  Itself  is  unknown  to 
all  else.  But  this  abyss,  this  unknown  and  unnamed,  is  divinely  bliss- 
ful, and  it  ravishes  the  soul's  love  more  than  all  that  it  can  know  else 
in  the  eternal  beatitude  of  the  Divine  essence. 


INDEX 

NOTE — The  reader  should  bear  in  mind,  that  nearly  all  of  Taulor's  Sermons 
deal  with  Christian  and  religious  perfection,  and  with  the  various  degrees  of 
mental  prayer.  Therefore,  the  following  and  kindred  subjects  will  be  found 
treated  of  nearly  everywhere:  Poverty,  chastity,  obedience,  purity  of  heart, 
mortification,  humility,  the  passion  of  Christ,  the  divine  attributes,  meditation 
and  contemplative  prayer  in  every  degree  and  aspect,  sensible  devotion,  aridity, 
spiritual  direction,  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  all  the  rules  for  the  interior 
life. 

A  Pages. 

Abandonment  to  God  and  the  Passion 532 

Abandonment,  in  general 12.  29,  40.  199,  208,  330 

Advent 51 

Alms 554 

All   Saints 717-724 

Angels,  The 712-716 

Anger   553.  607,  627 

Aridity   ( see  Desolation ) 

Avarice,  Spiritual 522 

B 

Baptism,  Vows  of 213 

Beatitudes,  The  Eight,  in  general 717-724 

Beginners  in  Perfection 535 

Brotherly  Love  as  a   Beatitude 722 

Brotherly  Love  and  Contemplation 598 

Brotherly  Love  When   Universal 496 

Brotherly  Love,  in  general. 56,  97,  141,  168,  234,  251,  290,  326,  422,  432,  576.  598,  675 

C 

Censoriousness    273.   290 

Chastity    142.  181.  632-636 

Cloister,  Virtues  of 44-46,  213 

Commandments  of  God 536 

Communion,  Holy,  in  general 72,  265,  291,  392-394,  365-396,  397-400.  460-463 

Communion.  Holy,  False  Opinions  About 386 

Communion.  Holy.  Frequent 371-391.  482-489 

Confession,  Practical  Instruction  for 777-779 

Confession  and  Humility 491 

Contemplation 78,  90,  185,  285.  312.  318.  549,  554 

Contemplation  and  Brotherly  Love 598,  613 

Contemplation  and  Contrition 561 

Contemplation  and  Good   Works 556 

Contemplation,  Grades  of 596.  628-631 

Contemplation,   Natural 651 

Contemplation.  False 187,  547 

Contrition   and   Contemplation 561 

Conversation  and  Brotherly  Love 675 

Conversion,  Interior 137 

Conversion,  True  and  False 172-175,  582-589 

Correction.   Fraternal 664-667 

Counsels,    Efvangelical 537 

Counsel.  The  Gift  of 339 


INDEX— Continued 

Pages. 
D 

Desolation  of  Spirit,   in  general 105,  117,   126-127,   197.  271-272,  292,  310 

339,  426,  616 

Desolation  of  Spirit  a  Marli  of  Divine  Favor. 496 

Desolation  of  Spirit  and    Perseverance 404 

Desolation  of  Spirit  in  Higher  Grades  of  Prayer     538 

Detachment  and  Contemplation 617 

Detachment  and  Purity  of  Heart 668 

Detachment  as  a  Hidden  Virtue 42,  706-711 

Detachment,  in  general 11,  57,  62,  103,  146,  199,  299,  323.  325,  343,  378 

Devils,   The 712-716 

Devotion,  Sensible 58,  106,  126,  128,  134,  153,  224,  301,  311,  319,  330,  386?  592 

Distractions  in  Prayer 288 

Direction,  Spiritual 55,  280,  366,  435,  622,  625 

Disinterested  Love 160,  228 

E 

Easter   242,  248 

Ecstasy  (see  Rapture) 

Epiphany,  The .96,  101,  103.  107 

Espousals,  The  Divine 37    560 

Eucharist,  The    ( see   Communion ) .' 

Evangelical  Counsels,  The 537 

Examen \     55 

Externalism    (see   Formalism) 


Faith  and  Perfection 773-777 

Faith  and  Reason 10,  113    227 

Faith  and  the  Eucharist .'  387 

Faith  and  the  Higher  Prayer 518 

Faith  as  Against  Sight 499 

Faith  as  a  Quality  of  Prayer 528 

Faith,  in  general 273    293 

Fasting .............". .  .'  425 

Fear  of  God,  The 99.  135,  168,   173-176 

Fear,  The  Gift  of 337 

Fidelity  in  Little  Things 472-476 

Formalism   138,  153,  165,  172,  175,  195,  204,  413,"  466,  759-762 

Formalism,   Holy .' 763-768 

Fortitude,  The  Gift  of 338 

Fraternal  Charity   (see  Brotherly  Love) 

Fraternal    Correction 664-667 

Friendship 236 

G 

Generation  of  the  Word  Interiorly 73-75 

Gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The 334."  355,  3^5.  497 


Heaven  304 

Heaven,  Foretastes  of 397 

Hell ..!...!'.!.!!!!*.!!.  508 

Holy  Ghost,  The  Gifts  of  the 497 

Holy  Ghost,  The  Guidance  of  the 676-683 

Hope  222,  426,  492 


INDEX^Continued 

Pages. 

Hope  aud   Perseverance 404 

Hope  as  a  Quality  of  Prayer 521 

Hope  During  Interior  Difficulties 697 

Humanity  of  Christ. 284,  285 

Human  Respect   (see  Humility) 

Humility  Amid  Temptations 571,  647 

Humility  and  Christ's  Passion 501,  702 

Humility  and  Confession 491 

Humility  and  Worldliness 514 

Humility  as  a  Beatitude 720 

Humility.  Its  Ranii  Among  Virtues 401 

Humility,  in  general 13.  17,  31,  36,  85,  97,  98,  132.  140.  149,  165,  167,  182,  184, 

200,  207,  226,  274-279.  300.  315.  344.  539,  540,  752-758 
Hypocrisy    411,  544 

I 

Incarnation.   Christ's 641-646 

Impurity    (see  Chastity) 

Industry    639 

Inspirations  of  Grace 464 

Interior  Life.  A   Sketch   of  the 283 

Interior  Life,  in  general 54.  271,  283,  323,  3(>4,  466 

Interior  Spirit.  The 266.  305 

J 

John  the  Baptist.  St 655 

E 

Knowledge,  The  Gift  of 337,  356 

L 

Layman's  Perfection 428,  457,  537 

Liberty  of  Spirit 114,  134,  154,  158.  624 

Love,  Brotherly    (see  Brotherly  Love) 

Love  of  God.  The 56,  168,  176,  251,  297 

Love  of  God,  a  Measure  of  all  Virtue 431 

Love  of  God.  Disinterested 160.  178,  186,  193,  458 

Love  of  God,  Growth  in 56 

Love  of  God,  Degrees  of  the 254,  507 

Love  of  God,  Essential  Marks  of  the 545 

Love  of  God  in  Relation  to  the  Trinity 734-738 

Love  of  God,  Natural  and  Supernatural 187 

Love  of  God,  Qualities  of  the 260 

Love  of  God,  Tests  of  True  and  False 590-593 

Lukewarmness   (see  Tepidity) 

Lying    552 

M 

Mary  and  the  Incarnation 641-646 

Mary,  The  Dignity  of 621,  626 

Martyrdom  739-744 

Meditation,  How  to  Make 162 

Meekness    (see  Humility) 

Mercy   of   God,    The 235 

Mortal  Sin 51.  83.  173,  278.  410 

Mortification   18,  97.  104.  122,  156.  165.  181,  243,  244,  282,  502 

Mysticism    (see    Contemplation) 


INDEX— Continued 

Pages. 
N 

Natural   Contemplation 651 

Natural  Virtues 317,  354,  464 

New  Year's  Day 83 


Obedience   99.  191,  235 

Obedience  an  Aid  to  Prayer 468 

Obedience,  Unwilling 407 

Obstinacy,  a  Hindrance  to  Perfection 495 

Obstinacy  in  Sinning 166 

Orders,    Religious 537 


Passive  Love  of  God 161.  123,  ISO 

Passive  Virtues,  The 87,  117,  118 

Passion  of  Christ,  The 162,  164,  168,  191,  216,  233,  292,  408 

Passion  of  Christ,  The,  and  Abandonment  to  God 533 

Passion  of  Christ,  The,  and  Contemplation 631 

Passion  of  Christ,  The,  and  Humility 501,  702 

Passion  of  Christ,  The,  and  Mortification 502 

Passion  of  Christ,  The,  as  a  Rule  of  Life 690-693 

Patience 33,  53,  147,  164,  178,  193,  204,  217,  237,  309.  360.  422 

Patience  as  a  Beatitude 721,  723 

Patience  Crowned  with  Perfection 739-744 

Patience,  Productive  of  Peace 540 

Patience  Related  to  Hope  and  Love 490 

Patience,  The  Place  of,  in  Christian  Perfection 694-700 

Patience  Under   Interior  Trials 519 

Patience  with  God 119.  130,  212 

Peace,  a  Result  of  Prayer 540 

Penances  133,  167,  214,  219,  225 

Penance,  The  Sacrament  of 203,  297,  455,  777-779 

Perfection 55,  63,   168,  240,  242,  262,  315.  729-733 

Perfection  and  Purity  of  Heart 668.  676 

Perfection,  A   Scheme  of 366 

Perfection  Gained  by  Patience 739-744 

Perfection  in  the  World 428,   537 

Perfection,   Progress   in 152 

Perfection,   Short  Cuts  to 225 

Perfection,   The  Degrees  of 171,  443.  453 

Perfection,  The  Desire  of 222,  271 

Perfection,  The  Interior   Process  of 216.  218 

Perfection,  The  Rudiments  of 192 

Perfection,  The  Way  of 96 

Perseverance 139.   237,   512 

Perseverance  as  a  Linking  of  Virtues 673 

Perseverance  in  Love 256 

Perseverance  in  Prayer 194 

Pharisaism    544 

Poverty   133,  234 

Poverty  as  a  Beatitude 719 

Prayer 268,  287,  317,  434 

Prayer  and  an  Active  Life 437,  566 

Prayer  and  Faith 519,  528 

Prayer  and  Hope 521 

Prayer,  Distractions  in 288,  435 


INDEX— Conhnued 

Pages. 

Prayer  for  Perfection 51g 

Prayer  of  Contemplation \({{   yog-GSi 

Prayer  of  Quiet '.'.■.'.'.".'.*.'.!'".  .Ts!  90    185 

Prayer.  Unitive 549    554 

Prayer,  Vocal .2()8    288    320 

Prayer,  Vocal,  How  Related  to  Mental .......'        .  532 

Prayer,  Why  Unanswered 524 

Preaching  ( see  Sermons ) 

Pride   ( see  Humility ) 

Priesthood,  The 649 

Providence,  Trust  in 501 

Prudence hi?    32'> 

Prudence  and  Brotherly  Love 515 

Purgatory 176 

Purity  of  Heart G8,  110,  102,  114,  115.  157,  193,  207.  228,  239.  329    350    639 

Purity  of  Heart  a    Short  Cut  to   Perfection "...  '     6<58-676 

Purity  of  Heart  as   a  Beatitude 703 

Purity  of  Heart  Compared   with    Formalism 759-76'> 

Purity  of  Heart,  The   Degrees   of .725-7'>8 

Q 

Quiet,  The  Prayei-  of   (see  Prayer,  Contemplation) 


Raptures   .V)9.  710 

Rash  Judgment fjC^ 

Rationalism,  Spiritual .!....!.  506 

Reason  and  Faith .10   19   113   19*;  '>'^7 

Recollection    57,  69,  77,  84,  86.  107,  120,  133.   m  224,' 231.'  .303 

Repentance   '  ^33'  jgy 

Resignation 42   104.  178 

Resurrection,  Christ's ."..24''  248 

S 

Saints.  All 717-724 

Sensible  Devotion 58,  106,  126,  134,  153,  224.  301.  311    319.  330.  386 

Sermons '  qq  149 

Sermons,  How  to  Hear .^3 

Sermons,  The  Qualities  of  Good .       .     14    .31 

Sermons  Useful  for  Perfection 492 

^I'ence  '.283i  332.  33.5 "  352.  369 

Simplicity  61    J82 

Sin   (see  Mortal   Sin,  Venial   Sin) 

Solitude   '.'.'.'.'.'.'.['.[  .'335.'  352.  369 

Soul,  The  Beauty  of  the 401 

Soul.  The  Dignity  of  the isOS.  5lV   5'>7 

Spiritual    Direction    (see    Direction) 

Superiors,  The  Virtues  and  Failings  of 665 

T 

Temptations    570-574.  601 

Temptations  and  How  to  Meet  Them 745-751 

Temptations  and  Humility 647 

Temptations  and  Tepidity 686 

Temptations  to  Anger 627 

Temptations  to  Impurity 632-636 


INDEX— Continued 

Pages. 

Tepidity 177,  272 

Tepidity  and  Temptations 686 

ThanliSgiving   134,  171,  208,  274.  312 

ThanliSgiving  in  the  Higher  Kind  of  Prayer 531 

Theft    554 

Thief,  The  Bad 164 

Thief,  the  Good 167 

Trinity,  The  Holy 67,  87,  128.  357.  362 

Trinity,  The  Holy,  and  the  Degrees  of  Love :  734-738 

U 

Understanding,  The  Gift  of '.  34« 

Unitive  Prayer   (see  Contemplation) 

V 

Vainglory   (see  Humility) 

Venial  Sins 125,  177 

Venial  Sins  and  Holy  Communion 392-394 

Virginity  637-640 

Virginity  and  Humility 764 

Virtues,  The  Natural 317,  354 

Vocation   406,  535,  764 

Vows,  The  Religious 94,  95 

Vows  of  Baptism,  The •  •  • .  213 

W 

Watching    ^^2?^ 

Wisdom,  The  Gift  of 340 

Worldliness  277,  289.  294 


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